Shop More Consciously This Sales Season With These Four Questions
Shopping consciously during the ‘Sales Season’ has always been important, but now more than ever we need to put on our mindful lenses and make conscious decisions.
November to January is a frenzied time of the year for sales; Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, Boxing Day—it becomes way too easy to spend our hard-earned moolah on things we want but don’t necessarily need (despite managing to convince ourselves that yes, yes we do need another white linen shirt!).
Conscious consumerism isn’t about saying no to the things that give you joy, but it is about asking yourself a few questions every single time that sale email pops into your inbox, or that enticing Facebook ad stops your scroll in its tracks.
Here are four questions to ask yourself before finalising that shopping cart this silly season.
#1—Do I really want to buy this?
Let’s face it; most of us don’t need much at all. Our primary needs are well and truly met, and then some.
So, make sure that when you have the urge to buy, you pause and consider whether you’re acting on impulse or you actually need that item in your life.
If it’s a gift, think about whether that person really needs it. Is it an item that will truly enhance their life in some way, whether that’s more joy, more convenience, to save them time, or to help them to achieve their goals.
At The Grampians Goods Co., we carefully curate our collections to elevate the everyday, to provide moments of nurturing, and moments of pause.
And, we believe that every single item we bring our customers plays an important part in the much-needed 'slow down' that society, and the individuals within society, will need to embrace sooner rather than later if we're to continue to survive and thrive.
We’ve had countless happy customers tell us that their bath-soaks (with a GGCo. Aromatherapy candle burning nearby) are the highlight of their week; their ‘me’ time without the kids, their time to breathe, to power down, to refresh, to prioritise...
So, it’s not about saying ‘no’ to every single item you see during this sales season, but it is important to consider exactly how that item will nourish you, or your giftee, to live a better, more fulfilling life.
#2—What will happen to this item at the end of its life?
Secondly, you need to think about what will happen to the product when it breaks, runs out, or you don’t need it anymore.
This can be a very doomsday, existential path to go down, but it’s an important thing to be aware of.
Each year, around 7 million tonnes of rubbish head to landfill in Australia (ABS, 2020). So when you buy that plastic pair of sunglasses, or a toy truck, or a plastics-based clothing item, you’re signing up for a 1000 year plus decomposition cycle.
Every single piece of plastic we have ever used in our lifetime is either still being used as a recycled plastic product, or more likely, sitting somewhere in landfill.. Just sitting there!
So ask yourself, when I’m finished with this, what will happen to it? And that question alone might help you curb your impulse buys.
We’re proud of our Recycled Wool Blankets, available in both Traditional Scottish tartan in our Heritage Collection, as well as in a bold, thick check pattern in our new Antipodean Collection.
Once upon a time, these blankets were other woollen items; jumpers, socks, shirts, towels, and more. When they reached the end of their lives, these items were sorted, shredded, spun and amalgamated into new yarn and from there, woven into new recycled products… like our blankets!
We love that our recycled wool blankets give new, STUNNING life to old woollen items—it’s something we’re most proud of.
#3—Is this product high quality?
This relates to the last point—where possible, it’s important to strive for the highest quality possible.
Obviously we’re not all made of money, but more often than not, higher quality products will outlive lower quality products—fairly intuitive, right?
Be careful not to confuse high cost with high quality, though. The more you pay doesn’t necessarily correlate with the quality.
When seeking high quality products, it’s important to do your research. You should be able to find information about:
- Materials being used
- Care instructions
- Past customer reviews
When you can, it’s also a great idea to try to invest in items that are repairable. Even the highest quality items receive wear and tear, and sometimes break.
Understanding your options for repairing the item in the event of that happening will give you the confidence that the product has longevity and lasting value.
#4—Will purchasing this product support people and communities?
Circulating your cash throughout the economy is incredibly powerful, and the flow-on effects beyond comprehension.
When considering a purchase, ask yourself whether this will contribute to a world you'd like to live in, whether that's one without poverty or exploitation, or perhaps one where women are empowered to make healthy decisions for their families.
Try to support independently owned small businesses, and if possible, try to support minority-owned businesses, too—female-owned, First Nations-owned and culturally and linguistically diverse-owned businesses.
Imagine if every single one of us opted to circulate our money in this way?
The Grampians Goods Co. is proudly Australian and female-owned, operating out of the Grampians region (Gariwerd). We intentionally source ingredients from local businesses, to support our community so that we all rise together.
Many products from our Grampians Grown Bath and Body Collection contain locally grown olive oil and hemp oil for our lotions, lathers and soaps. Plus, our lotions are made locally by another female founder!
Our leather carriers are locally handcrafted by a talented local leather craftswoman, and our blankets are hand finished in the southern Grampians by local ladies who are clever on the sewing machine.
Our Tartan Paddock Pillows™️ and All-Weather Adventure Blankets are also made in Victoria.
And finally, our Grampians Campfire Cocoa contains natural pink salt (guradj gadjin), small-batch hand-harvested from Pink Lake Dimboola by local company Mount Zero Olives, in collaboration with the lake’s Traditional Owners, the Barengi Gadjin Land Council.
Our Founder, Amanda, is a strong supporter of women, too, supporting i=Change where she’s raised thousands to support UN Women in their mission to end violence against women.
GGCo. doesn't just talk about 'supporting local', we live and breathe it.
Here’s to Conscious Shopping this Sales Season! ✨
The Sales Season of November to January can be a minefield of offers, ‘opportunities’, and time-sensitive decisions. Hopefully, by pausing, and then asking yourself these questions, you’ll be well-equipped to make the right decision for yourself, and importantly, for people and the planet.
Image credit:
Image 1 + 3: Tim Bean Photography X Belinda Neame
Image 2 + 4: Hannah Puechmarin X Albert & Grace
Image 5: Georgie Mann
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