Extension (Shape Generation)

The Refract extension is a Chromium browser extension that harvests Shape cookies for Target. This page covers how it works, how to install it, and how to harvest both cookie types.

The in-bot harvester has been passing Shape better than the extension. Start there if you can, and run both at the same time if you want. See In-Bot (Shape Generation).

How it actually works

Understanding this upfront prevents almost every "is it broken?" question:

• The extension repeatedly attempts add to cart (or login) on a Target page in your browser. It never completes those actions. It intercepts each request and saves the Shape cookie from it for your tasks to use later.

• Because the cart never completes, you will constantly see "Something Went Wrong, Try Again!" on the product page. That is not an error. That is the harvesting working.

• The browser will not sign you in while harvesting login cookies, and you will see a random email and password being typed automatically. Normal.

• The browser may show the wrong product while harvesting. Ignore it; it does not affect harvesting.

• Each protected request from your tasks consumes one cookie, so your harvested count goes down as tasks work. The target is about 3 cookies per running task, and by default the extension harvests exactly that: 3 per running task.

Hard requirements:

• A Chromium browser. Chrome, Edge, Brave, and Vivaldi all work; almost any Chromium browser does. Opera does not (it blocks this extension type), and Firefox and Safari do not (not Chromium).

• The Target tab must stay at least partially visible on your screen. The extension popup can be minimized, but the Target page cannot be hidden or closed.

• On a server, a display connection must remain the entire time. That means you cannot disconnect from your server: closing your RDP session counts as disconnecting the display, and harvesting stops. Stay connected.

• One extension instance per browser user/profile. To run more harvesters, create more users of your browser (see Running multiple harvesters) or use different Chromium browsers.

Install the extension

Use a brand new Chrome profile for the extension. Other extensions can interfere with it. Click your profile picture in the browser's top right and add a new profile. The profile does not need to be signed in to the browser itself: choose "Continue without an account" and harvest on the signed-out profile.

Windows

1

Download the extension

Download the latest version: cdn.prismaio.com/refract/extension/latest.zip

2

Extract the zip

Open your Downloads folder in File Explorer, right-click the downloaded zip, and choose Extract All, then Extract. You end up with a normal folder containing a build folder inside. Remember where it is.

After extracting, you have a folder with build inside it.

3

Enable Developer Mode

Type chrome://extensions into the address bar and press Enter, then turn on the Developer mode toggle in the top right. Three new buttons appear, including Load unpacked.

Developer mode on. Load unpacked appears in the top left.

4

Load the extension

Click Load unpacked. A folder picker opens:

1. Navigate into the extracted folder.

2. Double-click the build folder to go inside it. The Folder: field at the bottom of the picker should now say build.

3. Click Select Folder.

You need to be inside the build folder when you click Select Folder. Do not click any of the files or folders inside it, and do not select the outer folder. This step is where most people go wrong.

Inside the build folder, with the Folder field showing build. Now click Select Folder.

5

Confirm it is installed

The Refract extension now appears in your extensions list and behind the puzzle icon in the toolbar.

Installed. You will find it behind the puzzle icon in the toolbar.

Mac

1

Download the extension

Download the latest version: cdn.prismaio.com/refract/extension/latest.zip

2

Extract the zip

Open your Downloads folder in Finder and double-click the zip. macOS extracts it right there with Archive Utility, leaving a folder with a build folder inside.

If you downloaded with Safari, the zip may already be extracted for you: Safari auto-opens "safe" files by default, so look for the extracted folder instead of a zip.

3

Enable Developer Mode

In your Chromium browser, type chrome://extensions into the address bar and press Enter, then turn on the Developer mode toggle in the top right. Three new buttons appear, including Load unpacked.

4

Load the extension

Click Load unpacked. A Finder-style picker opens:

1. Navigate into the extracted folder.

2. Double-click the build folder to go inside it.

3. Click Select.

You need to be inside the build folder when you click Select. Do not pick any of the files or folders inside it, and do not select the outer folder. This step is where most people go wrong.

5

Confirm it is installed

The Refract extension now appears in your extensions list and behind the puzzle icon in the toolbar.

Open the harvester

1

Go to Target

Navigate to target.com in the browser with the extension installed.

2

Open the extension

Click the puzzle icon in the toolbar, then click the Refract extension. The harvester window opens.

Leave this alone. Clicking Cancel disconnects the extension and stops cookie generation.

3

Do not cancel the connection

DO NOT click "Cancel" on the connection dialog. If you disconnect the extension, it cannot generate cookies.

4

Pick a proxy list (or none)

Running 10 or fewer tasks: do not use a proxy list on the extension; your home IP is residential and works well. Running more than 10 tasks: a proxy list is required, and the extension uses a new proxy on every page refresh. Use residential; resis use data but have been passing Shape much better. Remember: tasks use the harvester proxy for add to cart and login. See Proxies as you scale.

Step 1: Harvest login cookies

Target accounts log in with cookies, not from the Accounts tab.

1

Start your tasks

Add your accounts in Refract, create Target tasks with them, and start the tasks. They will sit on Waiting for Cookies (Login). Do not use the Accounts tab to log in.

