From TP during the pandemic to Gas during Biden's East Coast Gas Shortage.
What happens is enough people do the initial panic buying, out of some irrational fear.
The problem is that the panic buying creates a real problem/shortage, that rational people now have to deal with. This second wave makes sense, but also feeds into the shortage loop. The new wave fears that they might, in the near term, need to restock on the shorted item, so they rationally go out and buy, and likely get more than they need, becuase other people are now doing the same. Now of course, there is now more heightened demand, causing more shortages, meaning more people need to stock up because they don't know when the shortage will end.
Thankfully, with something like TP, the initial large-scale panic buyers will be set for a long time (as TP doesn't get used that quickly), but the rational who bought "just enough, plus a little extra" now need to come in, and fight the shortages, and keep perpetuating the cycle until supplies catch up.
Gas, hopefully will be different.
What happens is enough people do the initial panic buying, out of some irrational fear.
The problem is that the panic buying creates a real problem/shortage, that rational people now have to deal with. This second wave makes sense, but also feeds into the shortage loop. The new wave fears that they might, in the near term, need to restock on the shorted item, so they rationally go out and buy, and likely get more than they need, becuase other people are now doing the same. Now of course, there is now more heightened demand, causing more shortages, meaning more people need to stock up because they don't know when the shortage will end.
Thankfully, with something like TP, the initial large-scale panic buyers will be set for a long time (as TP doesn't get used that quickly), but the rational who bought "just enough, plus a little extra" now need to come in, and fight the shortages, and keep perpetuating the cycle until supplies catch up.
Gas, hopefully will be different.
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