Aussie business owner devastated after discovering Kmart’s $6 item that looks identical to hers: ‘I feel sick’

An Australian small business owner has been left devastated after discovering Kmart was selling what appeared to be a similar version of her popular item – at a price she claimed was less than it costs her to make.

Sydney mum Vanessa Vanselow, the founder of baby brand Bumbi Baby, said she felt physically ill when her customers alerted her that the retailer was stocking a wipes pouch that looked identical to the one she has spent years developing.

‘I feel sick,’ she said in a video shared on TikTok.

Vanessa, a mum of two young children, told the Daily Mail that the idea for her product came about five years ago when she had her first baby.

‘I didn’t invent the product by any means. The concept of a wipes pouch has existed [for a long time], but I just didn’t love what was available at the time,’ she explained.

By the time she had her second child, she expected something closer to what she had imagined might already exist – but it didn’t.

‘So I decided to make it myself,’ she said.

Daily Mail has contacted Kmart Australia for comment. 

At the time, Vanessa was working full-time as a freelance designer and initially had samples made purely for personal use. But word spread quickly.

‘It gained traction with friends and family, and I thought, hey, maybe there’s something to this,’ she said. 

She launched a very small first batch, which sold out in just 10 days. From there, the business grew steadily.

‘I’ve had this business for just over a year now. And for most of that time, we were selling just one product. It’s literally just been me and my husband working from our home office.’

That’s why discovering the dupe was so confronting.

‘It was disappointing to see it copied so closely by a massive retailer,’ she said.

Ironically, Vanessa didn’t discover the product herself – her customers did.

‘It was customers sending me photos. People were messaging saying, “Oh my god, they copied you”.’

She said the outpouring of support from her small but loyal community was the only silver lining.

‘That part was really reassuring,’ she said.

The biggest blow, however, was the price.

Kmart’s version costs $6, while Vanessa’s product sells for $30.

‘It’s being sold for less than it costs me to make,’ she said.

‘That’s a bit disheartening.’

Despite the similarities, Vanessa said there is little she can do.

‘When you’re a small business, there’s literally nothing you can do about something like this,’ she said, adding that while the item may be a ‘dupe’, she believes the quality will not match the original.

The situation has reignited a familiar debate in Australia’s retail landscape – big brands producing cheaper versions of popular products pioneered or refined by small businesses.

While such practices are often lawful if no patents or protected designs are breached, they can be financially devastating for small business owners who lack the buying power, manufacturing scale, or legal resources of major chains.

Some business owners shared similar experiences.

‘The same thing happened to me. I started a skincare business and got duped fast,’ one shared.

Many, however, voiced support for Vanessa and urged consumers to be more mindful.

‘It’s sad when big players copy Australian designers,’ a woman claimed.

‘Your true customers will choose you for better quality.’

‘As a consumer, it’s hard to tell who created what first, but I’ll always try to buy from a small Aussie business where possible,’ a second added.

Meanwhile, some argued that wipe pouches have existed for decades.

‘With all due respect, those containers have been around for 30 years. Same opening, same handle – I had one when my daughter was a baby,’ one explained.

In an era where cost-of-living pressures push shoppers toward cheaper options, Vanessa’s story highlights the tension between affordability and supporting local business owners – and the emotional toll when a passion project collides with the realities of big retail.