2

Open the sign-in panel

In the extension browser, click My account on Target, then click Sign in or create account so the sign-in form is showing.

Get the sign-in form showing, then click Start Harvesting on the extension.

3

Start harvesting

Click Start Harvesting on the extension. You will see a random email and password being entered automatically. That is normal, and you will not get signed in to the browser.

Never manually sign in in the Chrome window. The extension does the fake sign-in attempts itself; that is how the login cookies get harvested. Typing your real credentials in that window is not part of the process.

4

Watch tasks log in

Tasks move from Waiting for Cookies (Login) to logged in and Waiting for Product. First-time logins, or accounts whose profile info needs updating, will show Waiting for Cookies (Product) instead; they are logged in but need ATC cookies (Step 2) to finish.

5

Switch to ATC cookies

Once no tasks show Waiting for Cookies (Login), stop harvesting login cookies and move to Step 2. ATC cookies need harvesting 24/7, as long as Target tasks are running.

Sessions logged in via the extension last days or weeks. Logins from the Accounts tab (not recommended) may only last hours.

Step 2: Harvest ATC (product) cookies

1

Go to any in-stock product

Navigate the extension browser to any product that is in stock and available for shipping. It does not matter what the product is. Do not use photo products. Toys like Legos are the most stable choice.

2

Start harvesting

Enable harvesting (or click add to cart once). The extension starts auto-clicking add to cart. You will see "Something Went Wrong, Try Again!" over and over. That is the harvest working; the product is never actually carted.

"Something Went Wrong, Try Again!" is the harvest working, not an error.

3

Watch the count

The Amount Harvested number in the extension increases as cookies bank. It decreases as tasks consume cookies or they expire. Both directions are normal.

Harvesting stopped producing cookies? The product went out of stock. It does not matter what product you harvest on, only that it is in stock and available for shipping. Move to a new in-stock product and keep going.

Harvesting slowly? Watch the add to cart button in the Target tab. If it is grayed out or loading slowly, that is your bottleneck: harvester speed is directly impacted by how fast the add to cart button loads. A snappier page (better proxy, calmer product) harvests faster.

Recommended settings

These are the defaults, and defaults exist for a reason:

Setting	Value
Proxy List	None (10 or fewer tasks); required above 10
Harvests Per Page Load	1
Data Expiration (Minutes)	3
Cookie Order	Use Newest First
Harvesting	On
Harvest amount	3 per RUNNING task

The defaults. They exist for a reason.

Running multiple harvesters

Only one extension instance works per browser user/profile; multiple tabs under the same profile will not. To run more harvesters, create more browser users, or spread across different Chromium browsers (Chrome, Brave, Edge), with the extension loaded and harvesting enabled in each.

Creating a new Chrome user:

1. Click your profile picture in the top right corner of Chrome.

2. Click Add (or Add new profile).

3. Choose Continue without an account, name the profile, and click Done.

4. A new Chrome window opens for that user. Install the extension in it the same way as before, and harvest away.

The same idea works in Brave and Edge via their profile menus.

FAQ

Why is nothing being added to the cart in the extension Target tab?

By design. The extension is collecting cookies, not buying anything. "Something Went Wrong, Try Again!" and "Not Added to Cart" are what successful harvesting looks like. Once a product actually restocks, your tasks (not the extension) do the carting.

Why does the harvester say I'm signed out?

Normal. The harvester collects cookies; it does not hold a login session.

Do I need to sign in to Chrome or Brave itself?

No. You never need to sign in to the browser (a Google account in Chrome, a Brave account, and so on) to harvest. Profiles created with "Continue without an account" work fine.

Why is the browser showing the wrong product?

Ignore it. It does not affect harvesting.

My cookie counter isn't going up?

Three possibilities: tasks are consuming cookies as fast as they arrive, the product you are harvesting on went out of stock (switch products), or the extension is not set up properly (re-read this guide, and try a fresh Chrome profile with only the Refract extension in it).

My harvester keeps bouncing back to the login page from the product page?

Turn harvesting off, navigate to the product page, then start harvesting again.

Do the harvester proxies need to match my task proxies?

No. Harvesters and tasks can run different proxies or none at all. Keep in mind tasks present the harvester proxy to Shape for ATC and login.

What does a 407 error mean?

Proxy authentication error. Check your proxies.

I get a proxy login pop-up in the browser?

Close it and let it keep running.

Can I minimize the browser?

You can minimize the extension popup, but the Target page must stay at least partially visible on screen. Never hide or close it. On a server, keep a display connected.

Stuck on Waiting for Cookies (Login) or (Product)?

Generate the matching cookie type: login cookies for (Login), ATC cookies for (Product). If cookies exist and tasks still loop, they are being consumed and blocked; see the Shape guidance in the release guide.

Why do I keep seeing Shape Block?

Shape blocks are normal, for everyone, especially on later restocks when security is high. Accounts do not affect Shape blocks. Try different Chrome users, devices, or proxies, avoid Windows servers, and rest your setup. The full Shape explanation lives in the release guide.

How long do cookies last?

Usually 10-15 minutes, some more, some less. 10 minutes is our safe maximum expiration time, for both the extension and the in-bot harvester. Trusted proxies help older cookies keep working.