Bots Are Stealing the Joy (and Deals!) This Holiday Season

Is online shopping entering its Grinch era? New data from World shows 9 in 10 consumers are fed up with battling bots online, as trust becomes the most valuable currency ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The holiday shopping season is turning into a battle. Not between bargain hunters, but between humans and bots. According to a new survey from World, two-thirds of consumers (66%) say they regularly find themselves competing with bots for limited products, and nearly as many (64%) feel these automated programs are stealing the joy of shopping altogether.

The issue is far from new. Almost three in five (57%) say bots have been a major problem for online shoppers for the last six years, and three-quarters expect the issue to worsen this year.

The findings reveal widespread frustration. Nearly half (44%) admit to feeling annoyed or angry after losing out to bots during online sales, and over a third experience genuine stress while shopping.

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday fast approaching, the data also reveals a surprising shift in shopper behavior: more than half (53%) of respondents say they are likely to brave in-store crowds this year, driven not by nostalgia but by frustration with bots that have taken the joy and the deals out of online shopping. When waiting in a pre-dawn line outside a store feels more appealing than shopping from your couch, it is clear something has broken in our digital commerce ecosystem.

This shift highlights decreasing trust in e-commerce. Only 18% of consumers say they feel “very confident” in distinguishing real products from fakes, and 90% say it is important to verify that they are buying from a real person.

“Holiday shopping shouldn’t leave you guessing ‘bot or not,’ where the Grinch wears silicon instead of fur,” said Trevor Traina, Chief Business Officer at Tools for Humanity. “Consumers want fairness, and that starts with knowing who, or what, is on the other side of the transaction. Proof of human verification and a human network such as World restores trust without invading privacy.”

The Real Human Network Benefits E-Commerce

Traditional online safeguards like passwords, CAPTCHAs, and firewalls don’t stop bots from dominating sales, reselling products or flooding sites with fake reviews. As AI-powered automation grows, so does the need for an anonymous human network and proof of human to ensure real people get fair access to products.

The human network and proof of human technology offer a new foundation for trust online:

• Anonymous verification: Consumers can prove they are real without sharing or revealing personal information.
• Fair access: Only humans can complete high-demand purchases, reducing bot-driven manipulation.
• Universal protection: One verification works across multiple services, creating safer, more transparent commerce.

With a human network and proof of human technology like World ID, retailers can verify the humanness of shoppers securely and anonymously, helping restore authenticity to e-commerce and fairness to the busiest shopping season of the year.

The Choice Ahead

As another peak shopping season approaches, retailers have an opportunity to create a better experience for their customers. Rather than letting bots crowd the digital shelves, they can take steps to make shopping feel fair and fun again. By accessing a human network such as World, brands can ensure that holiday deals and excitement reach the people they’re intended for.

Shoppers know that online shopping isn’t perfect, but they’re increasingly looking for experiences that feel more real and rewarding. The findings show that people are ready for a shift. They want online shopping to reflect authenticity, fairness, and joy once again.

About World

World is intended to be the world’s largest, most inclusive network of real humans. The project was originally conceived by Sam Altman, Max Novendstern, and Alex Blania and aims to provide proof of human, finance, and connection for every human in the age of AI. Find out more about World at world.org and on X.

Survey Methodology

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by World and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Oct. 24 and Oct. 27, 2025.