Dupe Culture in Toys & Games: How to Protect Your Brand

If a product goes viral, its dupe twin isn’t far behind. But unlike true counterfeit products, designer dupes don’t claim to be the real thing – gimmicky, exaggerated and often a little bizarre, they’re deliberately distinct from their luxury counterparts.

But what’s driving the craze? A perfect storm of social media virality, rising costs of goods, inflation, and the pressure to keep up with fast-moving pop-culture trends –  all colliding at once.

What started in fashion and beauty has found a loud expression in toys, games, and collectibles, where dupe product culture is thriving. This signals a shift in consumer psychology, and a fresh set of challenges for those looking to keep knock-off brands at bay and protect their IPs.

So how are the rules changing, and what can brands do to keep up?

What is a ‘dupe’ and why are they so popular?

A dupe is an imitation product that closely resembles a branded original – but dupes aren’t necessarily trying to fool anyone.

They’re usually marketed as their own brand, which just happens to be an affordable alternative to the pricier original. For many, buying a dupe product is an easy way to access a new trend or aesthetic without breaking the bank.

Where dupes were once secret purchases, they’re now mainstream. Some brands even embrace them, such as Diesel’s limited ‘DEISEL’ release or haircare brand Olaplex’s marketing stunt Oladupé. There are even whole business models successfully based on dupes, from European supermarkets Aldi and Lidl to Australian beauty company MCoBeauty.

Dupes are openly discussed, recommended, and even flaunted as financially responsible purchases often deemed ‘just as good’ as the real thing.

Social media is reshaping consumer attitudes

Across younger generations, ideas of value and status have changed – Millennials through Gen Alpha prioritise cultural relevance and smart buys over traditional luxury. So what does status look like now? Increasingly, it’s spotting the smartest alternative.

A growing skepticism of big brands reinforces this trend, with 60% of North American and 50% of British 13 to 39 year olds would still buy a dupe even if they could afford the original, according to YPulse’s 2023 trend report. On fast-moving platforms, like TikTok, these ideas spread quickly, amplified by influencers and endlessly recycled content.

Why are there so many dupes in the toys and games industry?

Toys and games live on brand recognition, and whether you’re a lifelong fan or a casual onlooker, hits like Super Mario or Pikachu are instantly recognisable. Their appeal is emotional, nostalgic and universal – that’s what makes them prime targets for copycats.

Take Labubu, the adorable plush collectible that captured fan’s hearts for its quirky charm and limited numbers. Soon after their release came the budget Labubu fakes, which took the internet by storm.

In the UK alone, over 90% of the 259,000 toys seized at border customs were Lafufus.

So why do bootleg toys and games thrive?

Price pressure and accessibility

Dupes offer a cost-effective alternative when originals are either out of stock or budget. In Europe, a third of consumers think it’s okay to buy a dupe if the original is too expensive.

Fast-moving trends and viral demand

Trends explode overnight and by the time enforcement steps in, the trend has moved on.

Emotional appeal and nostalgia

Toys carry memories. For many collectors, a visually similar dupe is simply good enough, regardless of origin.

The risks dupes create for toy and gaming brands

The repercussions of bootleg toys and games goes beyond lost sales revenue. As imitations become normalized, they threaten brand control and reputation.

Brand dilution and loss of a distinctive identity

Lookalike characters, packaging, and gaming styles can blur a brand’s visual identity, making it harder for consumers to recognise and value the originals.

Safety, quality and compliance concerns

Unofficial goods bypass stringent testing and quality standards. Last year, 75% of counterfeit toys seized at UK borders contained banned chemicals or choking hazards and 46% caused serious safety issues.

Enforcement challenges

Many dupe products sit just outside official definitions of counterfeits, complicating trademark and design enforcement. Combined with the speed at which trends come and go, threats become much harder to identify and prioritise at scale.

Customers don’t always distinguish between original and dupe brands. In 2023, EUIPO reported 80% of European buyers would lose trust in a brand even if the brand was not directly involved with their knock-offs.

The data from Corsearch

Past enforcement data from Corsearch in the toys and games space shows dupe activity is both highly seasonal and heavily concentrated.

In peak season, even short delays can allow imitation products to scale rapidly before action takes effect.

This suggests dupe culture in toys is structured, repeat-seller driven, and amplified by seasonal demand – reinforcing the need for proactive monitoring, prioritized suppression of high-impact sellers, and sustained investment in a structured Brand Protection strategy rather than reactive takedowns alone.

How can brands respond to dupes?

Dupes are here to stay – so how should brands respond? The old approach of chasing every listing manually with takedowns is no longer enough, and focusing on stopping the big risks before they spiral out of control is just one of many tools at your disposal.

Moving beyond reactive enforcement

Not every dupe is a crisis – the ones worth tackling are those that threaten safety, reputation or brand integrity. Chasing every listing is a drain on resources; focusing on those high-impact threats actually produces tangible results.

A collaborative, cross-functional workflow

Legal, brand protection, marketing, e-commerce – everyone needs to be on the same page and working together. When teams coordinate, enforcement is faster, smoother, and more effective with a higher success rate of takedowns.

Monitoring marketplaces, social media and content platforms

Social media drives discovery and many platforms now have built-in marketplaces. Tracking what’s gaining momentum lets brands spot trends early and intercept listings before they go viral. With China, Hong Kong and Turkey accounting for around 62% of items seized globally, local insights boost chances of stopping early-stage threats before they spread.

Source: OECD-EUIPO global customs seizures

How does Corsearch protect consumers from dupe toy products?

Threat mapping and data insights

• Identify global threats on marketplaces, websites and social media
• Map out counterfeit networks and seller clusters
• Instant insights and alerts for real-time monitoring and enforcement

Constant monitoring

• Zeal 2.0 operates 24/7, utilizing a suite of AI-powered tools specifically AI Product Detection and Feature Detection – to recognize the unique shapes and packaging of your products. This removes the need for manual investigations and allows us to spot “lookalikes” that evade text filters.

Automatic Enforcement

• CVAN is Corsearch’s AI-native pre-upload protection system that detects and blocks IP, regulatory, or non-compliant listings before they go live.
• Automatic enforcement paired with offline enforcement to shut down counterfeits at the source

Corsearch 360° solutions

• We are the only provider offering full 360° coverage – from Trademark clearance, robust E-commerce & Distribution Control solutions to Brand Protection and Offline Investigations.
• Global investigation teams to support multiple regions and jurisdictions

What brands need to know for the future

Dupe culture is telling us a lot about shifting consumer behaviour and how it’s driven by social media, economic pressures, and trends that move faster than ever.

The landscape is changing quickly and Brand Protection solutions need to keep pace.

It starts with having the right conversations and pre-empting counterfeiting at every step – with the right tools and advice, enforcing your brand and product reputation doesn’t need to be a manual process but can be automated for rapid online Brand Protection.

At Corsearch, we work with some of the world’s most iconic brands to protect their intellectual property, reputation, and revenue across global marketplaces, websites, and social media – find out how our solutions can help you today.