All over the internet, Gen Z and Millennials have been obsessed with finding “Dupes,” or duplicates, of their favorite luxury products.
The practice of finding dupes lets shoppers enjoy the quality and clout of high-end products…
Without the major price tag.
What does this say about this new generation of shoppers…
But more importantly… What does this mean for brands that have replicas made and sold based on their products?
What Exactly Are “Dupes”?
Dupes (short for “duplicates”) are almost identical versions of luxury products sold for a fraction of the cost. Shoppers covet them for having a striking resemblance to the actual quality of the products…
Rather than just mimicking the brand name.
Counterfeit products have existed forever…
BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SHOPPERS THINK BUYING DUPES IS COOLER THAN BUYING THE PRODUCT IT’S BASED ON.
TikTok is populated by videos of creators bragging about their fantastic dupes and how identical they are to the original.
In an article for CNBC about this phenomenon, Gen Z speaker, Jason Dorsey, says the following:
“…THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN PEER PRESSURE BEFORE TO HAVE ALL THE FANCY BRANDS, NOW IT’S COOL TO RECREATE THE BRANDS, AND YOU’RE SMART BECAUSE YOU DID IT AT A FRACTION OF THE COST,”
There are plenty of reasons why Gen Z is obsessed with finding these knock-offs. On the one hand, this is a generation raised to be thrifty following their parent’s experiences with the 2008 recession…
GenZers are heavily photographed thanks to social media. This creates an expectation to always be cycling through new outfits (and has contributed to the rise of fast fashion).
But most importantly… Who doesn’t want to find quality products for good prices?
Tiktoker Holly Yazdi grew her following by helping audiences find dupes. When asked about her motivations she responded…
“I HAVE AN EXPENSIVE TASTE FOR AN EMPTY WALLET, AND AFTER POSTING THESE VIDEOS I REALIZE OTHERS DO TOO,”
While 50% of Gen Z have intentionally bought dupes, they are not the only ones to do it. One study found that as many as 30% of U.S. adults have also gotten fake versions of products.
But how are companies dealing with the rise of dupes?
What Does This Mean For Luxury Brands?
What’s good for the shopper is not always good for the company and dupes are a prime example.
Obviously, counterfeits are bad news for any brand, but when it comes to dupes and litigation…
Luxury companies need to be more careful. Any cease-and-desist letter sent may alienate or offend customers willing to return to the original product.
In most cases, brands may have pushed customers to find dupes and need to win them back…
THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE THE ATHLEISURE BRAND LULULEMON IS CURRENTLY WRESTLING WITH.
Lululemon, who has been struggling since March, has also had to deal with copycat dupes on the market…
The brand, which has had record-breaking profits through the pandemic, has seen its stock drop 50% since March. A series of missteps has sent its loyal customers to look for alternatives.
Lululemon popularized the concept of $100 leggings, but middle-class teen girls (a huge demographic for the brand)…
REALIZED THAT IT’S NOT WORTH BUYING EXPENSIVE LEGGINGS WHEN YOU CAN GET INDISTINGUISHABLE ONES (MINUS THE BRAND NAME) FOR $30 INSTEAD.
Lululemon is trying to embrace the rise of dupes as more competition…
Even going as far as to host a “Dupe Swap” event, where customers brought in leggings bought elsewhere for certified brand leggings.
Yet it’s going to take Lululemon a while to get back on top…
Because as of now, dupes aren’t going anywhere.
What’s Next?
It’s clearn that a brand name is not going to be enough to sell to Gen Z anymore…
With the rise of dupes taking over social media and shopper’s checkout baskets, one question remains:
Will luxury brands be able to adapt to the desires of this new generation of consumers…
Or will they drown under the weight of better knock-off dupes?
Be Great,
GCTV Staff
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