The Buyerarchy of Needs: A More Intentional Approach to Shopping

I’m sure most of us are familiar with Maslow’s hierarchy of needs which examines the motivation behind human behaviour and choices.  According to Maslow’s hierarchy, humans must fulfill basic needs in a specific order to achieve self-actualization (top-level need). Sarah Lazarovic, a Canadian artist and visual journalist, has reimagined Maslow’s hierarchy to bring a fresh take on consumption (pictured above). Her hierarchy, the Buyerarchy of Needs, indicates that human beings should start at the base (using what they have) to fulfill their needs. Though at the base, on her hierarchy this is the top-level, while buying is the lowest level or final means of obtaining what you need, despite being the top tier. 

The Buyerarchy of Needs isn’t meant to be a strict set of rules but instead, to provide some guidance on how to sustainably fulfill our needs and avoid overconsumption. Here’s my interpretation of the Buyerarchy of Needs below.

Use what you have

Whether I’m thinking up a dinner menu or an outfit for a night out, I always try to make do with what I have. My meals tend to be a reflection of what’s currently in my pantry or refrigerator. That way, I get to use up what I have at home without having to buy anything new. The same goes with my outfits, whenever I’m going for a night out, to a concert, or anywhere special, my first thought is to see what I can put together from my closet – a lot of mixing and matching goes down! 

Sometimes, however, it’s just not possible to satisfy our current needs with what we have. This may lead us to the next step…

Borrow

Borrowing may become necessary to obtain items that are not in our possession (at low or no cost) to fulfil our current needs. Ideal items for borrowing are those we use maybe once or twice – not regularly. Some examples are books, a ladder for a small home project, or a special occasion outfit you’d only wear one time.      

Remember, items used regularly should not be borrowed but acquired permanently. Possibly through the next step…

Swap

A great way to acquire something you need but can’t borrow is to engage in a trade. It’s also a good way to get rid of items you no longer need but may be useful to someone else. I’m sure many of us have swapped movies (remember DVDs?) clothing items and even games with close friends and family. It’s also a good practice if you’ve harvested excess produce in your home garden to trade with a neighbour or friend who has produced something that you haven’t grown.

Thrift

Still haven’t fulfilled your needs using the other steps and feel like you really need to make a purchase? Buy second-hand! I always talk about what a sustainable practice buying pre-owned – no new materials are being used, and more waste isn’t created. But best of all, you can obtain items in mint condition at only a fraction of the cost.

Make

There are just some things that are worth doing ourselves. Engaging in some DIY can be extremely rewarding. Be it repairs or using items we have on-hand to create homemade decorations or sentimental gifts for someone close. Or maybe, you’ve got great skills and can repurpose old clothing to make new outfits. There are several instances where doing it yourself can amount to lower cost and less waste. But for me, the feeling I get from creating something with my hands is much more gratifying.

Buy

Now, you may have considered all the preceding steps and still aren’t able to satisfy your needs. Then you buy! Some things we can’t avoid buying new, like groceries (unless you’re Kramer from Seinfeld), make-up and personal hygiene products. But when you buy, do it responsibly. Where possible, buy products that are locally made, reusable, made with sustainably sourced ingredients, and have eco-friendly packaging.

The idea is to make do with what you have and see shopping as a last resort means of fulfilling your needs.