Sometimes consumers will rush out and buy out stores of a particular item. Previous generations of the iPhone, new video game consoles, and the hot Christmas toy of the year have historically agitated consumers into buying frenzies, with hordes of shoppers swarming stores like locusts with credit cards.

Last year, in the opening weeks of work-from-home and remote learning, people rushed to buy massive amounts of toilet paper. Images of empty shelves flooded the interwebs and airwaves, and reports of other related items like cleansing wipes, disinfectant cleaners, and hand sanitizer fueled more panic buying. The uncertainty surrounding the duration of stay-at-home orders led to FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) store rushes.