Latest news with #dupes
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Pottery Barn rival takes aim at furniture store by stocking look-alike finds for much cheaper
A thrifty shopper has sent Halloween fans into a frenzy after finding Pottery Barn dupes at HomeGoods. Going by the name Erica, she posted a video on TikTok of her shopping experience on July 22. The mother of two showed off a dozen HomeGoods products, half of them resembling Pottery Barn products. Half of her finds looked almost identical to Pottery Barn's Halloween line, where similar items cost $29.50 to $129. Other HomeGoods offerings Erica loved included ghost and bat baskets, a skeleton stuffed animal, and a bowl with a skeleton on the rim. Prices may vary depending on locations, but various shoppers in YouTube videos claimed most of HomeGoods' Halloween items cost between $10 and $40. Pottery Barn is famous for its luxurious home offerings, but it's also famous for being the focus of various dupes at retailers like Dollar Tree and Goodwill. Unlike the nearly 1,000 HomeGoods locations, the retailer does not embrace Summerween in all its stores, but it does online all-year-round. The pumpkin Erica found on the shelf resembled Pottery Barn's Handmade Terracotta Jack O'Lantern. The higher-priced pumpkins are currently a best seller available in six sizes that costs between $29.50 and $119. She couldn't help but notice that HomeGoods' inexpensive buckets could be compared to a skeleton serving bowl priced at a whopping $129 at Pottery Barn. While HomeGoods' skeleton cheese knives did not match the bucket, they were a worthwhile dupe of a $49.50 Pottery Barn product. Erica made her way to the ghost section after being impressed by pumpkins and skeleton, and found a cheeseboard that nearly matches a $69.50 Pottery Barn item. She also spotted Martha Steward-brand ghosts that like Pottery Barn's $89.50 set of three, can be safely hung on tree branches. After making her ghoulish finds, she went back to the pumpkin area, and found glasses similar to a set of 4 Pottery Barn cups that cost between $34.97 and $56. Erica did not reveal the price difference between any of the items, which can vary based on location. Retailers have been on the chopping block for years following fears of recession and inflation. Tariffs have not made it any better, and has led to brutal job cuts. However, HomeGoods has managed to survive the ordeal, and experienced an 8 percent revenue increase during its first quarter. Pottery Barn, the largest Williams-Sonoma brand in revenue and store count, helped its parent company finish off its first quarter with a 3.4 percent increase in comparable brand revenue. The brand continues to be a top furniture retailer compared to its competition such as the At Home chain, which plotted its bankruptcy in May. The Texas-based chain ended up filing soon after closing 20 stores, and could potentially shutter more locations in the future.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kmart shoppers in awe of popular designer dupe: '$900 cheaper'
In a time where it's almost impossible to buy a takeaway coffee for less than $7, it's no wonder that Aussies are always on the lookout for bargains. Whether they are looking to up their fashion game without breaking the bank or update the decor in their home, many shoppers find that dupes of more expensive items are the way to go. Perhaps nowhere understands this customer need better than Kmart, with the budget retailer cementing itself as the go-to place for affordable versions of everything from Birkenstock clogs to Owala drink bottles. Now, interior design enthusiasts are going nuts about a Kmart dupe that looks nearly identical to its designer counterpart, but for a tenth of the price (yes, you read that correctly!). The Anko Charles Coffee Table, which retails for $89 in Kmart, is over $900 cheaper than the James Lane Bon Coffee Table, which retails at a whopping $999.00. While it isn't the only similar take of the designer furniture piece out there, with Temple and Webster also selling a $600 version and Fantastic Furniture with a $599.00 version, it is by far the cheapest. RELATED: Kmart's $5.50 gadget to solve common bathroom storage issue: 'Amazing' Wild detail in 38-year-old Kmart photo stuns shoppers: 'Bring it back' Kmart shoppers go wild for $10 must-have WFH gadget: 'Great find' Kmart shopper Nicole is one happy owner of the inexpensive coffee table, telling Yahoo Lifestyle that her mum came across the decor item on Kmart's Facebook page. 