If you have ever shopped on Taobao or Pinduoduo, you probably know the feeling.
You see a listing for 10 rolls of toilet paper for just RM3 or RM4 and immediately think, “Wah, so cheap.”
At that price, it seems like the perfect household bargain. Why pay more when you can stock up for almost nothing?
Well, one Malaysian shopper’s aunt recently found out that there is sometimes a very good reason why something is that cheap and post about this through xiaohongshu.
She ordered what she thought would be a decent supply of toilet paper for the house. After all, the listing clearly advertised 10 rolls.
When the parcel finally arrived, however, the excitement quickly disappeared.
The package was tiny.
And when they opened it, the “10 rolls of toilet paper” turned out to be so small that they looked more suitable for a Barbie dollhouse than an actual toilet.
Put next to a normal toilet paper roll, the difference was almost comical. These miniature rolls were barely wider than a couple of fingers.
Ten rolls? Technically, yes.
Useful toilet paper? That is another question.
How do sellers get away with this?
The trick is actually quite simple.
Online sellers know that most shoppers scroll through listings quickly. If the first thing they see is a large picture of toilet paper and bold words such as “10 ROLLS”, the brain naturally fills in the rest.
We imagine normal-sized toilet rolls.
But the seller may never actually say they are normal-sized.
The product photo might be an extreme close-up, with nothing beside it to show its actual size. The important measurements, meanwhile, can be tucked away somewhere much less noticeable in the product specifications.
So while the listing technically says “10 rolls”, each roll could be only around five centimetres tall.
You get exactly what you ordered.
Just… not what you thought you ordered.
And that is what makes these listings so frustrating. They are not necessarily outright fake. Instead, they take advantage of what shoppers naturally assume when they see a familiar product in a familiar-looking photo.
The price should have been the first warning
Of course, RM3 or RM4 for 10 normal-sized toilet rolls should already raise some eyebrows.
But cheap prices are exactly what make these listings so tempting.
When you are scrolling through hundreds of products, a ridiculously low price stands out. You might think you have found a hidden deal before everyone else does.
By the time you realise the catch, the parcel is already sitting at your doorstep.
And unfortunately, this trick is not limited to toilet paper.
The same thing can happen with towels, storage boxes, furniture, kitchenware and even clothing. A product may look perfectly normal in the promotional photos, only for the actual item to arrive looking like a miniature version of what you thought you bought.
So, how can you avoid becoming the next victim?
Before clicking “Buy Now”, take a few extra seconds to check the actual measurements.
Look at the height, width and weight of the product instead of relying on the photo.
For toilet paper especially, the weight can give you a pretty good clue. If the entire pack weighs only a few dozen grams, you might want to stop and take another look.
And perhaps the easiest trick of all: check the reviews.
Don't just look at the star rating. Scroll through the customer photos.
If several buyers have uploaded pictures showing a tiny roll sitting next to a hand, a phone or a normal toilet paper roll, you will know immediately what you are actually getting.
Because when a deal looks too good to be true, the real bargain may not be a bargain at all.
Sometimes, it is just 10 tiny rolls of regret delivered straight to your doorstep.
Jovy Jing (ndreagoh@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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