For many Shopify store owners, the definition of Shopify bots is as clear as mud.
Some say bots violate retail terms and conditions while others say bots help them sell.
What Shopify store owners may not realize, however, is that—
Shopify bots come in two types.
One includes so-called sneaker copping bots for auto-checkout. Another consists of chatbots designed to help Shopify owners automate marketing and customer support processes.
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Let’s get started.
What are Shopify Bots?
Shopify bots are software designed to automate processes on Shopify sites. With different types of Shopify bots, you can share marketing messages, answer questions from customers, and even do shoe copping.
There are actually two main types of Shopify bots:
- Sneaker bots. These bots support auto-checkout and auto-shopping to “fill” limited sneakers from Shopify stores. This way you can get your hands on limited edition Adidas, Nike, Supreme, or other hype sneakers brands.
- Chatbots for lead generation, marketing, and customer service. Designed to help Shopify online store owners automate marketing campaigns, build an email list, and answer simple questions from customers.
Let’s take a look at the next sneaker Shopify bots.
Five Examples of Top Shopify Bots (Sneaker Copping Bots)
A sneaker bot is a computer program that automatically finds and buys limited edition and popular sneakers from online stores. In some cases, bots also have the option to buy other streetwear. The standard sneaker bot is an app for Windows and Mac.
People like shoe collectors, resellers, and “sneakerheads” use these Shopify bots to reserve and buy shoes before others have a chance. Bots search and buy in milliseconds, so they’re the fastest way to get limited items during sneaker releases.
The top Shopify sneaker bots are:
- Nike Bot ($499/year) A Shopify bot service for sneaker collectors that automatically bypasses Shopify checkout queues and solves captchas to reserve sneakers.
- AIO Bot ($325/year). AIO is a sneaker bot that creates customer accounts on e-commerce platforms and cops sneakers for sneakerheads and resellers.
- Supercop Bot ($49.99). Compatible with all checkouts on the Shopify website, this bot automatically fills in information and purchases. Offers services such as a restock watch that notifies about new deliveries.
- KickMoji ($349.99 for bot, $29.99/mo later). A Shopify auto-checkout bot that supports 24 stores, including Footlocker and Champs.
- Easycop ($600/year). This auto-checkout bot supports all major footsites (ie Footlocker brands, including Eastbay) and allows users to get unlimited pairs at once.
Because an automated Shopify checkout bot purchases products in seconds, it prevents human shoppers from getting them. Technology is advanced, so bots also have the best proxies to present themselves as customers with real residential IP addresses.
This unfair advantage leads to a logical question:
“Are Shopify bots legal?”
The answer for this one is quite complicated. Here’s what you need to know.
Shopify Sneaker Bots—Are They Legal?
The answer is yes.
But—
Automated order placement with Shopify bots is a service that frustrates business owners and worries authorities.
In fact, similar technology in other industries is already getting strong resistance.
Take ticket bots, for example. Shopify’s bots do the same thing, but instead of sneakers, they buy concert tickets.
The Federal Trade Commission (FDA) now has a legal tool against them: The Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act. The first case under BOTS started in January 2021 against brokers who have secured thousands of event tickets using ticket bots.
So, it’s not unreasonable to suggest that the FDA will try to regulate Shopify’s auto-checkout bots at some point. There are no legal restrictions now, of course, but many retailers aren’t exactly happy with them.
Store owners, from small businesses on Shopify to large retailers like Kith, don’t appreciate bots because they buy all the products in seconds. This leads to disappointed customers having to wait for restocking, which rarely happens for unique streetwear releases (think Yeezy Supply products).
That’s why businesses are looking for ways to protect their Shopify websites from bottling. Shopify Plus, for example, has a built-in bot protection tool.
But—
Shopify’s bots aren’t just robots for copping sneakers from sites in record time.
As mentioned earlier, there is a second type:
Shopify chatbots for customer service and marketing automation.
These bots—also called Shopify chatbots—are completely different from auto-checkout sneaker bots. They work for store owners, not collectors, and help run their businesses by automating repetitive tasks.
Let’s see how adding a Shopify chatbot can help your business.
Here are the five best Shopify chatbot apps. Unlike checkout bots, this type of bot supports Shopify business owners by generating leads, providing customer support, and improving the shopping experience.
- Tidio ($0-$399/mo) is an all-in-one customer service platform for small businesses. Its main product is live chat powered by chatbots, which enables business owners to provide amazing customer support and generate more leads.
- Gorgias ($60-$750/mo) is a great solution for those looking for chatbot automation and a ticketing system in one. It also provides advanced issue tracking and segmentation tools, making it an ideal tool for businesses dealing with large volumes of queries.
- Report ($0-$15/mo) (formerly known as Shoppy) is a unique bot for Shopify that acts as a virtual assistant. It seamlessly integrates not only with your Shopify website, but also with Slack. It can also send 30+ types of sales reports and notifications to Shopify store owners.
- Tobi ($29/mo for $1k and up) is an SMS chatbot platform where you can send welcome messages, abandoned shopping cart reminders, and re-engagement notifications via Messenger and Shopify.
- WhatsApp Photo Reviews ($0-$9.99/month) enables businesses of all sizes to maximize social proof and customer trust by automatically collecting reviews. You can also set up an incentive that will encourage users to leave feedback.
Want to discover more tools to improve your online customer service efforts? Read our article comparing the best Shopify chatbot platforms.
Shopify Bots: Summary
Now we know that both customers and store owners can benefit from Shopify bots.
Bots do auto checkout to get sneakers to sell at a higher price or keep in a private collection. The best Shopify bots for that are:
- Nike Shoe Bot
- AIO Bot
- Supercop Bot
- KickMoji
- Easycop
Shopify store owners can get help with lead generation, customer support, and marketing. The best Shopify bots in this category are:
- Tidy
- Gorgias
- Report
- Tobi
- WhatsApp Photo Reviews
