The RealReal Hardens Bot Defenses Against AI Shopping Agents

The RealReal said on October 27, 2026, that it is strengthening its bot defenses to stop AI shopping agents from holding items in carts and blocking other shoppers from buying them, according to Gizmodo.

The secondhand luxury platform is making it harder for automated agents to log in, add items to carts and complete checkout. The move targets tools that can tie up inventory that other customers are waiting on.

Other retailers have taken similar positions. Tapestry, the parent company of Coach and Kate Spade, and department store chain Kohl's do not allow AI shopping agents to complete purchases on their platforms. Chewy and Neiman Marcus block some agents, while Delta Air Lines does not yet allow AI agents to buy tickets for flyers.

Amazon blocked Meta's Muse agents from its platform after Meta launched the tool, while offering its own agentic shopping assistant, Alexa for Shopping. Banks are also reportedly moving to block third-party AI shopping agents from accessing user accounts.

Earlier reports on cart holds

In October 2026, The Verge reported that AI agents could exploit The RealReal's 20-minute cart hold feature, with reporters using Meta's Muse to keep items on hold for hours. Meta released Muse in September 2026. On Meta's earnings call the following week, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said more than 10 million people in the US and Canada had set up personal agents, mostly for shopping, and that more than a quarter of Muse users make an average purchase of more than $200.