Super-Shoppers’ Secrets on How to Buy Anything Online—Even a PS5

There are a few reasons why shopping has gotten so hard. Supply-chain issues are one reason that out-of-stock messages are seemingly everywhere, but automated bots programmed to purchase items—and resell them—are also driving scarcity.

This holiday season is especially competitive. Online toy sales from Nov. 1 to Dec. 9 increased by 435% compared with September levels, according to Adobe Analytics. Online sales of videogames also increased during this time frame, resulting in 346% growth, Adobe said.

“People are buying again and buying two things: buying gifts for others and for themselves,” said Kristen Gall, president of Rakuten Rewards, a U.S. division of e-commerce company Rakuten Group Inc.

Whether you are shopping for friends and family or treating yourself, online-shopping obsessives offer advice for buying just about anything you want.

Turn on your notifications.

If you are looking to buy a popular item like a nap dress or PlayStation 5, many shopping bloggers say social-media platforms such as Meta Inc.’s Facebook and Twitter Inc. are key to getting one.

Buy, sell and trade groups on Facebook can help you get popular fashion and beauty items, such as Rothy’s Inc. shoes, said Carly A. Riordan, a life and style blogger with more than 229,000 followers on Instagram.

Retailers will sometimes sell some items only in-store, and many members in these groups will offer to buy and ship products to you, usually without charging any extra fees, Ms. Riordan said. But tread carefully and use services such as PayPal Holdings Inc.’s goods and services payment option, which allows you to file a claim in case someone attempts to steal your money.

OK, just tell me how to get a PS5.

Remember when you followed vaccine-finder accounts on Twitter to find up-to-the-minute notifications on available doses near you? A similar tactic can help in the search for a gaming console such as the PS5 or Xbox Series X. Follow and turn on phone notifications for product-specific accounts such as @PS5Drop, @PS5StockAlerts and @Wario64 to receive real-time alerts of when a retailer lists new inventory for these items. On Twitter, tap the bell icon to turn these notifications on.

These accounts typically serve a dual purpose: They alert followers that an item is in stock and often contain direct product links that automatically add an item to your cart.

Seek stores’ help.

Shopping search engines, such as Shopstyle or Google Shopping, browse many retailers’ websites and can help you find an item that is in stock at a place you might not visit or often shop from, Ms. Gall says.

Signing up for a retailer’s emails, as well as creating accounts to store shipping and credit-card information in advance, can help you check out as soon as you receive a restock alert. You can also request to receive a notification when an item is back in stock.

Wishlists, a feature where you can add items you want from a retailer to a saved list, offer another opportunity to save the item you want. And you can create deal alerts on Slickdeals LLC, which sends a notification when an item goes on sale or is back in stock, said Trae Bodge, a shopping blogger, who used this feature to save $100 on a pair of AirPod Pros.

Try virtual queue systems.

Many retailers and entertainment venues use virtual queue systems to ensure a fair and transparent process for buying limited-edition items or popular products. Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc., for instance, has used virtual queue technology providers for items such as Grogu, a character from the show “The Mandalorian.”

Retailers typically alert their social-media followers and subscribers to their email lists on signing up for the queues, and give advance notice on when the queue link will go live.

A virtual queue can require several steps, such as joining a pre-waiting room before being given a random spot in line. You will receive an alert to buy the product for a limited amount of time. Other queue systems automatically route customers to a waiting line for special-edition or limited product launches.

Retailers use these systems to help ensure real shoppers get an item, as opposed to scalpers and resellers, said Niels Henrik Sodemann, chief executive and co-founder of Queue-it Inc., a virtual waiting room software provider.

Consider using a bot.

There is no getting around it. Bots—software that scours a retailer’s website, automatically checks for restocks and completes a purchase—just sound evil. And they are commonly used by online profiteers who buy items such as the Xbox Series minifridge at the list price and resell them on eBay or elsewhere.

But they can help you get what you want. Search Reddit or other bulletin boards to find out which bot is most helpful. Some popular bots among online shoppers include SoleAIO, Splashforce and Snailbot to use on products like sneakers and apparel. These typically require signing up for a paid account and buying additional services such as a proxy or server to ensure the bot’s success.

First-time bot users often try them on apparel items, such as clothes from hyped streetwear brand Supreme, said Fabian Rizzo, a content creator with more than 560,000 subscribers on TikTok, owned by Bytedance Ltd.

Wait until next year.

The lowest-tech solution: patience. Retailers and small businesses with low inventory on items ranging from toys to smartphones now have ordered goods that will arrive in the new year.

“Inventory was delayed—it is not not coming,” Ms. Gall said.

Consumers who wait might also see discounts on items, since many retailers will need to make room on the shelf for these items and any new products for the spring and summer. Retailers opted out of offering discounts this holiday season but might change their efforts as new products come in.

Write to Ann-Marie Alcántara at [email protected]