Consumers Are Okay with Dupe Sunglasses: Here’s Why

Every spring, the fashion mags and websites start previewing the up-and-coming sunglasses sure to be a hit over the summer. Much of the media focuses on the most expensive brands like Ray-Ban, Warby Parker, and Maui Jim. Every once in a while, you find a piece extolling the virtues of lower-priced dupes. It turns out consumers are okay with dupe sunglasses.

Dupes are not your thing if you are employed by one of the high-end brands owned by Luxottica. After all, the term itself denotes a knockoff at the least and a counterfeit at the worst. Consumers see things differently. They have a different definition of ‘dupes’ as well as a number of very good reasons for purchasing a pair.

Different Meanings to Different People

Dupes used to be confined to products that were provable knockoffs and counterfeits. For example, a pair of counterfeit Ray-Bans that looked nearly identical to the real thing are considered dupes. Also note that the older definition of the term applies to more than just sunglasses. You can have dupe shoes, handbags, electronic devices, etc.

This older definition of the term still applies today. However, consumers have expanded their understanding of it to include products that offer a similar alternative to more expensive brands without being knockoffs or counterfeits. So you might have a Ray-Ban dupe that looks similar to a known Ray-Ban style but does not bear the brand name.

These kinds of dupes are neither illegal nor unethical. Manufacturers do not claim that their products are the real thing. They do not infer that their products are endorsed by the higher-end brands they are mimicking. Everything is on the up and up from a legal standpoint.

3 Reasons Consumers Buy Them

This post began with the assertion that consumers are okay with dupe sunglasses. There’s proof enough in the sales numbers. Even though Luxottica brands dominate marketplace volume, there are plenty of lesser known brands that do very well. Olympic Eyewear is a Utah designer and distributor that successfully markets dozens of lower-cost brands.

Olympic says there are three main reasons consumers buy dupes:

1. Better Pricing

The number one reason for buying dupes is the price. Where you might pay hundreds of dollars for some of the more expensive brands, a comparable pair of dupes can generally be had for less than $50. Some brands are in the sub-$25 range.

Given that people tend to buy a new pair of sunglasses at least every year, it stands to reason they would prefer cheaper options. Why spend several hundred dollars on a pair of sunglasses that likely won’t make it to next summer? Cheaper is just better to a lot of people.

2. Equal Quality

It is true that there are some really cheap sunglasses that do not stand up to the quality test. But by and large, companies like Olympic Eyewear manufacture their own designer-like lines that are every bit as good in terms of quality. They use the same materials and manufacturing methods. They produce sunglasses that will last every bit as long as more expensive brands.

3. A Desire to Be Different

Finally, a lot of people buy dupes because they want to be different. They see everyone else spending a ton of money on designer brands to the extent of being labeled ‘fan boys’. They choose lesser-known dupes because they do not want to be part of that crowd.

As long as dupes don’t cross any legal boundaries, they are perfectly legitimate as a consumer choice. Consumers are okay with them. Sales numbers prove it.