DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ With Gen Z, millennials now the biggest ‘dupe’ shoppers, online culture has ‘flipped the script,’ analyst says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

So-called girl math is not the only trend spurred by users on the short-form video app TikTok. "Dupes," short for "duplicate," are cheaper alternatives to premium or luxury consumer products, and they are increasingly popular among Gen Z and millennial shoppers and app users. While nearly one-third of adults, 31%, have intentionally purchased a dupe of a premium product at some point, Gen Z and millennials have higher participation rates: roughly 49% and 44%, respectively, according to Morning Consult. "The online culture of dupe shopping, accelerated by TikTok especially in the last few years, has flipped the script," said Ellyn Briggs, brands analyst at Morning Consult. While shoppers may miss out on the experience luxury products provide, dupes are less expensive versions that help consumers save money and test an item before splurging on the real thing.

Persons: Z, Gen, Ellyn Briggs, that's, Marisa Meltzer, Meltzer, Emily Weiss's Glossier Organizations: TikTok, Morning, Finance Locations: New York

☆ 2023’s most popular Halloween costumes
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Leah Asmelash | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Halloween, our annual celebration of the scary, has long been a showcase for ghost costumes and vampire teeth. CNN has you covered with five topical, yet still popular, Halloween costume ideas guaranteed to stun. The classic superhero is the third most searched Halloween costume this year (falling from its No. Chuck Hodes/FXBear — any bear — rounds out the top 20 most-searched Halloween costumes. With an apron and bear ears, you could even be a bear in “The Bear.” It’s Halloween; there are no rules.

Persons: Addams, “ Barbie ”, Kate McKinnon’s, Ryan Gosling, you’re, Barbie, Margot, Greta Gerwig, “ Barbie, Oppenheimer, Melinda Sue Gordon, we’d, “ Oppenheimer ”, Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker, Addams Jenna Ortega, Netflix's, “, ”, Bear Jeremy Allen White, Chuck Hodes, Grazer Organizations: CNN, Google, Mattel, Warner Bros ., Warner Bros, Discovery, Universal, Sony, Netflix Netflix, Bear Locations: Chicago, The

NEW YORK (AP) — Errol Morris has just sat down with a reporter when his wife calls. The film, which opens Friday in select theaters and on Apple TV+, is based on le Carré's 2016 memoir of the same name. AP: The central, mysterious metaphor of le Carré's, “The Pigeon Tunnel" — a tunnel that funnels pigeons to shotgun-wielding men — looms throughout the film. Morris: I’ve often compared the writing to a Kafka parable, except John le Carré wrote it. I say to (le Carré) at some point: “History is chaos.” And he agrees, “History is chaos.”

Persons: — Errol Morris, “ I’m, ” Morris, ”, Morris, John le Carré, “, “ Tinker, le, David Cornwell, It's, Ed Gein, Robert Bloch’s, Alfred Hitchcock’s, … Morris, It’s, Ed Gein’s, Didn’t Freud, I’ve, Robert McNamara, vindicating, —, Saul Kripke, David, Steve, Bannon Organizations: Apple, Research Locations: British, Waushara County , Wisconsin, Morris

☆ Fashion brands want you to be able to identify fake designer merchandise
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Jacqui Palumbo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

‘It’s almost seen as a hack’These tactics are all part of the industry’s hope to neutralize the booming counterfeit market, with some estimates asserting that fake fashion and luxury items account for 60% or more of the multi-trillion-dollar trade in fake goods. Sympathy for brands “can be hard for consumers in general, particularly those who are deeply steeped in TikTok culture,” Scafidi said. According to Business of Fashion, the average price for a women’s designer handbag in the US spiked 27% from 2019 to 2022. Last year saw record-breaking profits for the luxury sector, with around 95% of brands seeing growth, according to an estimate by consulting firm Bain & Company. “Right now, vintage is on trend, and we actually see new replicas of vintage items — items that were made in the ’80s or ’90s,” Thompson said.

