Two college students created a website to help members of the public locate stores with toilet paper and other hard-to-find items during the coronavirus pandemic.
Darshan Bhatta and Rithwik Pattikonda, a freshman and sophomore at the University of Texas, launched a new website called instok.org to help consumers locate certain items that have been wiped from store shelves as people hunker down during the outbreak.
“Initially, I saw my parents were really struggling to find certain types of grocery items. And when I saw the news, I noticed the panic was a lot more widespread,” Pattikonda told USA Today in explaining what inspired him to create the site. “Instead of going to seven or eight stores, they can choose one or two stores and get their items,” he added.
The website monitors the stock inventory of large stores such as CVS, Target, and Walgreens and directs users to stores closest to them with the desired products. Bhatta and Pattikonda reportedly spent one week coding the website to give people a convenient tool to shop for essentials.
“I think the whole need for this product is really what’s carrying it,” Pattikonda said. “All we did was post in two subreddits, and from there, it just pretty much organically picked up because of how much people need it.”
The website, which is free to use, was launched on Tuesday and has already welcomed 70,000 unique visitors. As demand for products such as toilet paper and hand sanitizer continue to rise, Pattikonda advised users to remain calm and only purchase products they need.
“You should really only buy what you need. Especially because these elderly people and other disadvantaged people will have trouble finding things,” he said.
More than 737,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus globally. Of those, at least 35,900 have died from complications related to the virus, and more than 156,500 coronavirus patients have recovered. The United States has seen at least 143,000 confirmed cases, with more than 2,500 associated deaths and 4,800 reported recoveries.
