Hyped chains accused of dumping stock Down Under Dominant site: Shoppers queue outside the newly opened Zara in Pitt Street in 2011. Australian shoppers are getting tricked into buying inferior stock from big-name British and US brands, say retail experts. H&M's arrival next year will complete what some have dubbed a "golden triangle" in Sydney that includes Zara and Topshop, but not everyone is buying into the hype. Many shoppers bemoan the fact Australia appears to be a dumping ground for these big international brands - a place to shift out of season or unwanted stock without anyone taking notice. "I was excited by Zara initially but I've only bought one thing from there and not a single thing from Topshop," Eva Timbs, a personal shopper who regularly visits the stores as part of her work, said. The selection is not the same. It feels like cheap stuff from China and the stores miss the mark. Overseas, even though they are chain stores, they feel luxurious and are beautifully merchandised. Gap is the worst, it looks like a seconds store. Experts agree there is a high street hoax going on. "Some of these international brands have massive and distorted halos," Stephen Kulmar, a retail strategist with Retail Oasis in Sydney, said. Zara and H&M don't spend a lot on fit-out, although they do secure the best and most dominant site to make flagship statements. But, at the end of the day, it's about end-to-end experience and product. In Australia, Zara has been slow and expensive, and won't get real until H&M are here to keep them honest and current. Yet, shoppers cannot count on those mouth-watering pieces they spied in Manhattan making their way here - the Zara collection for Australia is designed specifically to the southern hemisphere. But competition is the key. "The more overseas competition the better," Mr Kulmar said. This will ultimately result in higher standards of retail execution and, therefore, a better consumer experience. Still, Sydney's retail scene has been reinvigorated with the arrival of the coveted global fashion brands. And there's more to come in the form of Japan's Uniqlo (also in 2014) and US surf brand Hollister (opening stores in Sydney and Melbourne mid-year), with rumours that America's J.Crew (Michelle Obama's favourite), Banana Republic and beauty giant Sephora plan to set up shop Down Under. The international invasion continues on our high street. Next: Pottery Barn. Not familiar with America's answer to an upmarket IKEA? Then you weren't watching when it made starring appearances on Sex and the City. Fear not, you can soon get acquainted with Pottery Barn - along with the company's three other lifestyle brands, Pottery Barn Kids, Williams-Sonoma and West Elm - when all four move into their purpose-built, two-level, 190-square-metre, store opposite Westfield Bondi Junction on May 2. ""We spent a great deal of time looking for the right location and believe the Exchange Building in Bondi Junction offers us a central shopping location as well as the perfect space to introduce our brands to Australia,"" Laura Alber, the president and chief executive for parent company Williams-Sonoma Inc, said. Despite the name, you won't find the department-style store filled with pottery but rather an extensive selection of furniture, bedding and home wares guaranteed to delight interior aficionados and have IKEA and Freedom executives shaking. It got fashionistas more excited than this week's announcement (via social media for maximum impact) that Swedish fast fashion powerhouse H&M is set to launch its first Australian store in Sydney next year. ""I can't wait for Pottery Barn to open,"" Eva Timbs, a personal shopper, said. And the best bit? ""I've been speaking with interior stylists and the stock will be exactly the same as what is available in the US at the same time and at the same price,"" Ms Timbs said.