Persons: Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Birkin, Miu Miu, Chanel, ”, Simon Lock, LVMH, Maison, OTB, ‘ It’s, dupes, Counterfeiters, Sarah Davis, “ it’s, what’s, Susan Scafidi, “, Leah Abucayan, ” Scafidi, Fashionphile, Davis, Hunter Thompson, “ It’s, ” Thompson, ” Davis, Scafidi, Romain Carrere, “ We’re, ” Carrere, it’s Organizations: CNN, luxe, Ordre Group, Burberry, Prada Group, Dior, Prada, YouTube, Social, Fashion Law, Business of Fashion, Bain & Company, Technology, Blockchain Locations: Fashionphile, Europe, —

Before the harsh winter winds come for our skin, we're stocking up on our favorite in-season beauty and wellness deals. As beauty editors, we've tested more than our fair share of trendy moisturizers, the best hair dryers, lip plumpers, you name it — but there are still products left to try. And while they're on sale, there's no better time for us beauty enthusiasts and skincare lovers to get in on the savings. Below, we've rounded up the best Prime Day beauty deals to help you save on the most revered formulas, beloved hair tools, and everything else it takes to get a full glam going on a budget. If you're like us and love an affordable alternative, we have a guide to the best Prime Day Dyson Airwrap and Supersonic dupes.

Persons: we've, Dyson

The Dyson Airwrap went well and truly viral on TikTok, earning five billion views on the app. But both the Dyson Supersonic and the Dyson Airwrap are pricey. And for the latest and best deals on everything else, be sure to follow our liveblog where we're continuously tracking the event until the end. Prime Day deals on Dyson hair toolsPrime Day deals on Dyson Airwrap dupesWe tested a bunch of these for our story on the best Dyson Airwrap dupes. Prime Day deals on Dyson Supersonic dupesIf you've used the Dyson Supersonic before, you know the difference a high-powered blow dryer can make.

Persons: Dyson Airwrap, Dyson, we've, you've, you'll Organizations: Revlon, Dyson

☆ Errol Morris Did Not Like This Q&A About His le Carré Film
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( David Marchese | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +12 min

Talk Errol Morris Did Not Like This Q&A About His le Carré FilmJohn le Carré’s spy novels traffic in the philosophical, emotional and practical ambiguities complicating concepts like truth, deceit and self-awareness. “The reason that I made ‘The Pigeon Tunnel,’” he said about le Carré, “is that he is interested in philosophical questions. I say to le Carré that for him the world divides into two groups: string-pullers and dupes. Mark Lipson, via Fourth Floor ProductionsWhat does John le Carré say about your position as an interviewer at the beginning of the film? I have a question about this idea that le Carré has: that the world divides into string-pullers and dupes.

Persons: Errol Morris, John le Carré’s, David Cornwell, Morris, ”, le, John le Carré, Igor Martinovic, le Carré, I’m, —, “, Rudolf Hess’s, Robert McNamara, You’ve, ” —, Louise, Geez Louise, someone’s, Satan, Mark Lipson, Barack Obama’s, you’re, you’ve, David Cornwell’s, coy, Godard, It’s, David, Cornwell, Errol, David Marchese, Alok Vaid, Menon, ordinariness, Joyce Carol Oates, Robert Downey Jr Organizations: Apple, Sony Pictures, Everett, Whitney Biennial, Marvel Locations: British

☆ Zelle Fraud: I Got Scammed Out of $31,000 and My Bank Didn't Care
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Devin Friedman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +38 min

Because a lot of bank branches were still closed, and the crew wanted their money, he requested that we transfer the money via Zelle. When I asked Chase to discuss Zelle fraud, I received an email saying, "Unfortunately, we don't have anyone available for an interview." The way the email messages from Gary were subliterate in a completely different way from the way a classic Gary email is subliterate. When Gary Kruglitz told us to Zelle him, he didn't really tell us to Zelle him. It's possible that the government will eventually be moved to safeguard consumers against Zelle fraud.

Persons: Madison Ketcham, Gary Kruglitz, Gary, couldn't, he'll, Gary —, —, Cheryl, Sheryl, Sheryl —, we'd, Jeff Allen's, didn't, Jeff, Krystal, we'll, He'd, you've, Karen, I'm, she'd, Yellllow, Zelle, Chase, Sen, Elizabeth Warren, there's, That's, It's, Jesus, who'd, Donald Trump, Gary Kruglitzes, Cheryls —, Yasmine48, Nixon, Evan Kohlmann, cybercrime, we've, I've, Kohlmann, Guess, Let's, that's, Elizabeth Warren's, it's, they're, Warren's, Warren, I'd, they'd, blinked Organizations: Boston Pops, The New York Times, New York Times, Chase, Bank of America, PNC, US Bank, PayPal, Disney, NBC, Warner Bros, Netflix, JPMorgan Chase, Bank —, of, Professionals, Justice Department, Northeast . Contractors, Cloudburst Technologies, Facebook, FBI, Mafia, Massachusetts State Police, Monterey Police Department, Police Locations: Massachusetts, Lyme, Tennessee, Wells Fargo, Truist, Silicon Valley, Amsterdam, Northeast, what's, Paxful, Estonia, Korea, Monterey , Massachusetts, Monterey

