panic buying
Crisis-driven mass purchasing
Panic buying is the rush to purchase goods in anticipation of shortage or crisis.
News of an approaching hurricane triggers panic buying of water, batteries, and plywood.
During the 2020 pandemic, panic buying emptied store shelves of toilet paper and hand sanitizer.
The behavior often creates the very scarcity people fear.
Accumulating supplies in quantity
- amassingCollecting in quantity
- overbuyingPurchasing in excess
- stashingConcealing for safekeeping
- surplusAmount exceeding requirement
excess · accumulation · purchase limits · rationing · reselling · price gouging · scalping · warehouse
Deficient supply of necessities
- empty shelvesStorage with nothing stored
- out of stockInventory exhausted
- sold outNo inventory remains
- depletionReduction of supply
unavailability · rationing · undersupply · deficit · backorder · waiting list · restock · supply crunch
Persistent apprehensive distress
- fearEmotional response to threat
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- hysteriaUncontrollable emotional excess
- paranoiaIrrational persecution fears
herd mentality · contagion · FOMO · desperation · irrationality · alarm · frenzy · overwhelm
Sanitary sheets on roll
- hand sanitizerWaterless palm cleanser
- masksFace-covering disguises
- disinfectantAgent destroying surface pathogens
- bottled waterCommercially sealed H2O
canned food · rice · pasta · flour · yeast · medicine · batteries · generators
Sudden ruinous event
- pandemicGlobal disease outbreak
- outbreakSudden eruption of trouble
- crisisDecisive dangerous moment
- hurricaneViolent tropical windstorm
earthquake · flood · tornado · wildfire · tsunami · evacuation · lockdown · quarantine
stockpiling
Accumulating supplies in quantity
- amassingCollecting in quantity
- overbuyingPurchasing in excess
- stashingConcealing for safekeeping
surplus · excess · accumulation · purchase limits · rationing · reselling · price gouging · scalping · warehouse · expiration
shortage
Deficient supply of necessities
- empty shelvesStorage with nothing stored
- out of stockInventory exhausted
- sold outNo inventory remains
depletion · unavailability · rationing · undersupply · deficit · backorder · waiting list · restock · supply crunch · allocation
anxiety
Persistent apprehensive distress
- fearEmotional response to threat
- dreadIntense anticipatory fear
- hysteriaUncontrollable emotional excess
paranoia · herd mentality · contagion · FOMO · desperation · irrationality · alarm · frenzy · overwhelm · distress
toilet paper
Sanitary sheets on roll
- hand sanitizerWaterless palm cleanser
- masksFace-covering disguises
- disinfectantAgent destroying surface pathogens
bottled water · canned food · rice · pasta · flour · yeast · medicine · batteries · generators · gasoline
disaster
Sudden ruinous event
hurricane · earthquake · flood · tornado · wildfire · tsunami · evacuation · lockdown · quarantine · shelter-in-place
- buying upstockpiling, hoarding, accumulating, amassing, scooping up
- pandemiclockdowns, COVID-19, outbreak, epidemic, COVID
- Energy Crisisoil shortage, gas shortage, fuel crisis, power outage, rolling blackout
- commercetrade, banking, merchant, imports, sales
- shoppingshopping cart, shop, purchases, sale, cart
- bad decisionsprocrastination, overspending, binge eating, cramming, cutting corners
panic buyingpanic selling
Fear-driven mass liquidation
selling · discarding · liquidating · offloading · destocking
panic buyingrationing
Limiting distribution during scarcity
restraint · moderation · frugality · minimalism · sustainable shopping
panic, buying, panicky, panics, panicked, panicking, panic attack, panic button, panic-stricken