John Kim 
Is this another step toward wiping out automated bots? For this morning’s release of the Nike Kobe 9 EM “Philippines”, Nikestore implemented a “Countdown to Launch” procedure, which is as straightforward as it sounds – a live, countdown ticker until the shoes officially become available. Nike now offers up the link for purchase earlier than the designated release date/time, and no page refresh would be required, meaning this adds in yet another human element to sneaker buying – waiting. Does this accomplish anything for the battle against the bots, or more specifically, against those who have gained access to purchase links prior to the launch times? Other big retailers have been using a countdown procedure for some time now, but this would be Nike’s first experience with the style of release, and there were certainly some first-time issues as buyers (or hopefuls) noted some difficulty selecting sizes using specific web browsers. Let us know in the comments if you like this new change, and stay tuned to Sneaker News for updates.
Countdown to launch. When the clock hits zero, it’s go time. No refresh needed.
— Nike.com (@nikestore) May 23, 2014
