Tired of endlessly hunting for toilet paper? These manufacturers let you buy directly

If you’re fed up with searching for toilet paper during the coronavirus pandemic, there is an option many Americans aren’t considering: Buy directly from the manufacturer.

Not all toilet paper companies sell directly, but well-known brands like Charmin, Scott, Angel Soft and Quilted Northern have online options via their websites.

Charmin, for instance, sells only its Forever Roll, which costs $29.97. It’s 13 inches across, comes with a “starter kit” and is expected to last a month.

Angel Soft and Quilted Northern sell multiple products online at prices comparable to Walmart or Target, give or take $1.

However, both companies have many items temporarily listed as out of stock.

As of Monday, Quilted Northern still had packages of 24 Mega Rolls in stock for $27.50, not including shipping and taxes. Walmart sells the same package for $26.44, but it’s currently out of stock.

Meanwhile, Angel Soft was temporarily out of its 36 Mega Roll package at $31.99, but will email you when they have it.

“While we do have online shopping through Angelsoft.com and Quiltednorthern.com, we are experiencing similar, unprecedented demand as physical retail stores,” Angel Soft says on its website.

“Our retail partners around the country are receiving shipments and continue to restock shelves (in-store and online). However, we’ve heard our products are being bought just as quickly as they become available. That’s why we’re encouraging consumers to only buy what they need, so that others have the opportunity to restock as well.”

The “unprecedented demand” is due to consumer panic and hoarding, experts say. The COVID-19 outbreak has prompted communities to ban non-essential travel, and stores are cutting back hours and limiting the number of people who can enter at one time.

Early in the pandemic, scenes of panic were reported in stores as shoppers fought over necessities such as toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

Now toilet paper manufacturers are recommending consumers buy only what they need for two weeks.

“To last approximately two weeks, a 2-person household would need 5 mega rolls, or 9 double rolls of toilet paper,” Quilted Northern advises. “A 4-person household would need 9 mega rolls, or 17 double rolls.”

This story was originally published April 27, 2020 at 11:56 AM with the headline "Tired of endlessly hunting for toilet paper? These manufacturers let you buy directly."