Why Do Some People Bypass Queue-It?

Before we delve deeper into answering the question of why someone might want to bypass Queue-it in the first place, let's first examine what Queue-it is and how it works. After all, applying a Queue-it system to websites is increasingly commonplace, and its features may explain why that’s the case.

What is Queue-it?

Queue-it is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company whose goal is to provide virtual waiting room solutions that manage online traffic surges and, as a result, try to prevent website overload during peak periods.

Some crucial features of Queue-it include:

1. Its traffic management system. Since the core aspect of this system is controlling the flow of incoming traffic, bots and even regular users may be placed (intentionally or not) within a waiting room.

2. IP blocking. The system allows for easier identification of bots which, when combined with the ability to monitor traffic and prioritization rules, can detect traffic patterns effectively. Efficient bot detection also drastically limits the number of requests anyone can send to a website before encountering blocks, even when the requests don’t affect website stability.

3. Seamless integration in multiple use cases. Queue-it is often employed by various use cases ranging from e-commerce sites and ticketing platforms to online banking.

How does Queue-it work?

The foundation of Queue-it is how it functions by using a standard HTTP 302 redirect to place visitors in a specific waiting room once a website’s capacity is reached. Although, if you’d want to split queue-it systems functions into parts, you’d get roughly 5 steps.

1. User arrival. The first step begins when users start coming to your website. If above-average traffic is detected, Queue-it may be initiated.

2. Being placed in a virtual waiting room. After high traffic has been noticed and users have arrived, they’ll be placed in a virtual waiting room. Each user will have a unique identifier.

3. Queue Management. Queue-it works on a first-come, first-served principle. Therefore the ones who joined the queue first will start gaining access to the website.

4. Que positions. Some websites may introduce custom messages which show a user's current position within the queue, helping reduce possible frustrations.

5. Load Balancing. As users get gradually released, Queue-it ensures that the number of people granted access doesn’t overwhelm the website.

Virtual Queues

To understand why some people may want to bypass Queue-it, let’s examine the case of expensive, limited-edition shoe releases. Whenever a well-established company releases new and exclusive sneakers, the high demand requires users to enter a queue. Sadly, the queue isn’t without significant limitations. In most cases, your internet speed or current location (how close you are to the host’s servers as that lowers the ping) will impact your queue spot, meaning attaining the exclusive sneakers you’re hoping to buy could become an impossible goal without help.

This is why people tend to use proxies and a multitude of other solutions as a way to access their purchases quicker. Notably, however, sometimes proxies aren’t even used to bypass the virtual queues. Imagine your goal is to get in line at a specific time. With a datacenter proxy and an IP address closer to the host, you can not only schedule a time when you’d like to join the queue but also be sure that your position in the queue will be higher than if you were using no tools.

Bypassing Queue-it caveats

We’ve examined why someone might want to bypass a Queue-it system, but we’ve yet to mention the implications of doing so. Importantly, bypassing Queue-it, in most cases, could breach terms of service or policies.

Also, it's apparent how Queue-it isn’t without fault and that a lower ping could result in better queue placement. This could be seen as unfair; however, using third-party tools to altogether bypass (potentially overloading the servers) or place better in the queue isn't fair either.

Furthermore, solutions like proxies aren’t made with scalping or ticketing in mind, as both are unethical practices. Datacenter proxies, for example, focus on accessing data that can be geo-restricted while having high uptime.

Conclusion

It’s clear why some people bypass queue-it. Indeed, there are aspects of avoiding queue-it that can appear as beneficial. However, even if we exclude the caveats of bypassing it discussed above, there are further limitations to doing so. Think back on what’s the purpose of Queue-it. The system, on average, aims to deliver virtual waiting lines that help prevent website overload and a fair online queueing experience. Avoiding queue-it contradicts both of these aims and creates an atmosphere where the websites and the average user suffers.