Amazon released a new label option for its online store that allows sellers to mark items as 'Available by Invitation.' This label prevents items from being purchased immediately, and rather enables these items to only be purchased via a direct email invitation. Amazon released this feature in order to reduce the rate of scalping and reselling on its platform.
In-demand technology, such as PlayStation 5 consoles or Xbox Series X consoles, often sell out on the platform within a few seconds from going live. This is largely due to scalpers who use "bots," or computer programs, that are instructed to purchase the items as soon as they are available.
This is an excellent advancement in e-commerce as the retail giant is taking a solid stance against scalping and reselling to ensure competitive, legitimate prices across its platform.
Anti-Scalping Retail Features
Amazon Debuted a New 'Available by Invitation' Label for Products
Trend Themes
1. Anti-scalping Retail - The rise of anti-scalping retail features to ensure competitive, legitimate prices across e-commerce platforms presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for online retailers.
2. Invitation-only Purchasing - The implementation of invitation-only purchasing technology prevents scalping and reselling on e-commerce platforms and presents an opportunity for online retailers to prioritize fair access and market value.
3. Bots Prevention Technology - The development of bots prevention technology presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for e-commerce platforms to curb bot usage, ensuring a fair purchase experience and preventing unnecessary price inflation.
Industry Implications
1. E-commerce - The rise of anti-scalping retail features on e-commerce platforms presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for online retailers to enhance fair access, promote market value, and ensure a competitive edge.
2. Technology - The implementation and development of bots prevention technology presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for tech companies to address security concerns and deliver an improved purchase experience for users.
3. Retail - The rise of anti-scalping retail features on e-commerce platforms presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for retailers to prevent scalping and reselling, thereby creating fair competition and ensuring a sustainable business model.