Brands are familiar, but often expensive. A new online retailer thinks it can offer shoppers big savings by ditching branded goods altogether.
品牌产品为顾客熟识，但往往价格也很昂贵。一家全新的在线零售商认为，他们可以通过抛弃牌子货而为顾客节省大笔开销。

Brandless launched last month with a promise to sell only "brand-free" products for just $3 an item.
上个月营业的Brandless承诺，只销售每件3美元（约合人民币20元）的“无牌”产品。

Its product range includes kitchen knives, olive oil, toilet cleaner and facial moisturizer. The items come in simple packaging with a white label containing key product information.
Brandless的产品范围包括厨房刀具、橄榄油、马桶清洁剂和面部保湿品等。这些产品包装只有简单的白色标签，上面包含了产品关键信息。

American serial entrepreneur Tina Sharkey developed Brandless with co-founder Ido Leffler, raising about $50 million from investors before the website launched.
已经多次创业的美国企业家蒂娜•夏基与伊多•莱夫勒获得了约5000万美元投资，联合创办了这家网站。

Sharkey says they created Brandless to help shoppers avoid the hidden costs of buying a big brand. They even trademarked the term "BrandTax" to describe those costs.
夏基称，他们成立Brandless网站是为了帮助顾客省去购买大品牌的隐性成本。他们甚至创造了“品牌税”这个术语来形容该笔费用。

Brandless sources all its products from independent manufacturers and sends them directly to distribution centers. It focuses on natural and organic items at affordable prices.
Brandless从独立厂家进购所有产品，然后直接发货到配送中心。该网站主营价格低廉的天然有机产品。

It says it can pass on the savings it makes by not having any brick-and-mortar stores.
Brandless称，他们可以将开实体店的钱省下来让利给顾客。

Brandless shipped to 48 US states in the first week of operation, said Sharkey.
夏基表示，Brandless营业第一周即向美国48个州发货。

Sharkey estimates consumers will save an average of 40% when buying Brandless products compared to top household brands of a similar quality.
据她估计，与知名品牌相比，消费者在Brandless购买同品质的产品平均将节省40%的钱。

The unbranded concept has been tried before by Japanese retailer MUJI. The name is derived from the term "Mujirushi Ryohin," which translates as "no brand, quality goods."
日本零售商无印良品已经尝试过“去品牌”的概念，其名字就来源于日文“Mujirushi Ryohin”，意思是“无品牌的优质产品”。

MUJI is now a popular brand in its own right.
无印良品以其独特之处成为一个广受欢迎的品牌。

Whether or not Brandless becomes another big name, Sharkey insists the company is doing something different.
无论Brandless是否能成为另外一个大品牌，夏基都坚称他们做的事有所不同。

"Brands still have this false narrative: cartoons and animated characters that represent them, or actors on television that are riding white horses on beaches, I mean, what is that?" she said. "People want the transparency of knowing who they're doing business with."
她说：“品牌产品仍然存在这种虚假描述：用卡通形象代表产品，或者在电视上播放演员在海滩上骑白马的画面，我想说，那是什么？人们希望清楚知道卖给他们产品的是谁。”