This is how you stand out when Shein or Temu can copy your products

In the compet­itive e‑commerce landscape, where giants like Shein and sellers on Temu can quickly copy and scale popular products, small business owners selling original designs may not know what to do.

Just last year, three independent designers in the USA sued Shein for copyright infringement. At the beginning of the year, Dr. Martens Temu supposedly bid on keywords associated with the legendary boot brand in order to place its items in search results above those of Dr. Martens to position. Meanwhile, several Amazon sellers have claimed that Temu copied product lines, photos, etc entire shop windowsand all at undercut prices.

As buyers become increas­ingly conscious of costs, the appeal of sites like Shein and Temu is under­standable. The low prices available on these sites make it impos­sible for smaller eCommerce retailers to compete on price alone.

If you run an eCommerce brand, it’s important to find ways to survive and thrive amidst the bargain sites that dominate sales. Long before you need to contact a law firm, you should think about the effective use of PR. It can be crucial to make your products stand out and protect your brand identity.

Here are five strategies to ensure ecommerce brands and original products remain prominent even when faced with copycats.

Be authentic and tell your story to the press

To ensure that a brand stays in the minds of customers, the use of profile press is essential.

Talking to the press about inspi­ration, crafts­manship and the journey from concept to market attracts customers who are inter­ested in authentic narra­tives and want to hear the stories of the people behind the products.

It makes sense to consider where the target audience spends their time, what media they consume and what articles they read, and then pitch the story accord­ingly.

At a time when resis­tance to fast fashion and mass-produced products is growing, e‑commerce brands should look to shine in areas where these sites fall short.

These companies increase air freight costs, face forced labor, and produce millions of tons of CO2 annually to meet demand.

PR allows you to highlight the ethical aspects of your own production, such as sustainable sourcing, fair labor practices and high-quality materials. This can be crucial in building trust and loyalty with customers who value these consid­er­a­tions.

Harness the power of user-generated content

A key element that these websites are missing is user-generated content (UGC). Smaller eCommerce brands can gain UGC by encour­aging happy customers to share their experi­ences on social media.

For Gener­ation Z, websites like Instagram and TikTok are the primary market­place 84% of people are more likely to trust brands if they use UGC in their digital marketing efforts,

Therefore, feature and draw attention to UGC on the brand’s platforms to build community and credi­bility.

Use social proof

Building UGC on social platforms is great – but you can also show user trust signals on your own website. Brands can use social proof to strengthen their credi­bility and influence consumers’ purchasing decisions by showcasing positive customer reviews and testi­mo­nials from satisfied buyers.

With 99% of customers read reviews When shopping online, these recom­men­da­tions play a crucial role in the decision-making process.

In addition, publishing any awards received strengthens a brand’s status and provides additional reassurance to potential buyers.

Build an engaged audience

Another important element that Shein and Temu lack is an engaged audience. Buyers view these sites as a “one-stop shop” to fulfill what they need at the current time. Smaller eCommerce brands can build commu­nities through social media, email newsletters, and loyalty programs.

Brands that showcase customer-centric innova­tions can further differ­en­tiate themselves from copycats and low-cost alter­na­tives. All of these strategies help build a community of engaged customers who are more likely to champion a brand and reject product imita­tions from cheap sites.

Shein and Temu’s growth is due to large invest­ments and aggressive marketing campaigns. Smaller brands can counteract these techniques by growing their email marketing subscribers and curating high-quality, engaging emails that result in healthy open and click-through rates.

When a brand can offer exclusive releases, limited edition products, or special collab­o­ra­tions that create a sense of urgency and exclu­sivity, then it builds a connection with customers that isn’t easily ripped off.

Combined with events, virtual or in-person launches generate excitement and press coverage. These events speak directly to a brand’s audience and are a great PR exercise.

Build a personal brand through thought leadership

Personal branding has been a major trend in the eCommerce industry for some time and shows no signs of slowing down. It was reported about 77% of consumers They prefer to buy from a brand they know and trust. This is where low-cost sites like Shein and Temu fall short.

To build a personal brand and position yourself as an expert in your industry, consider contributing to industry publi­ca­tions, attending workshops, and speaking at events to build credi­bility and authority.

Part of personal branding is talking about the ups and downs of running a business. If a brand’s products are being copied by larger websites, it makes sense to talk about it on social platforms and offer the story to the press to position your brand as an original and gain public sympathy and support.

Highlight the ethical impli­ca­tions of copyright infringement, such as the impact on innovation and the emotional toll on the original creator. This can attract consumers who care about origi­nality and fairness.

By imple­menting these strategies, e‑commerce brands can build a strong, loyal customer base and also gain a compet­itive advantage over copycats. Effective PR, combined with a focus on authen­ticity, innovation and ethical practices, can ensure brands retain customers and are not compro­mised by low-cost counter­parts.