Affordable options are increasingly popular among shoppers, with designer 'dupes' gaining mainstream appeal. "It just makes more financial sense," an expert explains.

• Purchasing a counterfeit was once a consumer's clandestine act, mainly due to the belief that a "fake" was inferior to the authentic product.
• Brand imitators, commonly referred to as dupes, have gained popularity and entered the mainstream.
• One expert suggests that buying a dupe can be more financially responsible when consumers are feeling cash-strapped.

Almost any brand-name product has a counterpart.

Purchasing a counterfeit product was once a shameful act, as it was viewed as inferior to the genuine article and entailed financial and legal consequences.

Dupes, or imitators, have become mainstream and are now considered cool.

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Sometimes, it makes more financial sense to buy dupes rather than the original brand, even if the consumer doesn't dislike the brand, according to Sara Walker, a Los Angeles-based influencer and fashion industry expert.

Unlike counterfeit goods, which often bear unauthorized trademarks or logos of patented brands, dupes are legal alternatives to premium or luxury consumer products that are often preferred over their pricier counterparts.

Walker stated that the product is not a direct copy, but rather a revised version of a chic designer product made more accessible to the public.

According to Ellyn Briggs, brands analyst at Morning Consult, imitators have discovered a "narrow aisle" that satisfies consumer demand and shields them from legal action from the companies they are copying.

Nearly 33% of adults have intentionally purchased a fake version of a premium product, according to a report by Morning Consult. The business intelligence company surveyed over 2,000 adults in early October.

TikTok is 'ground zero' for dupes

According to Briggs, TikTok has accelerated the online culture of dupe shopping, flipping the script.

"All this is happening at TikTok," she stated.

"Dupes are increasingly being sold through TikTok Shop," Briggs stated.

TikTok Shop, an e-commerce platform launched within the short-form video app in September of last year, is more popular among younger generations, with 40% of Gen Zers and 37% of millennials making at least one purchase on the platform, according to a Morning Consult poll conducted in December.

Anthropologie mirror duplicates can also be found at retail giants such as Target, Walmart, and Home Depot.

"Nowadays, dupes are abundant," Walker remarked.

Dupes are a sign of the times

Participating in a trend without breaking the bank is often achieved through shopping for dupes, especially during times when styles change rapidly, as Walker has experienced with dupe leggings, perfume, and sunglasses.

Walker stated that it's not always financially wise to purchase the authentic item.

Dupe shopping is a type of bargain hunting that has been repackaged as a new subset of online shopping, just as other viral trends on TikTok are repackaging longstanding or pre-existing behaviors, Briggs said.

Although quality may vary, in some cases, you get what you pay for.

If you frequently update your wardrobe based on trends, it can be costly, as Carolyn McClanahan, a certified financial planner and founder of Life Planning Partners in Jacksonville, Florida, pointed out earlier this year while discussing the "mob wife" fashion trend on CNBC.

McClanahan is a member of CNBC's Financial Advisor Council.

Currently, many Americans are facing financial difficulties due to the high cost of daily necessities, and they are relying heavily on credit cards to survive.

With rising rent, food prices, and borrowing costs, consumers have less disposable income for discretionary spending, which has led to an increase in the popularity of dupes, according to Brett House, an economics professor at Columbia Business School.

House stated that maintaining recent consumption habits could make individuals vulnerable to the allure of a counterfeit product's promise.

Consumers are becoming more cautious about making big purchases due to their sustained interest in dupes, according to Briggs.

Whether a shopper is cash-strapped or not, price is always the primary factor in making purchase decisions, she stated.