Even though you may not need them now, I strongly suggest that you stock up on a few things, particularly if your work or your children's schooling relies on these devices. My daughter went for a period of time unable to find a replacement cord for her phone. We managed to make her old cable last with electrical tape and some pixie dust.

There have been some shortages of electronics and accessories before, but there's a potential perfect storm coming up that makes me think, as the old saying goes, "We ain't seen nothin' yet."

Why do you need to buy these things now?

Shortages began to appear back during the very first lockdown, and while things looked briefly like they might be bouncing back, we're once again facing a shortage of, well, darn near everything. Shortages of electronic components are especially worrisome and have even been deemed apocalyptic as microchips – the brain of all electronic devices – are becoming scarce.