In the case of our beloved flea market tradition, digital technology doesn’t disrupt but enhance it From communication and finance to information dissemination, digital technology has disrupted how things were done in the last decade. In the wake of progress, people have also noted how certain traditions, jobs, and even lifestyle habits were rendered obsolete. As we approach the middle of the 2020s, however, one lifeway beloved by many Filipinos has been further enhanced by the democratization of mobile internet and smartphones: Your neighborhood ukay-ukay.
Data released by one of Southeast Asia’s big reselling platforms shows that Filipinos are some of the largest users in the region, including Hong Kong and Taiwan, in terms of both buyers and sellers, with sellers making an average of P39,000.00 in 2024. Filipinos led in Southeast Asia when it came to women’s fashion —a testament to our ukay culture.
The same platform likened this to 2,544 tons of carbon dioxide offset. The data was gathered from January 1 to October 31, 2024. Top search words from the Philippines included “bag” and “dress” and fast fashion brands Uniqlo and Zara while also reflecting aspirational purchasing through searches for Coach and Kate Spade.
Interestingly, said online platform also allows users to donate items, and clothes were the top item given freely by its Filipino user base. Meanwhile, in terms of technology, while iPhones from the last five years remained the most popular sear.
