LUCKNOW, March 13 -- Electronic goods traders in the city who stocked up for a bumper air-conditioner and cooler season are now fielding an unexpected flood of enquiries, for induction cooktops. The artificial LPG crisis has upended market calculations, with consumers rushing to alternatives and traders scrambling to keep shelves stocked. Ishan, a trader in Naka, said the shift in demand has been staggering. "We used to sell 50 inductions in a year; now we have a demand for 50 pieces in a single day. 2,000-3,000 watt commercial inductions have vanished from the market. Customers aren't being picky anymore. If they can't get a 1,600-watt model, they'll grab a 1,200-watt one instantly. Prices have shot up by 25% in just three days." Gurpreet Sethi, a trader near Gole Market, said the effective price has gone up. "Stock that used to arrive in hours is now taking days." Pawan Manocha, a prominent trader from Naka Hindola and senior general secretary of the Lucknow Vyapar Mandal, said commercial inductions are out of reach for most buyers. "The domestic inductions are still available. The demand has increased by at least 30-40%." Furnace (bhatti) maker Safal Prajapati was forced to shut his shop just to clear a backlog of 50 orders. "I couldn't cope, so I closed the shop. Now, I'm getting calls from influential people." Social media platforms including Instagram, YouTube and X have added fuel to the demand, with influencers pushing tutorial videos, cook-off challenges and reviews comparing induction cooktops, biogas kits and solar-powered cooking solutions to conventional LPG setups. Several e-commerce websites are either not delivering these products or are taking longer than usual to fulfil orders....