The RealReal blocks AI shoppers from holding designer items

The RealReal has updated its website security to stop AI agents from reserving designer clothing for extended periods. The secondhand luxury retailer changed its bot defense system to make it harder for automated software to log in, add products to carts, and complete checkouts. The move follows reports that artificial intelligence tools could exploit the site's item reserve feature.

The RealReal allows customers to place items on hold for 20 minutes once they are added to a shopping cart. During that window, the item is unavailable to other buyers. Testing conducted by The Verge demonstrated that Meta's Muse AI agent could bypass this limit. The agent would re-add listings to a cart immediately after the 20-minute hold expired. This action blocked other shoppers from purchasing those specific items for hours or longer.

Luke Friang, the company's chief technology officer, confirmed the fix in an email sent after the report published. Friang stated that the new configuration makes it difficult for agents to perform the specific tasks that allowed the previous exploit. He noted that agents can still find listings and direct users to product pages. The company plans to keep strengthening its protections as AI shopping tools develop.

Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the incident. The company has promoted Muse as a personal assistant that can handle daily tasks for users. Meta reported during its third-quarter earnings call that shopping is the most common use case for the app. The company said average purchases made through Muse exceeded $200.

Meta also shared that 10 million people in the United States downloaded the Muse app within 40 days of its launch. The rapid adoption suggests a shift in how consumers interact with online retail. Traditional human browsing is being replaced by agents that act on behalf of users. This change affects how retailers manage inventory and customer access.

Large retailers have already taken similar steps. Amazon has blocked AI agents from shopping on its site to protect its advertising revenue and direct customer relationships. The RealReal's update reflects a wider industry effort to maintain control over their digital storefronts. The reserve system on used clothing sites relies on human indecision having natural limits. An AI agent does not have those limits and can continue re-adding items indefinitely.

The RealReal's changes address a specific vulnerability in its current setup. The company aims to balance accessibility for human users with protection against automated bulk holding. Other retailers are watching how this adjustment plays out. The shift highlights the friction between new AI capabilities and established e-commerce mechanics.