Are Dupes Less Enticing Now?

“Dupes,” a catch-all descriptor for cheaper alternatives to popular premium or luxury products, have been a defining e-commerce trend in recent years.

The term (and shopping behavior) was first popularized by TikTok users, but you can now find content outlining how to snag similar versions of sought-after products across all categories — from apparel and beauty to electronics and home furnishings — on nearly every corner of the internet. 

The initial rise of this subculture raised questions for brands about the extent to which internet interest in dupes was actually driving purchasing behavior, and about what reputational risks existed for all those involved, whether being duped or being known as a dupe. 

A 2023 Morning Consult study answered these questions: Lots of U.S. adults (especially young ones) were indeed buying dupes, and an overwhelming majority viewed their presence as either a minor or non-issue for brand image. 

Our latest research shows that while the latter is still true — dupes are, on balance, reputationally harmless — the share of those who said they’ve bought a dupe is lower than it was 2 years ago.

Dupe shopping behaviors are shifting 

The share of U.S. adults who reported having intentionally purchased a dupe fell four percentage points between October 2023 and February 2025, from 31% to 27%. Though most all key demographics saw similar drops, the decline was especially large (-11 percentage points) among millennials, who are becoming less motivated by trendiness as they enter middle age (and the deeper throes of parenthood). 

That said, young consumers are still much more likely than their older counterparts to partake in the dupe economy. 

In addition to their youthful skew, intentional dupe shoppers are very online. Sixty percent have a TikTok account (compared with 42% of all U.S. adults), and even higher shares regularly use YouTube (87%) and Instagram (72%). Income level is another important part of the dupe shopper picture, as approximately half (51%) report an annual household income of under $50,000. 

This young, lower-income profile ladders up to the primary reason that dupe shoppers engage in the behavior in the first place, which is, as it was in 2023, to save money (67%). However, sizable portions of the cohort (39%) once again cited a desire to “see if the dupe is as good as the real version” as another motivating force, indicating that these consumers are still eager for gamified, or otherwise explicitly purpose-driven, shopping experiences. 

Zooming back out, the number of active dupe shoppers isn’t the only thing that’s declined in recent years; those even interested in the behavior has dropped slightly, too. The shares of U.S. adults who said they were “absolutely” or “very likely” to consider purchasing a dupe across five tested retail categories all fell between two and four percentage points over the period, suggesting some form of dupe fatigue may be setting in. 

However, general perceptions of dupes remain unchanged. Approximately two-thirds of U.S. adults said they associate positive words like “fashionable” (69%), “trendy” (68%) and “elite” (62%) with brands that are frequently duped, on par with the shares who said the same in 2023. Similarly, a wide majority of U.S. adults view duping as a minor problem for brands, if one at all.

Of course, getting duped is an operational nuisance. But the steadiness of public opinion on the topic should empower brands to feel comfortable leaning into it. 

Thanks to social media, tastes and trends are now almost exclusively driven by individuals, putting brands in a reactive position (which can often lead to cringey outcomes). Dupes, meanwhile, represent a rare cultural topic where brands are still the authority and thus can engage with — and create memorable moments for — consumers in an authentic way. 

That said, interest in low-cost alternatives is never going to fully dissipate, especially as prices for most goods continue to climb. Plus, there’s a subset of consumers that will always be willing to trade quality for cost, and certain retailers are getting more of these dupe dollars than others. 

Dupe destinations 

Amazon is dupe shoppers’ preferred destination by a double-digit margin, while Temu sits firmly in second place, an impressive standing for only having launched in the United States in 2022. Shein and TikTok Shop also attract a sizable portion of Gen Z dupe shoppers. 

Ultimately, while active participation may ebb and flow, the dupe economy will always exist in some form. Fortunately, it’s proving to be nontoxic to all parties involved over the long-term, too: Most duped brands enjoy elevated perceptions, and brands that offer close imitations of popular higher-end products enjoy increased visibility.