Automated purchasing bots, also known as “sneaker bots,” “click bots,” “Instacart bots,” and other names, are ruining the online shopping and gig economy experience for both consumers and workers.

FARGO — Buying sneakers isn’t what it used to be. The days of visiting a shoe store the day of a long-awaited release, waiting in line to grab the right size and interacting with a salesperson are ...