- Amazon 's version is about $60 cheaper.
- Reviewers on Amazon specifically call out their similiarites as a selling point.
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Amazon is selling a $35 wool sneaker that looks suspiciously similar to Allbirds, the $95 shoe of choice for Silicon Valley power players (AMZN)
A wool sneaker has appeared on Amazon 's online store that bares a striking resemblance to shoes made by Allbirds , the footwear brand sweeping Silicon Valley and the nation.
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It's a tale as old as Silicon Valley itself: A startup introduces a new product with a fun twist. Then, it catches on among tech workers and Silicon Valley power players, and goes on to enjoy national buzz and booming sales.
Then, somebody else starts selling a near-identical product for a fraction of the price.
That's what happened with Allbirds, the San Francisco startup whose $95 shoes, made from Merino wool, have swept Silicon Valley and, more recently, the country. The startup was founded in 2014 and has gone on to shoe-industry success, raising $17.5 million in a round of venture funding in 2017, before opening its first physical retail stores in 2018.
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But last month, an Amazon-brand sneaker appeared on the retail giant's site, with a look and branding that may seem eerily familiar to Allbirds owners. The " 206 Collective Galen Wool Blend Sneakers " are promoted with a comfortable soft wool blend and a memory foam insole, just like Allbirds.
There's one big difference between the two brands: The Amazon-brand shoe starts at just $35.18.
The similarity between the two shoes was noted by investor and Tinder executive Jeff Morris, Jr. on Twitter .
"There are no rules anymore," Morris wrote. "If you build a product that works, Amazon or Facebook will copy it. People used to care. Not anymore."
Indeed, product reviews of Amazon's wool sneakers were quick to point out similarities to Allbirds which many reviewers cited as a selling point.
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"I love Allbirds, and as these shoes seem to be a direct copy, I thought I would love them too," a user named T. Young wrote in an Amazon review.
"They are similar to my AllBirds, but a lot cheaper. I use these for everyday, and my Allbirds in the weekend," said Amazon reviewer A. Conrad.
Neither Amazon nor Allbirds were immediately available for comment.
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SEE ALSO: Silicon Valley is obsessed with Allbirds here's why
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