Multi-year memory chip shortage: What can individuals do in three days?

Conclusion first: Phison Electronics stated that new NAND flash capacity will take at least four years to come online, so this supply crunch isn't going away in a few days. I checked my lab's storage usage and browsed a few buying platforms, deciding to document these three days of hands-on experience. Regular folks don't necessarily need to hoard stock, but understanding the market trends and avoiding random off-brand drives can be done in just three days.