Nearly half of young shoppers (47%) have purchased “dupe” items from social media, in a bid to save money – but three in ten have been left disappointed after receiving poor quality products, research has found.
A study of 1,000 young consumers, of millennial and Gen Z age, found that 56% are using social media more than “ever before” for shopping – with 29% admitting they have been taken in by influencers promoting “dupe” products.
These items refer to “duplicates”, which are similar to high-end products such as cologne or perfume – but often available at low prices.
They are legal, and openly-marketed as alternatives to the original goods – however, almost a third of those polled (31%) claim to have lost confidence when buying social media “dupes”, after receiving items that were not as described (28%) or pictured (24%).
Items arriving damaged (19%), or being dangerous or unsafe (10%) were other things that have deterred young adults from shopping on social media again in the future.
And worryingly, 58% claim to have bought their underwhelming dupe from a well-known retailer or brand. As a result, 17% have lost trust in bigger brands after receiving below-par purchases, while a quarter said the same of smaller brands.
The survey was commissioned by Trustpilot, which has also produced a blog on dupes, revealing if they're worth the hype.
Carolyn Jameson, spokeswoman for Trustpilot, which commissioned the research, said: “Owning something which is as good as a high-end product, but comes at a low price, is an understandably appealing prospect for consumers, particularly during a cost-of-living crisis.
“But it’s worth remembering that currently there’s little regulation around dupes, so more potential risk with every transaction – which means it can be hard to know which brands or products will genuinely deliver on their promises.
“That’s why, before handing over hard-earned money, it’s really important for shoppers to do their research.”
The study also found the most popular social media platforms for shopping for these goods are TikTok (25%), Instagram (25%), and Facebook (16%).
And when shopping on social media, 74% make a point of researching retailers, by checking reviews before buying dupes online.
Meanwhile, despite some consumers having been left disappointed, a not insignificant proportion of those polled (44%) said they trust products which trend on social media, such as dupes.
And perhaps with good reason – of those who have purchased such products, 60% believe they’ve saved nearly £100, on average, over the last 12 months.
The study, carried out through One Poll, found the most trusted retail categories for dupes are fashion (35%), beauty (27%), and household items (23%).
Carolyn Jameson added: “Checking reviews on an independent platform, like Trustpilot, is one way you can verify a brand’s trustworthiness, by seeing the real experiences of other customers.”
