2026-10-27 / Signal #7
The RealReal locked AI shopping agents out of the dressing room
“Your AI can still window-shop The RealReal. It just can’t hog the vintage Hermès anymore.”
The Story
The Verge showed Meta’s Muse could keep re-adding The RealReal listings to a cart, renewing the 20-minute hold and blocking humans from rare designer pieces for hours without buying. The retailer then hardened bot defenses so agents struggle to log in, cart, or check out — while still allowing them to point people at product pages.
Why It Matters
Agent commerce’s first boutique bouncer. Scarcity, taste, and bots camping a Chanel bag.
Evidence
The Verge.
Sources
Daily scan: 2026-10-27