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People looking to score a better deal with a lookalike or knockoff item that resembles the authentic original is certainly nothing new. Fake Rolex watches and imitation Gucci or Prada bags being hawked on the sidewalk have been the subject of many fictional plotlines in books, movies, and television shows in countless combinations over the past decades, usually with comedic or dramatic outcomes.
However, it appears that buying retail "dupes," or near duplications, of iconic brand products has come into fashion, as Business Insider recently noted. With cash-strapped Americans turning to alternatives in order to satisfy their craving for the latest and greatest, is doing so actually a viable — or ethical — means of consumption?
Retail Dupes Popular With All Americans, Spurred on by Social Media Platforms (Including TikTok)
As a separate 2023 Business Insider report outlined, Gen Z may be behind the bulk of interest in creating what can be called a dupe culture, with millennials not far behind.
Citing a study conducted in collaboration with YouGov that surveyed over 1,800 Americans spanning five different generations, Business Insider suggested that 71% of Gen Zers polled either sometimes or always purchase knockoffs of popular authentic products. For millennials, this figure stood just four points behind at 67%, while 63% of Gen Xers said the same.
Even members of older generations were found to have participated in the practice. A full 54% of baby boomers admitted to buying duped goods, while 55% of those polled from the silent generation indicated they had done the same. In all cases, a strong majority of each age cohort admitted to having knowingly bought dupes.
Producing research from Trustpilot, Business Insider suggested that 61% of zoomers used TikTok to locate dupes most of the time. The outlet underscored the notion that Amazon, SHEIN, and TikTok itself benefited most from the proliferation and popularity of dupes in the retail space.
Retail Dupes Not Always a Bargain: Fake Products To Watch Out For
There may be costs associated with buying into dupe culture: Namely, the dual possibilities of either being scammed out of your money entirely or of buying a shoddily made, or even dangerous, product.
Quoting industry experts on dangers related to dupe culture, Business Insider tackled some of the more popular categories.
When it comes to skin care and fragrances, buyers beware. Popular dupes may be hazardous to your health. Jason Wingate, the CEO of Canadian sales and marketing firm Emerald Ocean, spoke to this concern.
"While the [skin care] packaging might look similar, what's inside could be untested," Wingate said.
Ant Robinson, from price-comparison website HalfPricePerfumes, remarked on dupes coming in the form of popular cologne and perfumes.
"The idea of a great fragrance at a fraction of the cost might tempt you, but counterfeit fragrances often contain dangerous — and sometimes, downright disgusting — ingredients," he said.
The biggest category to avoid, according to Wingate, was cut-rate tech products. "The safety risks from poor components and bad engineering are serious," he said, pointing out experiences where chargers had burst into flames and batteries had leaked. "It's not worth risking your safety to save a few bucks."
Do Dupes Threaten Traditional Retailers' Authentic Products? And Who Exactly Is Duping?
One thing is for certain: Dupes aren't going anywhere.
As Marshal Cohen, chief retail advisor for Circana, noted, there's now a "cool factor" attached to dupes, and the concept has evolved away from overtly knockoff merchandise with a shoddy impersonation of a label sewn on into something more complex.
"Today’s dupe trend isn’t about knockoff products with fake designer labels. Rather, it is all about making something that captures the consumer’s attention more easily attainable. Dupes can be based on style and design or on features and functionality. Anything that is in demand is primed for a dupe, from handbags, dresses, and fragrances to hairdryers, décor, and food," Cohen said.
One case making headlines as of late would be the now-viral copycat of a high-fashion Hermès handbag, as CNN reported. Perhaps the most notable aspect of this particular dupe is its source of origin — Walmart.
While the blue-and-yellow brand itself isn't manufacturing the bag, a variety of third-party sellers are using its online marketplace to move their knockoffs. Influencers and anonymous TikTok users alike have all weighed in on the dupe handbag, with one particular user being quoted by CNN.
"The Walmart Birkin bag is called a Wirkin and it’s for the Wirkin class,” the TikTok user quipped.
An authentic Hermès Birkin handbag sells for anywhere from $7,200 to nearly $400,000. The so-called "Wirkin," in contrast, costs just under $80 at a minimum.
Cohen continued to elaborate upon the pain points brought to the doorstep of luxury retailers looking to stamp out growing competition from — and broader cultural acceptance of — dupes.
"The dupe trend brings both opportunity and challenges to manufacturers and retailers. Car makers often copy design elements and features of other brands or make lower-price versions of their own high-end vehicles. Luxury brands need to decide if they want to stay true to their high-end roots and risk losing to a dupe from an alternative source or if they want to find new ways to grow by creating lower-price versions of their own products," Cohen added.