Ukay-ukay business: Is it still Feasible?

18 January 2014
by FFE Life and Lifestyle Staff

247 6 2

The ukay-ukay (a Filipino version of the flea market) has successfully carved its own
niche in the country’s local clothing industry. Inside these second-hand clothes
stores, shoppers are forced to dig or sift through endless racks of clothes for a good
find. This manner of search is called halukay in Filipino, from where the name ukay-
ukay comes.

The spread of ukay-ukay shops have made the practice a norm among Filipinos. The
allure of inexpensive clothes continue to draw people inside these shops to look for
branded clothes for less and eclectic but tasteful pieces. Ukay-ukay remains
appealing because it’s the practical choice for clothes shoppers on a tight budget.

To prove a point, Baguio’s ukay-ukay street market is still a hot target of gift-givers
and clothes shoppers from Metro Manila.

Advantages and disadvantages

Despite the spread of ukay-ukay stores, the business of second-hand clothing is still
lucrative in sizeable cities and towns all over the country. If you want a steady
stream of income with a fast turnover for you or your family in the Philippines, then
an ukay-ukay business is a profitable choice.

One of the advantages of ukay-ukay is that the pricing totally depends on the
entrepreneur. Of course, competition with nearby ukay-ukay shops and branded
clothes shops can dictate the pricing of clothes. But with freedom in pricing, an
entrepreneur can price the goods so that he or she will not incur a deficit.

Profit is also quick as it is dependent on a per-sale basis. Entrepreneurs must be

ready to negotiate wisely with customers who haggle - a common practice in ukay-
ukay stores. Php10-20 off is reasonable to retain customer loyalty, but
entrepreneurs should only give in if the discounted sale will still lead to a profit.
Expenses for security and upkeep of an ukay-ukay business highly depends on
overhead rates like rent, electricity and store assistants and other essentials like
shelves, racks, hangers, and a security system.

A disadvantage of owning an ukay-ukay is that it takes time and a tremendous

amount of patience to run the business. Acquiring bales, sorting through mountains
of clothing, pricing and finally preparing them on the racks will require effort.
Knowing how to price the goods to be able to attract buyers and still make a profit
can be mentally exhausting.

In addition, pricing and restocking is highly volatile since sales depend on the
season. This makes ukay-ukay a business only for entrepreneurs who can provide
direct and hands-on control of the flow of labour and items. An ukay-ukay is not
recommended for entrepreneurs who are based abroad. However, they can advise
their families back home to run if they are interested.

Since ukay-ukay stores already have an edge over branded and designer clothes
stores due to price, there is almost no need to market the store. However, ukay-
ukay entrepreneurs also have to accept that Filipinos have already attached certain
beliefs surrounding the ukay-ukay like issues on health and quality. There are simply
Filipinos who are into ukay-ukay wares and Filipinos who will not even attempt to
step into a store.

As for customers, the ukay-ukay is simply here to last unless calls for stricter policies
are put in place. There is a law that says it is illegal to import second-hand goods in
the Philippines. However, there is no law as of yet that covers businesses trading
second-hand goods, which some Filipinos still believe is a practical choice.

Ukay-ukay business basics

Pricing and return of investment

There is no doubt that ukay-ukay wares are way cheaper compared to items in malls
and even surplus stores. But with low price tags, is there still a return of investment
for the entrepreneur?

Ukay-ukay wares are sold in bales by traders. A bale may consist of anywhere from
500-1000 different articles of clothing, and may be sorted into specific kinds like
women’s blouses, men’s shirts, kid’s wear, pants, jackets and others. The price of
bales depends on the number of clothes each bale has or the quality of clothes they
carry. Some bales of 1000pcs are sold at Php11,000-15,000, plus shipping price. At
this rate, the investment is around Php11-15 per piece of clothing.

Basic ukay wares like shirts and blouses in Metro Manila are priced at an average of
Php75. Clearance sales may see the prices drop by at most 50%. But even when sold
at a discount, entrepreneurs can still profit from a sale because of the very low
initial investment. Whether sold ‘fresh’ (within 3-5 days after the opening of the
bale) or in a 3-for-100 bargain, the entrepreneur can still profit or expect a return of
investment amounting to 2-4x the original cost per piece of clothing.

Pricing ukay wares definitely depends on an entrepreneur’s diskarte (business

acumen) – how he or she deals with customers while balancing the flow of income
and the disposal of stocks. Provided an entrepreneur knows how to use his or her
diskarte to manipulate these factors, then return of investment can be maximised
for each bale.

Location and competition

Like any business, how successful an ukay store is depends on its location. From a
customer’s point of view, the more ukay-ukay stores in an area, the more
convenient shopping is.

Entrepreneurs, however, need not worry so much about competition with similar
shops as ukay-ukay clothes come in many types. Unlike designer clothing stores that
compete with each other because of the brand or image they carry, ukay-ukay
stores only need to compete with each other in terms of accessibility. The more
accessible a store is, the more it will be visited by customers in the area.
The prime customers of ukay-ukay stores are nearby residents and commuters.
Professionals and employees who are not in a particular rush to go home may
suddenly want to go on a side trip to the ukay-ukay for a few minutes, especially on
pay day.