☆ The Great Zelle Pool Scam
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Devin Friedman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +38 min

When I asked Chase to discuss Zelle fraud, I received an email saying, "Unfortunately, we don't have anyone available for an interview." The way the email messages from Gary were subliterate in a completely different way from the way a classic Gary email is subliterate. When Gary Kruglitz told us to Zelle him, he didn't really tell us to Zelle him. Out of all the kinds of money, money to build a pool is probably the very best kind of money for the world to suffer the loss of. It's possible that the government will eventually be moved to safeguard consumers against Zelle fraud.

☆ How knockoffs took over America
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

But these fake products have major financial and societal impacts that can lead to lost sales, jobs, and livelihoods. US Customs and Border Protection officers inspect boxes of counterfeit products at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport complex. Edward Berthelot/GettyWhy sales of counterfeit goods have soaredE-commerce has been a breeding ground for knockoffs. AdvertisementAdvertisementAccording to the US Sentencing Commission , the maximum sentence for selling counterfeit goods is 10 years in prison. In 2020, Amazon established its Counterfeit Crimes Unit, which works with brands to identify and remove counterfeit products.

Persons: Daniel Shapiro's, Hugo Boss, counterfeiters, Spencer Platt, Getty, Shapiro, Jason Armond, Gabrielle Chanel, Michael Kors, Gucci, Chanel, Zers, Edward Berthelot, Superfakes, They've, Wang Zhao, I'm, counterfeits, It's Organizations: Service, Red, Puma, Fila, eBay, US Department of Homeland Security, International Chamber of Commerce, Frontier Economics, Customs, Border Protection, Los, United States Intellectual, United Nations Office, Drugs, UN, Seaport, Economic Cooperation, Development, US Chamber of Commerce, US Customs, Protection, US, Commission, Nike, Amazon Locations: Wall, Silicon, Manhattan, Los Angeles, Long, Beijing, Europe, China

☆ Fake Taylor Swift tickets, student loan forgiveness: 4 top scams that targeted consumers this summer
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Taylor Swift performs onstage during "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour" at SoFi Stadium on August 09, 2023 in Inglewood, California. Concert and event ticket scamsFans were especially eager to see big-ticket acts like Beyonce and Taylor Swift as they toured this summer. Vacation lodging scamsVacationers who sought rentals or other services in popular destinations may have found themselves prey to fake listings. Such vacation scams meant travelers could find themselves out money as well as a place to stay. "But at the end of the day, those listings are fake listings, which puts consumers at risk," he said.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Kevin Winter, Beyonce, Fabara, Rob Bonta, Letitia James, Roomster, James, Tashdique Mehtaj Ahmed Organizations: Getty, Visa, New York, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Federal Student Aid Locations: Inglewood , California, California, U.S, York

☆ ‘The Moat That We Have to Protect’: The RealReal’s C.E.O. on Reviving the Brand
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Jordyn Holman | More About Jordyn Holman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Now, it’s really, “You used to take this designer, you won’t anymore. Why won’t you?” In a perfect world, we’d say, “OK, we will take everything.” But there’s an economic reality, right? Certain brands of jeans we used to be able to sell for over $100. So instead of upsetting you by us taking them and selling them for way less than you want, we’re just telling you now we don’t take them. Before your time at the company, there was reporting about the RealReal selling inauthentic items on its platform.

Persons: we’re

☆ Ikea left Russia — but yet another copycat has popped up in its place. The real store says it could take action.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Kylie Kirschner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Good Luck, an Ikea copycat, joins the ranks of rebranded dupes of many western chains in Russia. And now, a store called Good Luck has opened in Moscow as an Ikea copycat. "The departure of Ikea is not a reason to abandon the usual interior design," Good Luck writes on its website. There are no suppliers for bathroom and kitchen items yet, employees at the store told the Moscow Times. Vlad Karkov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesConvincing Ikea dupe or not, Good Luck already has ambitious plans for expansion, it says.

