How does Amazon detect scraping?

Amazon strictly prohibits scraping their site and has advanced systems to detect bots and scrapers. If you want to collect Amazon data, you'll need to fly under their radar. Here's how their systems work and some best practices to avoid trouble.

The Cat and Mouse Game

Amazon employs a sophisticated bot detection system to identify scrapers by their behavior patterns. Things like:

Once detected, they can ban your IP, throttle your connection speed to cripple your scraper, or pursue legal action.

To evade detection:

Here is some Python code to implement these techniques:

import time
import random 

# Proxy rotation via some library
useNewProxy()  

# Scrape items
for i in product_list:
  time.sleep(random.randint(3,10)) 
  scrapePage(i)  

  if requests > 500:
    break

The bottom line is scraping Amazon requires care to avoid adversarial systems. Stay small, scramble your tracks, and back off if blocked. It's a tricky game! With the right precautions, you can gather Amazon data for your needs without tripping alarms. But tread carefully in their house.