t a pop-up thrift shop in an old neighbourhood in Lahore, Bushra Ali (name changed upon request), accompanied by her lawyer husband, is eagerly sifting through a bundle of shoes laid out before them. The Pashto-speaking shopkeeper, seemingly oblivious to what the couple are looking for, intervenes: “If you want something truly special, I’ve got that too. But you must bear in mind that no item I’ll show you is priced below Rs 1,500.”

Ali is eventually rewarded with a pair of Jimmy Choo luxury shoes. After haggling briefly, they settle for Rs 1,000 and depart with their prized footwear.

It’s obvious that Landa Bazaar (or flea market) isn’t short on second-hand branded stuff. All you need is an eye for the right material.

Lahore is home to a number of landa bazaars. Till a decade ago, these bazaars were exclusively located close to the Railway Station, inside the Lohari Gate and behind Mayo Hospital. In recent years, however, flea markets have come up in Anarkali, Ichhra, Liberty, Makkah Colony and beyond.

While these bazaars originally catered to those living below the poverty line, over time the shopping public from middle- and upper-middle-class has also come to realise the value of these markets that deal in used but good-quality, imported stuff. Sheikh Mustafeez, the owner of a wedding hall, says he stumbled upon a designer coat at a landa shop in Lahore. After thorough dry-cleaning, the coat was transformed and “was as good as new.”

A good number of visitors to landa bazaars happen to be students who are often cash-strapped. The flea markets are their go-to place for shopping of clothes and accessories.

There’s a rub. Inflation has hit these bazaars too, and the poorest of consumers are left to grumble. “There was a time when we’d purchase a shirt, a pair of pants and even a jacket in under Rs 100,” says Ahmed Bajwa, a frequent visitor to the Railway Station Landa Bazaar. “Now, the prices have increased majorly.”

Come December, the landa bazaars come alive. The one adjacent to the City Railway Station is no different. As you enter the market, you are greeted by a distinctive aroma. Akram Bhatti, who identifies himself as part of the Landa Bazaar Traders’ Association, explains, “This [smell] is due to the fumigation of clothes.”

While most shops here exhibit signs of aging, with decades-old and rusty storefronts, the market is teeming with vendors who display their items on carts. A few of them, for want of space, have got jackets or shirts or trousers piled on their shoulders.

Today’s landa bazaars showcase a diverse lineup of second-hand brands originating from China, Singapore, and other far-eastern countries. Economic crisis, coupled with the stringent terms imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has affected the prices of these items.

The trade dynamics at a landa bazaar differs significantly from that in traditional marketplaces. A majority of push-cart vendors, dealing in clothes, shoes and fake jewellery, operate as agent sellers. They procure items and carts from wholesalers, earning 30 percent commission at the end of the day. Then there are vendors who opt for a different approach: they purchase items in bulk, meticulously sorting and grading them, and then sell the curate the items independently.

In the past, second-hand items were primarily sourced from the West, but today’s landa bazaars showcase a diverse lineup of second-hand brands originating from China, Singapore and other Far Eastern countries. Economic crisis, coupled with the stringent terms imposed by the International Monetary Fund, has affected the prices of these items. The Customs Valuation Department’s decision to increase import trade prices by 33-126 percent has particularly impacted the prices at these bazaars.

Landa Bazaar traders assert that a significant portion of their items, often the best-quality ones, undergo multiple exchanges and may eventually find a place in upscale stores with more favourable price tags.

A considerable number of these items now make it to the emerging digital marketplace, often referred to as the “ghost bazaar” — i.e. your online thrift shops. Individuals from relatively affluent backgrounds, predominantly women, are said to pick branded clothes and footwear at landa bazaars. They make purchases in bulk before putting the items up on display on digital platforms like Instagram.

While online buying is convenient, there are instances where the consumers weren’t satisfied with what they got. Muhammad Tahir, an IT engineer, says he purchased two pairs of shoes from an online thrift store called Khazanay. His first purchase exceeded his expectations, but the second time around, he “received shoes that looked worn-out.”

The writer is a media veteran interested in politics, consumer rights and entrepreneurship