Perfume dupes are generally significantly cheaper than the originals, and there are several clear reasons for this. First of all, dupe manufacturers invest far less in marketing, packaging and brand image. While major perfume houses spend millions on advertising campaigns with celebrities, luxurious bottles and exclusive sales strategies, dupe brands focus on what really matters – the fragrance itself. Without this heavy advertising spend, the products can be offered at much lower prices.
Another important factor is production: original fragrances often use particularly high-quality, sometimes rare or natural raw materials that are expensive. Dupes, on the other hand, usually rely on synthetic alternatives or cheaper variants of raw materials that may produce a similar scent but cost significantly less. This art of imitation is now so advanced that many fragrance twins come astonishingly close to the original on first sniff – at least initially.
In addition, dupe manufacturers save on development. While a designer perfume is often created over many years by renowned perfumers in elaborate processes, dupe brands simply analyse existing fragrances and reconstruct their composition using modern fragrance technology. This saves time, research costs and creative development – another reason for the lower price.
Ultimately, dupes are usually not licensed products, which means that the brands cannot charge a premium for exclusivity or brand name. This is precisely why they often operate in a legal grey area, especially when they are very similar to the original but do not infringe trademark protection.
