Dupes may not break the law, but they shatter the illusion of exclusivity, and as long as consumers embrace the “look for less” culture, Amazon has no incentive to intervene.
Luxury brands have long grappled with imitators, and the dupe economy predates Amazon. Fast fashion retailers have operated in a legal gray area for years, rapidly producing runway-inspired pieces. By replicating luxury silhouettes without using logos, they’ve mastered the art of capturing high-fashion aesthetics at a fraction of the cost.
Amazon, however, has amplified this phenomenon to an unprecedented scale. Unlike fast fashion brands that rely on their supply chains, Amazon serves as a vast marketplace where countless sellers offer luxury lookalikes at various price points. Its platform enables hundreds of vendors to simultaneously promote these items, optimizing for visibility through search algorithms. While fast fashion laid the groundwork for mass-market dupes, Amazon has become the ultimate amplifier, making high fashion more accessible, and more imitated than ever before.
Yet while fast fashion faces scrutiny for its runway mimicry, Amazon largely avoids the same level of critique, despite playing a more significant role in normalizing dupes. When a Shein dress resembles a Miu Miu design, shoppers recognize it as a fast fashion knockoff. But when an “affordable alternative” appears on Amazon’s best-seller list, positioned alongside authentic designer products, the line between original, imitation and counterfeit begins to blur.
Amazon’s luxury ambitions are at odds with Its dupe economy
Amazon is making a strong push into the luxury market, aiming to establish itself as a trusted destination for high-end goods. To combat counterfeits, the company has invested heavily, including a $1.2 billion investment in marketplace policing, lawsuits with brands like Cartier and Ferragamo, and the launch of a Counterfeit Crimes Unit. They’ve also partnered with Oscar de la Renta for their Luxury Stores initiative and curated a high-end resale collection with Hardly Ever Worn It, featuring coveted items like vintage Chanel bags and rare Hermès Birkins. However, Amazon’s marketplace continues to enable the “dupe” market, raising concerns about whether the company is genuinely committed to eliminating counterfeits or simply rebranding the issue. Is Amazon trying to have its cake and eat it too?
This duplicity puts luxury brands in a difficult position. While Amazon courts them with promises of an extensive reach, the continued presence of dupes undermines their brand equity and potentially cannibalizes sales. This forces brands to weigh the potential benefits of reaching a wider audience on Amazon against the very real risks to their brand image and bottom line. Ultimately, Amazon’s ambivalent stance on dupes may prevent it from ever truly becoming a trusted destination for genuine luxury goods.
Social media and the rise of the algorithmic dupe
Popular culture has embraced dupes as distinct from counterfeits, though the distinction remains murky. Dupes don’t claim to be the real thing, nor do they outright violate trademarks. Instead, they exist in a legal gray zone, mimicking the look and feel of luxury goods without replicating logos. The formula is simple: copy a design just enough to be recognizable but not enough to cross legal boundaries. Search for a Christian Louboutin shoe, a Bottega Veneta bag, or a Cartier Love bracelet, and the first results won’t be counterfeits but “similar styles” and “inspired-by” designs that dance close to luxury branding without outright copying it. Amazon’s algorithm amplifies this, optimizing for demand rather than authenticity. When shoppers look for an “Hermès Kelly bag,” they won’t find an empty page, instead they’ll see dozens of handbags labeled as “top-handle structured tote” or “designer-style luxury handbag.”
Social media has become a breeding ground for dupe promotion. The #AmazonFinds hashtag isn’t just organic; it’s fueled by influencers and affiliate marketers who profit from directing users to these lookalikes. Amazon’s algorithm then takes over, amplifying these promotions and creating a self-perpetuating cycle of imitation.
So, where does it end?
Amazon can invest billions in anti-counterfeiting measures, but as long as it profits from the dupe market, the problem will persist. The company faces a fundamental choice: embrace its luxury ambitions fully or continue to benefit from the very products that erode brand exclusivity. Until it makes this choice, the message remains confused: Counterfeits are bad, but dupes? That’s just good business.
