Samoan flag second most searched item on Trade Me last month

It was the hot ticket item many were trying to get their hands on last month - the Samoan flag. Photo / Hayden Woodward

It was the flag everyone was trying to get their hands on - so much so that it sold out around the country.

And it appears the desperation to find a Samoan flag around New Zealand resulted in it being the second most searched item on auction site Trade Me last month.

As the Samoan rugby league team - Toa Samoa - continued to succeed throughout the Rugby League World Cup tournament, fans took to showing off their pride and joy by decking out their vehicles in Samoan flags and waving them on the streets.

Trade Me’s Trending searches for November showed the Samoan flag was the second most sought after item on the site.

“The Samoa flag coloured Aotearoa red and blue last month; with fans of Toa Samoa...keen to flag their support,” the website said.

Samoan Rugby League fans take over the Auckland CBD to support their team ahead of the Rugby League World Cup final between Samoa and Australia. Photo / Dean Purcell

“With thousands of flags draped over fences and shoulders, flying from windows and cars, it’s no surprise some stores ended up totally selling out of this hot ticket item.”

The number one searched item on the Trade Me last month was for Pit Viper sunglasses.

Samoan rugby league fans took to the streets in support of their team last month; with huge crowds turning out to both impromptu and organised parades all around New Zealand and particularly in parts of Auckland where there is a high population of Samoans and Pacific Islanders.

The scenes were mirrored in other parts of the world where Samoan fans are based - and demand for the flag saw it being sold out in parts of Australia and in the motherland itself.

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Shop owners in Auckland reported at the time that Samoan flags started to fly off the shelves after Samoa beat England in a thrilling semi-final the week before the final match against Australia.

In Sydney, a specialised flag factory resorted to including a special message on its voice mail recording informing callers that they had sold out of Samoan flags - after reportedly being inundated with people asking after the island nation’s flag.

In Auckland, flags had sold out by the Monday of the week of the final and many stores had to wait for a special shipment from overseas that arrived on Thursday - three days before the final.

Bargain shops in various suburbs from West Auckland to South Auckland reported people continuing to turn up in search of flags, while others had waiting lists ready for when the supplies arrived.

Some fans could not wait that long as many wanted to join in the parades happening that week - so took to making their own do-it-yourself versions; sharing their creations on social media.