Because it's a meaningless number. If he is actually placing an order for that amount every minute, it would be a useful number (and he would be an asshole for making so many fake orders and filling their system with garbage metrics). If he placed ice-creams in the cart for 8000 stores, then he should give that number. The dollar value is a completely pointless number in this case, and was done purely for clickbait.

Should be simple enough to filter his IP address out unless he proxied his requests right?

Because it's one extra feather on the scales of increased cynicism about what you see online. Clickbait culture is toxic

Legitimate question, how and why is clickbait culture toxic?

I am not creating it or defending it. I am just a little confused what you mean by that exactly.

Not original commenter but I think jackric already alluded to the increased cynicism that develops from clickbait. Personally, when I see so many ppl giving up honest and nuanced statements/opinions for hyperbole in order to gain views/likes, it's disappointing.

Raises the noise in the signal-to-noise ratio of a browsing experience. I may pass over reading a useful truthful article because I'm trained to dismiss its title as misleading.

That’s one word to describe it.

Personally I find it to be in spectacularly bad taste.