'My mum sent me a screenshot saying this coffee table will suit my living area. I always loved the James Lane Bon Coffee Table, but the price didn't suit me,' she tells us. 'As soon as I saw the price, I started calling Kmart stores," she adds. "I called Liverpool in Sydney and asked them to check which store had stock, and they told me, and then I called the store and asked them to hold it for me." Excited, Nicole shared her new homewares find with her followers on TikTok, captioning her clip with the now ubiquitous saying, "Run to Kmart! Don't walk." 'I want one so bad just for the legs lol,' replied one viewer. 'Love this,' said another. It's worth noting, though, that many shoppers replied on her TikTok and others who have shared their savvy buy, that they can't find the item online. 'They're not even online, I have looked,' posted one. 'I can't find one ANYWHERE! They aren't even online,' says another. Nicole also identified this issue, but said in-store, there was stock. 'As soon as I picked it up, I noticed they had so much floor stock but none on the website, which is so wild. Apparently, it's new stock and they haven't yet updated the website,' she tells Yahoo Lifestyle. 'I've had so many people message me about not being able to find it online, which is very frustrating.' Although the coffee table has not yet appeared on the Kmart website, meaning you need to call your local store to check stock levels, its bedside table version, the Charles Bedside Table, is retailing for $39 and is showing up online. The original Bon Coffee Table and its Kmart dupe are modern, statement pieces of furniture with bold, bowling ball feet and a disk-shaped top. The Kmart version has dimensions of 28 cm H x 70 cm diameter. The original is handcrafted and made from Mango Wood, available in black or whitewash. The Charles Coffee Table is available in the whitewash option. Both the design and colour scheme, Nicole says, she loves. 'You're getting a designer-style table look for an affordable price. The quality is great too, it's sturdy and the style is my absolute favourite, the three balls just give it a unique look and feel,' she says. 'It's neutral themed, so it suits it beautifully,' she adds. It also makes the furniture piece simple to style. SHOP: 🧥 'Customer-obsessed' Aussie brand still going strong after 40 years: 'Comes in sizes 6 to 3XL' 💁♀️ Two-minute product that works wonder on brows in 28 days 🩲 'Favourite' Aussie brand slashes prices by 30 per cent: 'Available in XS to 2XL' 'I have a beautiful James Lane couch that has very similar tones in my living room. I've got a few Kmart pillows that go with it, too,' she says. And people are noticing, with both viewers online leaving positive comments and visitors to her home, too. 'Everyone said it's so beautiful and can't believe it's under $100. Many have said it looks so similar to the James Lane one, just a little shorter in height,' she says.
CBC
11-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Lawsuits over dupes are popping up in courts. But can dupes be illegal?
Social Sharing To customers, a lookalike to Ugg's Tasman slippers or a knock-off of Lululemon's ultra-popular Define jacket can be a fantastic bargain. But to the companies that make the original products, similar-but-cheaper items can be bad for business. While knock-offs are nothing new, dupes — short for "duplicate" — have exploded in popularity in recent years. And for many younger buyers, buying an imitation is no longer something to hide. "A lot of the consumers that we're seeing on social media, on TikTok, are so proudly displaying the dupes that they found, kind of as a badge of honour. That stigma really isn't there anymore," said Julie Zerbo, editor-in-chief of fashion publication The Fashion Law. The rise of dupes has also brought a corresponding wave of lawsuits from companies, saying copies of their products shouldn't be allowed to exist. American Eagle, Sol de Janeiro, Benefit Cosmetics, Deckers Brands (Ugg's parent company) and Supergoop are just a few of the fashion and beauty companies on that list. Vancouver-based Lululemon became a recent entrant when it sued Costco late last month over three products it said were knock-offs