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, McD's, Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr, —, it's, Good Luck, couldn't, McDonald's, ALEXANDER NEMENOV, Luck, Vlad Karkov Organizations: Ikea, Moscow Times, Service, McDonalds, Kentucky Fried, McDonald's, KFC, Starbucks, Getty, Swed, IKEA Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Kentucky, Moscow, McDonalds, Zara, Ukraine, Swedish, Russian, Belarusian, AFP, Soviet

☆ Why the retail industry has its eye on Gen Z
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Erica Star Domena | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Gen Z's spending power is growing, and the retail industry is taking note. The cohort is staying up to date with fashion trends through TikTok, thrift stores, and dupes.

☆ Loewe overtakes Prada: How the new hottest fashion brand in the world shot to fame with help from Beyonce, Rihanna, and Kylie Jenner
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Loewe has surpassed Prada as the hottest fashion brand in the world. Loewe is a Spanish fashion house that was founded by a leather craftsman in 1846. Loewe has surpassed the Italian brand as the hottest fashion brand in the world, according to the Lyst Index, a quarterly ranking of the most popular brands and products. Established in 1846, Loewe is a Spanish fashion house that has been around longer than Prada. And Emily Ratajkowski wore Loewe's giant laceleaf top during Paris Fashion Week.

Persons: Loewe, Prada, Lyst, Enrique Loewe Roessberg, King Alfonso XIII, LVMH, Jeremy Moeller, Johnathan Anderson, JW Anderson, Loewe's pixelated hoodie, Anderson, Rihanna, Beyonce, Emma Watson, Jennifer Lawrence, Emily Ratajkowski, Kylie Jenner Organizations: Service, Prada, London College of Fashion, British, Getty, Super, Paris Locations: Spanish, Wall, Silicon, Irish

☆ Knockoff designer bags and shoes are more believable than ever. Here's how 'superfakes' became so difficult to tell apart from the real thing.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

"Superfakes" are gaining popularity as high-quality designer knockoffs. Designer brands have been combatting knockoffs for decades, but a rising category of "superfakes" can trick the most experienced experts. Here's how superfakes became so difficult to tell apart from the real thing. However, any product that intentionally replicates a brand's product, using its logo, name, or intellectual property is considered a knockoff. Both designer brands and third-party marketplaces have invested millions in combating counterfeits, but the issue is so widespread that it's impossible to stop them all.

Persons: knockoffs, Gen Z, superfakes, Couture, Tommy Hilfiger, Gucci, Dior, Superfakes, Yves Forestier, They've, TikTok, Hermes Birkin, Charles Gross Organizations: Social, Service, Counterfeit, New York Times Locations: Wall, Silicon, New York City, Paris, France, Italy

☆ Shein wants to be the next Amazon Marketplace. It's already dealing with counterfeits and copyright issues.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Until recently, Shein has relied on sourcing its products through its on-demand manufacturing model. Last month, the Chinese-owned e-commerce company expanded its marketplace beyond clothing and introduced home appliances, electronics, gardening supplies, and kitchen utensils, among other categories. But to grow its offerings, the company took a page out of Amazon's Marketplace playbook and opened its marketplace to third-party retailers in May. In doing so, it may invite more of the same counterfeit and copyright infringement issues that Amazon's marketplace has faced. In 2020, Amazon established its Counterfeit Crimes Unit, which works with brands to identify and remove counterfeit products.

Persons: Shein, —, skimpy swimsuits, Ralph Lauren, Oakley, Martens, sneakerheads Organizations: Service, Nike Air, US Customs, US Chamber of Commerce, Amazon, Bloomberg Locations: Europe, China

☆ ChatGPT copycats are taking over the App Store — and costing users even more than the real thing
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Sindhu Sundar | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Several apps that seem to rip off OpenAI's ChatGPT are populating Apple's App Store. ChatGPT is now available on Apple's App Store — and so are a lot of similar looking AI chatbots. A slew of apps like "Chat with Ask AI" and "AI Chat — Chatbot AI Assistant" have cropped up on the App Store recently. They're not just dupes: Some are powered by ChatGPT or GPT-4, according to their descriptions on the App Store. Emails sent to the developer contacts for the apps "Ask AI" and "AI Chat — Chatbot AI Assistant" did not receive responses.

