Amazon trounces rivals in battle of the shopping 'bots'

[EC]

Earlier this year, engineers at Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) who track rivals' prices online got a rude surprise: the technology they were using to check Amazon.com several million times a day suddenly stopped working.

Losing access to Amazon.com Inc's (AMZN.O) data was no small matter. Like most big retailers, Wal-Mart relies on computer programs that scan prices on competitors' websites so it can adjust its listings accordingly. A difference of even 50 cents can mean losing a sale.

But a new tactic by Amazon to block these programs - known commonly as robots or bots - thwarted the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer.

Its technology unit, @WalmartLabs, was unable to work around the blockade for weeks, forcing it to retrieve Amazon's data through a secondary source, according to a person familiar with the matter who was not authorized to speak publicly.

The previously unreported incident offers a case study in how Amazon's technological prowess is helping it dominate the retail competition

More plus video report: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-amazon-com-bots-insight-idUSKBN1860FK

[Polly Ticks]

Interesting little tidbit in the middle of that article:

For merchants seeking to evade such defenses, disguising their computer programs as real shoppers is key. Some pricing technology experts have programmed computer cursors to meander through a Web page in the way a person might, instead of going directly to the prized data.

It sounds as if Amazon tracks not only where you click, but also where your cursor goes?