of its clothing. But are they actually illegal? Intellectual property experts say it really depends on the rights a company has over a product, and whether customers can tell the difference between the original and its copycat. Lululemon sues Costco over sale of alleged knock-offs When do dupes cross the line? The term "dupe" itself has been appearing more in legal filings, says Alexandra Roberts, law and media professor at Northeastern University — including in Lululemon's against Costco. That could partially be because their appeal has grown among online shoppers. "Where in previous years, a company might have just said, 'Oh, this looks to us like trademark infringement,' here, [brands] are kind of building a case around the idea of [a] dupe," Roberts said. "The fact that something is perceived as a dupe ... that all works its way into the allegations." WATCH | Trying to beat online fashion copies: Trying to beat online fashion copies 8 months ago Duration 2:25 Loren Mallett, an intellectual property lawyer in Vancouver, says any case where a company says it's been copied largely depends on the rights it has over its product. Patents, industrial designs and trademarks can all protect certain parts of an item — but a company has to formally register elements like its logo or packaging design. If it hasn't, it's probably out of luck, Mallett says. And even if it has, it still might be OK to sell something really similar. The legality of a dupe depends on whether customers could be confused by the two items and think they are the exact same, Roberts says. In Lululemon's case, for example, the question might be whether buyers of the Costco sweatshirt thought they were purchasing Lululemon's Scuba hoodie, Roberts says. She says people tend to like dupes specifically because they aren't the real deal, but a cheaper alternative. And for that reason, she says, many may not be successfully litigated against. LISTEN | Dupe culture: Why Gen Z is embracing fakes: While we don't necessarily think of them as dupes, generic brands — think Life brand products sold at Shoppers Drug Mart, or Walmart's Great Value — have occupied this space for a long time, Roberts says. And historically, courts have allowed them because customers understand that one is meant to be a cheaper alternative to the other. Mallett adds that the conversation around dupes could impact companies like Lululemon in court, as many customers have said online that some of Costco's products look just like Lululemon's. The athleisure company will likely argue this as evidence that Costco wanted to pass off its product as a Lululemon item — whereas Costco will likely say it is proof the customer knew for a fact they were buying a similar-looking alternative at a lower price, according to Mallett. A case study Zerbo says many dupe-related cases are still making their way through courts. But there are some resolved ones where the lookalike has come out on top. She points to a recent conflict in the U.S. between Steve Madden and Ganni as a good example. Danish footwear brand Ganni sent cease-and-desist letters to some companies that sold certain Steve Madden shoes, saying they looked too similar to its own buckle ballerina flats and two-strap sandals. But Steve Madden turned around and sued Ganni, saying it had no right to tell those retailers they couldn't sell the similar Steve Madden shoes, because there was "nothing new or original" about a shoe made of leather and that has straps, eyelets and buckles — common elements in lots of footwear. Ganni ultimately walked back its original legal threats, Zerbo said, and even agreed not to sue in the future over the shoe designs. (Ganni was more successful in its home country of Denmark, however.) Zerbo says these cases show how courts generally don't want monopolies, and try to prevent giving a brand that kind of power. "That would be bad for competition, that would be bad for consumers, prices would go through the roof." What does that mean for my dupes? Zerbo says duping is unlikely to slow down anytime soon, as many shoppers love a good deal. "It's such a big market. There's so much consumer demand for dupes that companies would be hard pressed to stop trying to make them." If anything, she says some luxury brands have relied on their name to appeal to customers, and have "rested on their laurels" rather than innovating.
