MANY thrifty shoppers are likely familiar with the term ‘dupe,’ a beauty product, accessory, or piece of clothing with the same aesthetic as a brand name but without its logo.
The latest TikTok craze has become viral with the hashtag #dupe amassing over 2.3 billion views- but what is the dupe trend?
What does ‘doop’ mean on TikTok?
The “doop” trend on the platform sees TikTokers mock those uploading videos showing items that could be dupes.
While pronounced the same way as the word “dupe”, the word “doop” is often said after the TikToker has shown an item or pointed at a brand that is not even close to similar to the original.
For example, some bloggers and influencers research Amazon and Target for Anthropologie home goods “dupes” – in other words, similar-looking items that are much cheaper than the original brand.
However, in a popular TikTok, @laurenhaefner and her friend start outside a Walmart store.
One of them points at the Walmart sign and yells: “Target… DOOP!”
The duo then goes through the store finding cheap products that they compare to name brands, yelling “Doop!” at the end of each suggestion.
What is the difference between a dupe and a counterfeit product?
While many trends may start as niche, they eventually go wild on the internet and become copied by other designers.
This isn’t to say that they’re being replicated with the brand name – counterfeit products are illegal.
Instead, a dupe is a product that looks like it could have been made by the same designer or could be mistaken for being created by a specific brand.
Take the bohemian home design trend: Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie are the leading names, but other lines, like Opalhouse by Target, look like they could belong in their stores.
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When did the ‘doops’ trend begin on TikTok?
While it isn’t entirely clear who began the trend, it seems that most of the videos on ‘doops’ began around the beginning of January 2023.
Most are groups of teenagers, and their friends, walking around department stores and budget stores, calling out high-end brand names with the product “knockoff” as ‘doops’.
Some social media accounts are less than impressed by the teens, posting pleas to stop the ‘doops’ trend.
TikToker @smelllybellly is one of these accounts, who posted a TikTok that read: “guys pls the dupe jokes r not funny anymore. especially when you say DOOP. it’s driving me insane how do I block that entire genre of video off my fyp”