Hypebeast resellers ruin everything.
On Thursday afternoon, Telfar announced it had temporarily shut down its online store after bots overran its much-anticipated "Shopping Bag" restock. Though some customers were able to make a purchase, many failed to secure a piece because resellers had reportedly used checkout bots to swipe all the inventory.
"Telfar is for the people. Not Bots," the NYC-based brand wrote on Instagram. "Store on ice while we root them out."
The Shopping Bag, aka the "Bushwick Birkin," has been one of the most coveted accessories over the past year. Everyone from ASAP Ferg and Gigi Hadid to Solange and Selena Gomez have rocked the design, which has been lauded for its simplicity, practicality, and affordability. Unlike other "it bags" that can cost thousands of dollars, Telfar's Shopping Bag ranges between $150 and $257, depending on the size. Brand founder/designer Telfar Clemens and creative director Babak Radboy spoke about the bag and its accessibility during a 2019 Dazed interview.
"The bag is simple but you really can't compare it to anything in fashion," Clemens and Radboy said. "Handbags, in particular, are this thing that is supposed to be an economic status indicator. Like – I'm 25 or 30 or 40 and I'm doing OK. We have a status bag that has nothing to do with that."
The Shopping Bag's affordability is now being threatened by resellers who are trying to exploit the supply-and-demand structure. These pieces have recently appeared on resell sites like eBay and Grailed for up to $700. This stunt has naturally sparked outrage among many customers who have condemned the use of bots and have urged others to avoid purchasing the bag on resell sites.
You can check out some of the reactions below.
Here's hoping Telfar remedies the bot situation soon, and comes through with another restock.
