As American shoppers have become more price-conscious – more than a quarter (27%) have hit a pricing limit, according to Empower research – some are turning to less-expensive duplicate versions of premium products, known as “dupes.” And for many shoppers, it’s cool to make the switch – both for the wallet-friendliness, plus for the thrill of the hunt in snagging the next best must-have. For the 78% of Americans using more of their budget on essential items, this rising trend may be a more practical way to afford buying clothing, accessories, beauty products, and more.

A 2023 study found that 31% of adults (and 49% of Gen Zers and 44% of Millennials), have intentionally shopped for a dupe of a luxury item.¹ Two thirds (67%) of those surveyed cited saving money as a key reason for doing so.

Designers and dupes

Hand-in-hand, luxury brands are also on the up: Hermes saw a 13% jump in sales during Q2 2024, with their coveted Birkin 25 bag coming with a price tag of around $11,000.^2,3 On the road, car company Ferrari (valued at $75 billion), zoomed past Hermes’ spot as the most valuable luxury company across the globe – a status measured by stock multiple.³

In many cases, more affordable versions of the most popular luxury clothing and accessories are available in more affordable versions at retailers such as Target, Walmart, Amazon, T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods. Handbags inspired by a designer brand are available at Target for $25 or $30, while Amazon has various inexpensive athleisure items comparable to those of high-end brands.^4,5 In the most recent quarterly earnings season, Target grew its sales by 3%, while Walmart, Amazon and TJX Cos reported growth of 4.2%, 10%, and 4%, respectively.^6-9

The rise of dupe culture

Social media – and by extension, social media influencers – has helped fuel the popularity of dupe culture. About 2 in 3 Millennials and Gen Zers follow influencers, compared to 27% of Gen Xers and Baby Boomers. Nearly half (49%) of consumers say their regular shopping decisions are impacted by recommendations from influencers.

In the beauty space, this trend emerged with influencers recommending more affordable products that could achieve similar results to pricier items. Analysis from Neilsen shows that online searches for “dupe + skin care” jumped by 123.5% while “dupe + makeup” has grown by 31%.¹⁰ However, between July 2022 and July 2023, both “dupe brands” and more expensive brands saw growth in dollar revenue and volume of consumers.¹⁰

Now, content creators of various niches are recommending cheaper products for their followers. Beyond fashion and beauty, the top influencer marketing categories include gaming at 11.9%; and sports, travel, and lifestyle all at 8.6%. Following at 7.6% are family, parenting, and home, as well as health and fitness.

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em

Playing off the rise of dupe culture, McDonald’s recently debuted a new menu item – the Chicken Big Mac – through a pop-up dupe restaurant in Los Angeles, called McDonnell’s.¹¹ Available for only one day, the store’s signage had a different “M” logo, but still sold McDonald’s staples, such as its fries and apple pies.

In 2023, premium hair brand Olaplex launched a lighthearted marketing campaign around a fake product, aptly named Oladupé, which was actually a repackaged bottle of an existing item. The company partnered with more than 100 influencers who created unboxing videos and achieved over 20 million impressions and views on social media.¹²