The sudden surge in demand created severe localized shortages. While store inventories showed pallets arriving across early January, crates containing 48 to 96 units routinely emptied within three hours of being unloaded. On retail discussion boards, employees described customers purchasing 20 to 30 units in a single transaction, leaving store shelves bare for days.
That supply squeeze opened a predictable resale market. On platforms like eBay, Mercari, and Facebook Marketplace, packs of five pink buckets began listing for $25 to $40, a markup exceeding 300 percent over the retail register price. Shoppers seeking a reliable lowes inventory restock have had to resort to checking the retailer's mobile application before dawn, when warehouse freight scans refresh store-level counts.
