Supreme Adds CAPTCHA to Online Store to Fight Bots, but Will It Work?

Supreme just implemented CAPTCHA to its web shopping experience as of this morning for both UK and U.S. sites. If you’ve filled out forms to make purchases online before, you’ll know that CAPTCHA is a way for sites to know that you’re an actual “human” making the transaction. For those who may be unfamiliar with the actual purpose of the “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart” system SearchSecurity.com states that:

The technology is used mostly to block spammers and bots that try to automatically harvest email addresses or try to automatically sign up for or make use of Web sites, blogs or forums. CAPTCHA, whose users include Yahoo and Google, blocks automated systems, which can’t read the distorted letters in the graphic.

Now there’s still some controversy surrounding the effectiveness of CAPTCHA. As most consumers know, bots have been the main problem when it comes to scalpers getting their hands on tickets for events, concerts and plays. Some of the sites where these tickets are purchased from do have CAPTCHA, but some crafty individuals out there have figured out how to get around the system. Supreme could find the same issue happening to its site.

So what does this all mean for Supreme shoppers online? For one, it will hopefully stop, or at least hinder the use of many bot systems out there that automatically makes purchases for greedy users looking to grab copious amounts of ‘Preme products, especially on drop day. There are many bots out there for sale on the web, especially ones only specializing in Supreme — prices for them can go up to hundreds of dollars with some even implementing monthly and annual membership fees. Hopefully, with fingers crossed, CAPTCHA will allow most non bot-using consumers a better chance to purchase the products they want. Still, only if they’re fast enough.

Supreme’s online store is pretty bare right now with practically all the “hyped” items sold out. All of us will just have to wait until this Thursday, March 23 when the Supreme x Mike Hill collab drops to really see if there will be any changes now with the implementation of CAPTCHA.