What to know about the business of sneaker bots: the controversial tech that helps resellers flip hundreds of hyped pairs of Jordans, Dunks, and Yeezys

What to know about the business of sneaker bots: the controversial tech that helps resellers flip hundreds of hyped pairs of Jordans, Dunks, and Yeezys

There are a few of reasons people will regularly miss out on hyped sneakers drops. But odds are, it's because of a bot.

In the sneaker resale world, a "bot" refers to a software application that expedites the online checkout process and helps resellers nab hyped pairs in seconds “” including limited-edition drops and collabs.

When sneakers are released in limited quantities, it's often a race to see which sneakerheads can input their credit card information on a website or app the fastest in order to checkout before the product sells out. Bots are specifically designed to make this process instantaneous, offering users a leg-up over other buyers looking to complete transactions manually.

Though bots are notoriously difficult to set up and run, to many resellers they are a necessary evil for buying sneakers at retail price. The software also gets around "one pair per customer" quantity limits placed on each buyer on release day.

As the sneaker resale market continues to thrive, Business Insider is covering all aspects of how to scale a business in the booming industry. And bots are a major part of that. From how to acquire and use the technology to the people behind the most popular bots in