StrangeLove Skateboards Cancelled Its Online Release to Combat Bots

in SneakersWords By Fabian Gorsler

StrangeLove Skateboards, ahead of the release of its anticipated Nike SB Dunk Low collaboration, announced on Instagram that it had cancelled its planned online drop due to bots. As per the caption, bots had wreaked havoc on the site, creating issues that led to the cancellation of any planned online release.

Fortunately, though, the skate shop wrote that “a plan was already in place to get shoes into the hands of our most loyal and supportive customers.” Instead of waiting for an online release on StrangeLove, the retailer asks that fans of the collaboration support other authorized Nike SB retailers that will be selling the shoes on February 7.

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IMPORTANT UPDATE: Well, I ain’t a fan of cliches (or bad news), but don’t hate the player, hate the game, because the raging botbarians at the gate broke in the back door and created a monumental mess for us this evening. Fortunately a plan was already in place to get shoes into the hands of our most loyal and supportive customers, but we regret to inform everyone else that tomorrow’s launch has been cancelled and we will not be selling them on the site. Instead we ask you to please support the authorized @nikesb retailers that will be selling the shoes on February 7 (stay tuned for updates throughout the coming week as we will do our best to help spotlight these locations). Again, sorry for the late update, but circumstances spun way, way out of control in the span of just two short minutes. 💔

A post shared by StrangeLove (@strangelove.skateboards) on

The move comes after several other retailers have taken steps to combat bot activity in the past, in an effort to level the playing field for those that want the shoes. There were, however, critics, who claimed that StrangeLove had “backdoored” all of its pairs, a practice often frowned upon.

Some sneakerheads argued that there was nothing wrong with the retailer recognizing and rewarding loyal customers who shop there regularly with a guaranteed chance to buy the StrangeLove x Nike SB Dunk Low.

Stay tuned for updates regarding the February 7 release.

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