For Starcow, Kool Gang Manages Sneaker Bots With DataDome

A proactive SOC for launches

Significantly reduced server load

Stable and available website

Retail & e-commerce Scalping

Kool Gang is an agency specializing in e-business and marketing strategy. Its client Starcow has been a global leader in streetwear since 1996, best known for dropping very rare sneakers. During big launches, sneaker bots were overwhelming the website, often bringing it down entirely. Working closely with the DataDome team, Kool Gang was able to bring bot traffic under control and restore stability for its client’s website.

The Problem: A site overwhelmed by sneaker bots.

Damien Cano, president of Kool Gang, has 15 years of experience working with e-commerce sites selling sneakers and urban fashion. He is very familiar with the problem of sneaker bots; bots that automate the purchase of limited-edition sneakers and grab up all the merchandise right under the nose of human buyers.

Damien has observed a significant uptick in sneaker bot activity over the past two years. This trend has been especially noticeable on starcowparis.com, a site that is very popular with sneaker bots. Because of its extreme popularity and its excellent relationship with brands, Starcow is one of the few stores worldwide that can offer certain products that people can’t wait to get their hands on.

“To secure sales, we initially developed an in-house solution,” explains Damien. “The Starcow website is based on the Prestashop platform, which is not as robust as the Magento platform, for example. We implemented a two-factor authentication system for account creation, reinforced controls around the shopping cart, and added an extra CAPTCHA challenge prior to payment.”

However, all of these precautions were not enough to stabilize the website in long term, leaving the site unable to handle the increased server load during major launches. These events invariably left the database in complete disorder and the website unavailable, sometimes for several days.

The Solution: A proactive security operations center (SOC).

For the uninitiated, the excitement surrounding sneakers can be bemusing. But the resale market for collectible sneakers is hot, and the profits that certain resellers flaunt on social media inspire others to get on board. As a result, there is a strong demand for sneaker bots, some of which are extremely sophisticated.

“The real business is not in reselling sneakers, but in selling bots,” says Damien. “Subscriptions can be very expensive, and some developers have thousands of customers throughout the world. They’re highly motivated, they have resources, and they are extremely creative.”

Indeed, sneaker bots (and scalper bots in general) are often some of the most technologically advanced bots. The best ones mimic human behavior perfectly, making detection and scalper bot prevention especially difficult.

To get help, Damien and his team turned to DataDome, a bot protection specialist. A true SaaS solution, DataDome identifies and blocks the vast majority of unwanted bots in real time, without any human intervention, using a detection engine based on machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Some special cases, however, require a more hands-on approach. That’s where DataDome’s Security Operations Center (SOC) comes in.

During major events—like the sale of ultra-trendy sneakers on Starcow—security researchers and data scientists proactively monitor and manage automated traffic on the targeted website to ensure optimal performance and security at all times.

“We have a somewhat unusual business, where things might happen at 7am or 10pm,” says Damien. “We’ve found that DataDome is much more flexible than others we’ve tried to work with.”

What I like about DataDome is their flexibility and transparency. I talk with DataDome’s technical teams on a regular basis, either on Slack or over the phone. We have a real human relationship, which is very important for me.

Damien Cano, President of Kool Gang

The Results: A stable site with lower cost and higher growth potential.

Before DataDome, heavy bot traffic during major releases would regularly bring down the Starcow website. That no longer happens today. Depending on the products and available inventory, there might be a tremendous number of connections for a couple of hours. However, the site remains online, and it returns to normal after the peak.

“We will probably never block 100% of all bots, because they keep changing and finding ways to bypass security systems. That said, we’ve greatly reduced the load on the server,” says Damien.

“Thanks to this protection, we no longer deal with anything but the very top-level bots, but those will always challenge us,” he continues. “What I like about DataDome is their flexibility and transparency. I talk with DataDome’s technical teams on a regular basis, either on Slack or over the phone. We have a real human relationship, which is very important for me.

In addition to the site’s stability and availability, eliminating the vast majority of bots has also lowered operating costs by reducing server load and minimizing the automated creation of customer accounts.

“If you send an email to 50,000 customers and 20,000 of those customers don’t exist, that’s a lot of email paid for nothing, not to mention the impact on the conversion rate,” says Damien.

Finally, the improved control over automated traffic lets Kool Gang pursue new growth opportunities with their client.

“Starcow’s success today is based entirely on its reputation, and there’s a certain pressure from the big brands to run larger communication campaigns,” says Damien. “Ultimately, there is enormous potential, but achieving that potential requires a site that works. Thanks to DataDome, we’re less rushed in our day-to-day work, which helps us grow more smoothly.”