☆ Would You Include Skims in Your Wedding?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Sadiba Hasan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand Skims has developed a cult following for its everyday basics and intimates and its neutral color palette — so much so that it has inspired a subgenre of “Skims dupes and alternatives.” Customer favorites include a form-fitting maxi lounge dress that drapes down the body. Last week, Skims expanded into bridal with 63 styles of dresses, lingerie, shapewear and loungewear, with some of its best sellers updated in white, baby blue and pink. At first glance, a shapewear brand expanding into bridal may seem random, but it’s a common move for many intimates brands. Savage X Fenty and Victoria’s Secret, two of Skims’s competitors, both have bridal shops. “Everything is white and ivory and lacy, and it’s their time to wear these pieces in those colors,” she said.

☆ Lululemon, cult athleisure brand, takes on the booming culture of 'dupes'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

This weekend, athleisure giant lululemon is hosting a dupe swap at the Century City Mall in Los Angeles. Call it recession-core or Gen Z’s anti-consumerism sentiments, but #dupe has amassed more than 3.5 billion views on TikTok. Before, finding knock offs was a lowkey way to way to find affinity to a luxury brand. Lulu has been “hyper aware” of dupe culture, its Chief Brand Officer Nikki Neuburger said in an interview with CNN Business. Though lululemon may be leading in dupe hashtags on TikTok, the Align line that began in 2015 remains its top seller, the company said.

☆ Does She Airwrap? How Dyson’s $600 Hair Styler Became a Sensation
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Rory Satran | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

The U.S.—land of pageants, cheerleaders, Hollywood, and, now, self-care and YouTubers—has always been a hotbed of perfectly groomed hair. Even at that prohibitive price, the Airwrap, launched in 2018, continually sells out. On TikTok, a seemingly endless stream of Airwrap-focused videos—from tutorials to takedowns—have been viewed over four billion times. Horses, babies and luscious-locked “Queer Eye” star Jonathan Van Ness have all gotten the Airwrap treatment. On Etsy, you can choose from hundreds of bespoke racks to store your Airwrap.

☆ Valentine's Day spending boosts British retail sales in February - BRC
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Suban Abdulla | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A woman photographs a Valentines Day floral display attached to the facade of a restaurant in London, Britain, February 13, 2023. REUTERS/Peter NichollsLONDON, March 7 (Reuters) - Valentine's Day helped to boost British retail sales in February but volumes remained down on last year as households cut back on non-essential items, a survey published on Tuesday showed. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said spending in store chains increased 5.2% in annual terms last month, well below the 6.7% rise in February 2022. The BRC figures are not adjusted for inflation, meaning the rise in sales masked a much larger drop in volumes. "Popular trends this month include buying 'dupes' of popular products, shopping at discount stores, and limiting Easter spending."

☆ Fact Check-Satirical fabricated Jen Psaki tweet about Jim Jordan dupes users online
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A fabricated tweet purporting to have been sent by former White House press secretary Jen Psaki about Republican Jim Jordan was created by a satirical Twitter account, although some online thought the screenshot was authentic. The screenshot is dated Jan. 3 and shows a tweet supposedly sent by Psaki’s official Twitter account (@jrpsaki) with text that reads: “No one buys your Willie Loman act Jim Jordan. The screenshot is inauthentic and was created by a satirical Twitter account (@FaithRubPol). The fabricated screenshot was shared after a group of Republicans nominated Jordan for Speaker of the House on Jan. 3 (here). The fabricated tweet was created by a satirical Twitter account.

☆ TikTok users protest Balenciaga's holiday campaign by destroying bags and shoes
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Morgan Sung | Morgan Sung Is A Trends Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Some TikTok users are destroying Balenciaga purses, shoes and other luxury products in protest of the fashion house's holiday campaign, which portrayed children holding plush bears dressed in leather harnesses. The campaign was criticized as inappropriate and harmful to children because the teddy bears appeared to be dressed in kink gear. Balenciaga apologized for the campaign last month, suggesting on Instagram that it hadn’t approved the images before the campaign went live. “Our plush bear bags should not have been featured with children in this campaign,” the company said. On TikTok, creators who were formerly loyal to Balenciaga posted videos admonishing it.

☆ It's better to dupe: Now it's cool to get the cheaper versions of luxury self-care products
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Dupes are back in the spotlight as shoppers search for better ways to save money. The term 'dupe' gained popularity in the beauty community during the 2010s. Online bargain hunters popularized the term "dupe" in the makeup industry during the 2010s. Beauty review site, Supergreat, defines "dupe" as "an affordable product that mirrors a more expensive one in quality, formula, and/or appearance." TikTokers have dedicated videos to sharing their go-to dupe products for skincare, loungewear, and more to help each other save some serious cash.

Search resuls for: "dupes"

25 mentions found