“It’s a dupe, not a counterfeit!” an exploration of motives for dupe consumption motives

Authors

Jungyong Ahn, Research Professor, College of Media & Communication, Korea University, Seoul, KoreaFollow

Abstract

This study was designed to explore consumer motives for dupe consumption and to measure the influence of these identified motives on consumer satisfaction with dupe products and intention to sharing dupe products. Through a literature review and in-depth interviews, five key consumer motives were anticipated: (1) self-protection, (2) saving money, (3) anti-materialism, (4) mimicry, and (5) enjoyment. Corresponding measurement items were developed to assess these motives. A factor analysis conducted on survey data collected from 300 respondents successfully confirmed the extraction of these five motives as expected. Moreover, regression analysis further demonstrated the statistically significant positive impact of these motives on both consumer satisfaction and their intention to share dupe products with others. This study provides valuable theoretical implications by enhancing the academic understanding of dupe consumption culture and offers actionable practical implications by examining key psychological and behavioral factors that should be carefully considered in future dupe marketing strategies.

Recommended Citation

Ahn, Jungyong (2026) "“It’s a dupe, not a counterfeit!” an exploration of motives for dupe consumption motives," Asia Marketing Journal: Vol. 27 : Iss. 4 , Article 3.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.53728/2765-6500.1666

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.