The Sun
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Beauty fans in frenzy over new pastel makeup range in Primark that's the perfect dupe for pricier brand but £30 cheaper
PRIMARK'S dupes regularly delight fashion fans thanks to their purse-friendly prices. Being able to nab copy cats of cult-loved products without breaking the bank is the stuff of dreams amid the cost of living crisis. 4 4 4 We've been spoiled with imitations of everything from the luxury Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base to viral Sol de Janeiro perfume mists. And the latest dupe added to the fast fashion giant's beauty arsenal is the PS... Violet Loose Setting Powder. The inspiration for the new launch is Huda Beauty's Easy Bake Loose Baking and Setting Powder in shade Ube Birthday Cake. The product is described as the gloal makeup brand's "holy grail product" and the key to a flawless finish. But while the pricier version will set you back £34, Primark's dupe only costs £3.50 - meaning beauty fans can save an impressive £30.50. There's also a liquid blush up for grabs for £3 in the same lavender hue. The Primark team took to Instagram to promote the fresh addition to their dupe line up. They penned: "It's official, we're in a lavender haze. "Our soft-girl glam just got an upgrade. Meet the pastel products your summer makeup bag has been waiting for" Beauty buffs were quick to gush over the new arrivals and hailed them as perfect for the sunny months. Primark drops brand new Benefit dupes ahead of summer - there's a copycat of the iconic bronzer and even a freckle pen One wrote: "I got the blush yesterday, and I am so in love, it blends so well into my skin with full glam and it is super pigmented as you can build it up." "I'm running right now", insisted a second. A third cried: "Oh thats 100% my shade! I need." "Omg I need", echoed a fourth. A fifth added: "That colour is popping. Beautiful, sooo summery." Meanwhile, a sixth said: "Oh woweee this is gorg." We told earlier how the fast fashion giant designed a brand new PS... Lip and Cheek Tint which is priced at £3.50. And while it's not an outright dupe for anything, Primark bosses believe that 'your no-make-up-make-up looks need this.' They said: 'Light and emollient, this multi-use tint is a great way to add a natural flush of colour to the complexion and lips, for a natural blush and just bitten look. 'The product is housed inside a single compact, which allows it to be stored easily inside a cosmetic bag or taken on the go. 'We'd suggest using the warmth of your fingers to apply this tint for a blended and perfectly diffused look.' They also unveiled a £3.50 PS… Freckle Pen, which means you no longer need to bank on the weather or genetics to achieve a freckly sun-kissed look. Shoppers have gushed that it is 'perfect for summer'.
Forbes
02-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Forbes Daily: Tesla's ‘Soap Opera' Continues Ahead Of EV Sales Report
Thanks to TikTok and other social media apps, finding 'dupes' of high-end products is easier than ever. Now, Lululemon is taking Costco to court over the issue. The popular athletic wear brand sued the retailer for selling products that allegedly rip off some of its most popular items at a cheaper price point. Dozens of brands have sued over dupes, but it's not just about proving a product was copied: The creators must show that a copycat product could confuse customers into thinking they're buying the real thing. Still, many shoppers are intentionally seeking out fake products, one trademark lawyer told Forbes , which makes it much harder to prove brand confusion. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) speaks to reporters off the Senate floor after the Senate passes President Donald Trump's so-called "One, Big, Beautiful Bill," Act at the U.S. Capitol Building. Photo byAfter a marathon negotiation session to convince GOP holdouts, the Senate advanced President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. There are several key additions and omissions from earlier versions, including a softening on credits for wind and solar projects as well as more rural hospital funds. House leadership said it will vote on the Senate version Wednesday. In passing the bill, the Senate approved more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid over the next 10 years and changes to federally funded health insurance programs that would leave nearly 12 million people without coverage, according to an estimate from the Congressional Budget Office. Republicans defending the cuts say they are aimed at reducing abuse, waste and fraud, as most of the Medicaid cuts come via new work requirements for some recipients. This is a published version of the Forbes Daily newsletter, you can sign-up to get Forbes Daily in your inbox here. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk outside the White House in March. Photo byAfter President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk sparred again over his signature spending bill, Musk's net worth plunged by $9.5 billion on the company's more than 5% stock decline. Tesla shares are down 13% since the end of May, just before Musk and Trump's public feud began. Musk remains the world's richest man, but saw the biggest daily loss of any billionaire tracked by Forbes Tuesday. MORE: Tesla is expected to report a major drop in electric vehicle sales today, and Musk's meltdown over the legislation raises the possibility that the intemperate billionaire is once again courting new risks for his companies, which have received at least $30 billion in federal support since 2010. Typically bullish on Tesla, analyst Dan Ives called it a 'soap opera that remains an overhang on Tesla's stock.' TECH + INNOVATION EQT, Europe's largest buyout fund, is shaking up its venture arm amid plans to increase investments in American startups. The $315 billion asset manager promoted investor Carolina Brochado to head up venture and growth investments from a new outpost in New York and announced the departure of four partners. MONEY + POLITICS Just months after slashing funding for U.S.