RealReal blocks AI bots from holding inventory

The RealReal has updated its security settings to stop AI agents from locking up designer goods.

The change makes it harder for automated software to complete purchases on the site.

The RealReal is a consignment shop that sells secondhand luxury fashion.

The update follows a recent report showing how AI tools could exploit the company's shopping cart rules.

The RealReal places items on hold for 20 minutes when a shopper adds them to a cart.

During that window, other customers cannot buy the item.

The Verge demonstrated that Meta's Muse agent could beat this timer.

The AI agent would remove and re-add the same item every time the 20-minute hold expired.

This cycle kept the product unavailable to humans for hours or even days.

Luke Friang is the chief technology officer at The RealReal.

Friang said the company fixed the specific issue caused by Muse.

The new bot defense system now makes it difficult for agents to log in and check out. Friang told The Verge in an email that the changes apply to all agents. He said AI tools can still show users product pages. The company plans to keep improving its defenses as AI shopping grows. Meta did not respond to a request for comment. Tech companies are marketing AI agents as digital assistants for daily tasks. These tools can buy items, book meetings, and manage schedules. Meta said shopping was the top use for Muse on its earnings call this month. The company reported that average purchases through the agent exceeded $200. Meta stated that 10 million people in the US downloaded the app within 40 days. Retailers have noticed a shift in how customers browse. Many people now use chatbots to find items instead of visiting websites directly. This change can reduce the direct relationship between a store and its buyers. Amazon has already blocked some AI agents from shopping on its site. The RealReal incident shows how bots can disrupt standard retail practices. Humans usually stop adding items to a cart if they cannot decide. An AI agent can repeat the same task endlessly without frustration. This ability gives millions of consumers a new way to secure popular goods. Retailers are adjusting their systems to handle this new type of shopper.