These sudden visits by passersby can lead to sales of one or two articles of clothing.
Multiply these instances with the volume of passersby and the profit can soar easily.

The chances an entrepreneur can give discounts for haggling customers can also
increase his or her store’s appeal. Amenities like air conditioning for customers,
existence of changing rooms, and having an organised system of stacking can also
help a business win customers.

Where to get a supplier

Ukay-ukay suppliers abound the internet and are known by the close circle of
entrepreneurs who are already into the business. To get a supplier, you can try
looking for their advertisements online. But to know which suppliers are
trustworthy, it’s best to deal with suppliers that are already well-known and have
established a good reputation among ukay-ukay business owners. Pinoy Money
Talk forum has a thread on ukay-ukay suppliers as well as feedback by the members.

If you don’t want to deal with a supplier, you can get your stocks from many ukay-
ukay bagsakan (depots) like Bambang market in Manila where sellers in wholesale
and retail can be found. Other entry points include Baguio, Cebu and Cagayan de
Oro. However, acquiring goods yourself will entail additional time to scour and
purchase items for your store.

What it takes to be an ukay-ukay entrepreneur

An ukay-ukay entrepreneur can easily open multiple stores if sales are good. To
maximise the return of investment, however, the entrepreneur must be able to
sell each and every article of clothing in the bale. Once an article of clothing has
passed its ‘freshness’ threshold, then the entrepreneur must apply strategic pricing
schemes like ‘buy 1 take 1’ or ‘3 for 100.’
Aside from pricing skills, an ukay-ukay business owner must also have the following
characteristics to be able to keep the profits coming:

Creativity. The ukay owner must know how to convert old wares into something
more profitable. There are some articles of clothing that simply aren’t sellable in the
store, even if priced at Php1. A solution would be to make crafts items from them,
like pillow cases. They can also be turned into rags for practical use at home.
Owners can also collect and sell them in another branch or town.

Patience. The ukay owner must be patient enough to buy, sort through and price
every piece of clothing in a bale. Bales can carry thousands of clothes at a time, and
it will take a whole day to sort through these piles alone. The ukay business is a
business that requires your whole, undivided attention – it is not a business for
entrepreneurs who aren’t into people, fashion and who aren’t flexible enough to
adjust in a volatile market.

Organised. Finally, the ukay owner must be organised him or herself to be able to
juggle pricing, customer and cash flow at the same time. An entrepreneur’s sense of
organisation also translates smoothly to the business – an important attribute since
an ukay business needs to be organised for customers to search through and
rummage for clothes easily.

How profitable an ukay-ukay business is nowadays basically falls down to the effort
and traits of the owner. Without one of the attributes mentioned, it will be difficult
to fit into the role of ukay-ukay business proprietor. But once an entrepreneur has
adjusted to the demands of maintaining an ukay-ukay business, then profit will flow.

Have you ever tried opening an ukay business? What pros and cons can you give to
budding ukay owners? Do you have any other suggestions for those who would
like to try entering this business? Leave your comments and suggestions below!

Tags: Business, franchise, Franchising Series, money

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Rodel Belarmino Asuncion

i want to venture this kind of business...but then, medyo may alinlangan lang ako....like what would
be the preparation? anybody in the world of ukay-ukay business who has the passion to please
extend to me your help kung pano magsimula...I'm willing to be trained or observe from the
basic....from purchasing to sort out, to pricing n selling...thanx and more power to all....my number
09165082408
Like · Reply · 2 · Jan 20, 2014 10:59am

Lulu Cortez
would like to start this business, how much would be a good start up capital.
Like · Reply · 1 · Mar 11, 2014 9:11am

Lara Mae Yanco ·

Marketing Manager at Self-Employed
Hello meron akong bagong bukas na store at naghahanap ako ng supplier or whole saler ng
branded rubber shoes, gusto kung malaman kung saan ang bagsakan jan sa manila para talagang
mura kuha ko.. hanapan mu ako.. pagpunta ko jan samahan mu ako, babayaran kita
pagnagustuhan ko presyo nila,.. ok n b 1000 pesos for the information?

pakitxt nalang ako sa number na tu..

09996924507
09277620256

salamat..
Like · Reply · Sep 1, 2014 8:23am

Jocelyn Talios ·
Southern Philippines Agri-Business and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology
HI, Good day! I am interested this kind of business. kaya nag search me via internet on how to start
ukay2 business. at mag kano kaya ang price ng bales from u s / japan po. thanks @ God bless....
Like · Reply · 2 · May 12, 2015 11:33am

Renz Joyce Jerao ·

Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Where can I get supplier?
Like · Reply · Aug 16, 2016 3:00pm

Mylles Roberts ·
Bataan Peninsula State University - Balanga Campus
san po ang depot ng baguio. parang mas maganda kasi items nila dun.
Like · Reply · Nov 3, 2016 9:41pm

Isidro Sagaosao ·
Licensed Real Estate Broker at Self-Employed
hi, am intrested, in fact am planning to open a store this january. hope you can refer me some
trusted suppliers. am from cagayan de orocity,my fon is 09277561551. tnx
Like · Reply · 1 · Dec 27, 2016 9:33am