-funded international broadcaster Voice of America, President Donald Trump's media company is testing a global rollout of its streaming platform, raising conflict-of-interest concerns. Truth Social parent company Trump Media & Technology Group said the beta test of its streaming platform, Truth+, aims to expand beyond North America. SPORTS + ENTERTAINMENT Paramount's settlement will be paid directly to Trump's future presidential library. Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images Paramount says it has agreed to pay President Donald Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit filed over a 60 Minutes interview aired last year of former Vice President Kamala Harris, which Trump alleged was edited to make the Democratic candidate appear more competent. As part of the settlement, Paramount said that 60 Minutes will release transcripts of all interviews with presidential candidates moving forward. SCIENCE + HEALTHCARE Charlie Riedel/AP File President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act—assuming the version Senate Republicans passed on Tuesday becomes law—would cut the legs out from under the renewable energy industry. The biggest hit: The bill would phase out federal tax credits that have for years enabled wind and solar developers to offset 30% or more of project costs. Ironically, these impacts will hit especially hard in Republican areas: 78% of renewable energy projects underway are located in Red districts. DAILY COVER STORY How This Chicago Private Equity Firm Scored The Biggest Exit Of 2025 Co-CEOs Collin Roche (left) and Dean Mihas (right) are leading the second generation in charge of 45-year-old private equity firm GTCR. GTCR While private equity managers hoping for a dealmaking bonanza under President Donald Trump's administration have been sorely disappointed, GTCR has bucked the trend with a series of gaudy exits. The Chicago-based firm's $45 billion in assets under management pale in comparison to Wall Street's biggest players like Blackstone, Apollo and KKR, but none of its peers made off with a deal like GTCR's and FIS' sale of Worldpay to Global Payments for $24.25 billion, announced in April and expected to close in the first half of 2026. GTCR bought a 55% stake in the Cincinnati-based payment processing firm from FIS at an $18.5 billion valuation in July 2023, and flipped it in less than two years for double the equity it invested. This comes during a time when the average holding period for the private equity industry crept up to more than six years in 2023 and 2024, a signal that many firms are struggling to find buyers for their businesses. And since the Worldpay deal, GTCR announced two more smaller sales in May, offloading lab equipment firm Antylia Scientific and insurance software business Itel for more than $1 billion each. The flurry of activity means GTCR is expected to return a reported $5 billion in proceeds to investors this year, building on a strong track record for its recent flagship funds. WHY IT MATTERS 'It was a slow first half of the year for private equity, but there are always going to be winners and losers on Wall Street, and GTCR is one under-the-radar firm that seized the spotlight,' says Forbes staff writer Hank Tucker. 'Its success could make pension funds and endowments hopeful that a rebound is coming for the buyout firms in their portfolios, even while rumors are circulating that some institutions are trying to sell stakes of their private equity investments at discounted prices.' MORE These 7 European And Asian Stocks Are Crushing It And Still Cheap FACTS + COMMENTS As political divisions in the U.S. continue to grow, a majority of Americans believe politically motivated violence is now a major problem, a new poll shows: 76%: The share of Americans who believe the issues dividing the nation pose a serious threat to democracy, according to the NPR/PBS News/Marist poll 25: The number of attacks and plots targeting elected officials, candidates and other government employees from 2016 to 2025, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies Three times: The number of politically motivated attacks and plots against government agents in just the past five years is three times higher than those in the previous 25 years combined STRATEGY + SUCCESS Underperforming the market can cost thousands of dollars of gains in just a few years—so be sure to avoid some of these common mistakes. Don't try to time the market, and invest consistently each month. Don't put all of your investments into one stock or sector, and if you do pick individual stocks, take the time to research them. Lastly, build an emergency fund before you start investing so you don't have to dip into your investments during market downturns. VIDEO A popular band is reuniting and going on tour after a lengthy hiatus. Which band is it? A. BTS B. Blink-182 C. OutKast D. One Direction Check your answer. Thanks for reading! This edition of Forbes Daily was edited by Sarah Whitmire.
