This was used exactly for the last three years so you could get an alert when it became available.

Before that there was no need for a locator, just buy from whatever eshop, everyone had it in stock and at MSRP.

That site is one reason why I was able to buy Pis at list price these last three years.

I am so grateful to the folks behind that site. It's the only reason I was able to track down units when I needed to buy them.

you not checking the site != people not being able to buy them

I'm not saying that it was easy, or anything like business as usual. They've done interviews where they talked about the difficult decision to prioritize companies that would go under without new stock over casual hobbyists. It's one of those unenviable situations where there's no good outcome, just a possibly less-bad one.