Most retailers rely on bots to cop limited edition products. However, for most Shopify sites, using bots will get your account banned in no time. Webmasters go through thick and thin to prevent the use of automation to keep their traffic as organic as possible. This might come in the form of CAPTCHAs and or IP blocks all of which will surely slow down your bot. Shopify proxies offer a solution to this problem, however getting the best proxy can also be a problem in its own right.
There are a ton of Shopify proxy providers offering mouth-watering deals and performance metrics. Yet, only a handful of these providers live up to expectations. So how do you separate the chaff from the grain when buying Shopify proxies you ask? Don’t worry, by the end of this guide, you will be equipped with all you need to know about Shopify proxies.
What Is A Shopify Proxy?
A Shopify proxy is a proxy server optimized for use with the Shopify e-commerce platform. Shopify proxies serve as an intermediary in your online interactions. It allows users to communicate with Shopify websites while providing a high level of anonymity and security.
Shopify proxies route user requests through the proxy server before reaching the Shopify servers.
Why Do You Need Proxies for Shopify?
Proxies are not a requirement to manage accounts or make purchases. However, in some situations, using a Shopify proxy is a must if you want to succeed or make your work easier. Let’s look at some use cases of Shopify proxies.
Web Scraping
Businesses like sneaker resellers require large data sets to stay competitive and provide the best products and prices to their consumers. While there are different methods to do this, using web scrapers is one of the most effective ways to go about it.
However, web owners frown upon this and will block users who try to scrape content. Yet, you can go around this challenge with Shopify proxies by sending each request with a different IP address. Changing your IPs with each request allows users to evade IP bans by making each request unique.
Bot Automation
According to Builtwith, there are upwards of 4.6 million Shopify sites worldwide. Therefore, retailers will have to constantly check on hundreds if not thousands of sites to keep themselves updated with new trends and products. However, you would agree with me that this is not an easy task if it is feasible in the first place. Hence, shoppers rely on bots to maintain a competitive edge and secure limited-edition products on these sites. Yet, most webmasters implement anti-bot measures to block bots from buying anything on their sites.
This is where Shopify proxies come in. With the right proxy, your bot can mimic real human interaction and stay under wraps. You can also rotate your IPs with each request hence reducing the chances of your account or IP getting flagged.
Multiple Account Management
Shopify proxies are invaluable for individuals or businesses handling multiple Shopify accounts catering to diverse regions or product lines. In this scenario, utilizing proxies serves a dual purpose. Firstly, it helps safeguard the health and integrity of each Shopify account. Since each account operates with its unique proxy, restrictions imposed on one account won’t trigger suspicions or lead to account suspensions on other accounts.
Secondly, being able to manage multiple accounts doubles your chances of securing limited edition products by shopping simultaneously with bots or other automation tools.
Access Geo-restricted Content
Proxies, especially the mobile and residential kind allow users to target IPs from anywhere in the world. They enable users to simulate users in a specific region of the world to access geo-restricted content that is not visible in their current location. This makes it possible for users to purchase items that may not be available for people in their region but are on sale in other parts of the world.
Types of Proxy for Shopify?
All proxies follow the same working principle, i.e. route user requests through an intermediary server before reaching the intended target server. However, not all proxies are born the same. Let’s take a look at the different types of proxies you can use for Shopify.
Datacenter Proxies
A data center proxy is a type of proxy server that makes use of IPs stemming from data centers. Datacenter proxies route user requests through IPs hosted on high-performing devices in data centers. Due to this, they are usually faster and offer better uptimes. This makes them an ideal choice for high-speed tasks like web scraping.
Residential Proxies
Residential proxies operate on the same basic principle as every other proxy type. However, unlike the competition, residential proxies make use of IPs of actual internet-connected devices like computers and smartphones. These IP addresses are linked to physical addresses and are assigned by ISPs like Verizon to users. Hence, they are more trustworthy and less likely to be banned.
Mobile Proxies
Mobile proxies offer the same level of authenticity and anonymity as residential proxies. However, mobile proxies explicitly use residential IP addresses assigned to mobile devices like smartphones or tablets. For some use cases, mobile proxies can be an even better option than using residential proxies. This is because they help mimic real human user behavior.
How to Choose the Best Shopify Proxy Provider
Shopify proxies can give you a huge bump and ensure you succeed with your operations when utilized effectively. Nevertheless, selecting the wrong proxy for your Shopify endeavors can result in wasted resources with little to no advantage. Bearing this in mind, let’s explore some key factors to help you choose the best Shopify proxies.
Reliability and Uptime
Use cases like Sneaker Copping on Shopify require swift and timely actions to secure products as soon as they are available. Therefore, it makes sense to purchase Shopify proxies that offer very high reliability and uptime to ensure that you or your bot can stay clicking when it matters most. In fact, what use is a proxy server if you can not connect to the internet when you need it most?
Therefore, you should always buy your proxies from the best Shopify proxy providers with a strong infrastructure and a track record of excellent uptime rates. A trustworthy proxy will provide a flawless connection to the websites you want, enabling you to shop or manage your accounts more effectively.
Proxy Speed and Performance
Shopify exists in a fast-paced environment that requires proxies with exceptional speed and performance. Shopify exists in a fast-paced environment that requires proxies with exceptional speed and performance. Slow proxies can result in delayed actions, impacting your operations.
Choose proxies with high-speed connections to maintain a seamless connection to your Shopify site. This will secure your access not only to the website but allow you to stay ahead of competitors, and purchase trending products.
Proxy Locations
One of the main selling points of proxies is the ability to target locations and simulate users in that location. Depending on the use case, users may need to access websites as if they are from different locations than they really are. Whether for web scraping purposes or accessing product lines that are only available in specific markets. Considering this, it would be a waste of money if your Shopify proxy cannot target your desired location.
Having access to a diverse array of proxy locations enables precise targeting of regions. These geo-targeting proxies also empower you to monitor competitors in various locations, providing valuable insights to refine your own marketing strategies.
Conclusion
Whether you are looking to manage multiple accounts on a Shopify site or cop limited edition sneakers with bots, Shopify proxies are the way to go. They help users automate purchases as well as maintain and mimic a human persona, hence avoiding IP blocks. Residential and mobile Shopify proxies prove handy when it comes to accessing or scraping geo-locked content on any Shopify site due to their geotargeting abilities.
However, you should always consider the reputation of your proxy provider, proxy speed, and location diversity of their Shopify proxies. This is because buying the wrong kind of proxy or buying from a less reputable provider will no doubt lead to IP blocks and slow down your operations.
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