When companies like Adidas release a new limited edition of Yeezy Boost or Nike unleashes a new edition of Air Jordan, the battle is always fierce. This is mostly because of two reasons. First, many retail sellers and Sneakerheads want to acquire these limited stocks either to resell or keep them. Secondly, these editions are not only limited but sold at a policy of one buyer per sneaker.
This means that they run out of stock quickly, and it is almost impossible to buy more than a pair. And to ensure that this policy is enforced, these brands put up measures that inhibit multiple purchases.
Thankfully, the concept of sneaker copping with sneaker proxies has made it not only possible to buy those kicks you love but to buy as many as you want.
What Is A Sneaker Proxy?
A sneaker proxy is simply a sneaker used in purchasing limited editions of sneakers from the manufacturer’s websites. It was first invented solely for buying limited stocks of everyone’s favorite brands of sneakers but has now evolved to include the purchases of highly coveted movie and concert tickets.
These proxies, which work just like any other regular proper proxy, serve buyers who want to buy these shoes without dealing with the overwhelming traffic, purchase restrictions, and disappointments that underline the purchase of limited-edition shoes on the internet.
Sneaker proxies transfer requests on your behalf, clear the path, interact with the target website, and queue up to make the purchase. And once a purchase has been successfully made, they switch your internet protocol (IP) address and other details to repeat the process, thereby allowing you to buy as many sneakers as you can afford.
How Does A Sneaker Proxy Work?
Copping sneakers with proxies works the same as performing other online operations with proxies. In some cases where regular high anonymity proxies are being used, you can find your sneaker bot included in your HTTP header.
But in instances where you decide to opt-in for advance shoe copping proxies such as residential proxies, you will find they work in the process described below:
- You will first need to enter the URL of the manufacturer’s website.
- Next, the proxy takes the request and heads for the target destination.
- Upon interaction with the site, the purchase is made, and the transaction is complete.
- But because the process is usually automated, the proxy repeats the above steps for as long as you want.
- Sneaker proxies do all these while hiding your original IP and frequently switching its IP and location during the copping process.
Why Proxies Are Important For Sneaker Copping
Copping limited editions of sneakers is similar to gathering precious user data through web scraping and can be easily encumbered by similar challenges we find in web scraping. This is why proxies have become highly important for this process. Below are some of the most common reasons why Sneakerheads and retail sellers use proxies for copping:
- Better Performance
Manually copping sneakers are both slow and tedious. The competition, which usually involves the best scraping bots, will leave any buyer trying to make a manual purchase frustrated and empty-handed (or bare-footed, in this case).
Using proxies, therefore, helps to eliminate this problem by automating the process and giving you a real fighting chance.
Also, proxies boast incredible speed, allowing you to make multiple purchases before the stocks run out.
- Enhanced Security
The process may be sneaker copping, but it is still an online activity nonetheless. This means you and your data are still susceptible to the dangers of being online. Hackers can target you using your IP and breach your data.
This is prevented by using proxies which are primarily for clients’ security and privacy. Proxies mask users’ IPs so that their details are not available for public eyes and their data are unreadable.
Such enhanced protection guarantees that buyers can anonymously and securely interact with the sellers’ websites and run purchases with zero worries.
- Bypassing Restrictions
Limited shoes are usually available only to a certain audience. This means that Sneakerheads living in other geo-locations will find it impossible to buy them from the brand’s website.
This phenomenon is usually called geo-blocking and can stop buyers from acquiring their desired sneakers on their own. But with the use of proxies, this can be remedied. This is because sneakers can easily change IPs and locations to make the buyer appear from a different location.
The Most Common Type of Proxies Used For Sneaker Copping
When competing for the best things, it is always advisable to utilize the best tools. Of all the proxies, residential proxies are considered the best and most common type of sneaker proxies. This is so for many reasons.
First, residential proxies are usually equipped with millions of IPs, rotating proxies, and multiple locations, which are all tied to actual devices and physical locations, which make them appear as regular internet users instead of bots. Consequently, this greatly reduces the chances of ever getting banned or blocked during sneaker copping.
Secondly, residential proxies are scalable and easily adapted for any large operation, including sneaker copping. This means that a Sneakerhead can use a residential proxy intended for other uses to buy their favorite sneakers.
While there are many proxy providers in the market, including some suggesting free proxies, it is crucial to do in-depth research before acquiring your proxies. You should start with some biggest players in the industry, like Oxylabs, and read more about their proxy pool here.
Conclusion
Sneaker proxies are the ideal solutions for dealing with the competition and challenges of buying limited editions of shoes. And choosing the right proxies can differentiate a Sneakerhead with lots of sneakers and another with none during special releases.
