However, when Jagdish Bhutta, aged 53, from Wolverhampton, ordered a four-man tent online he never would have thought that he would receive a lace doily instead.
To add insult to injury when he emailed the company concerned he received a reply stating that the tent was out of stock.
The company said they had sent a similar item and have now offered a £4 refund even though he paid £20 plus £5.99 postage and packing through Paypal.
Father-of-two Jagdish said: "I ordered the tent because it was on special offer and even though I had no holiday planned thought it would be a good buy.
"I placed the order online through Hottsellerz.com about a month ago.
"A few weeks later I received a package in the post and I realised it was far too small to contain a tent.
"When I opened it I was really surprised and inside the package I found this small lace doily.
"I thought it must be a mistake and know that such things can happen with big companies and I decided to email them to let them know what had happened.
Amusing
"I sent an email to the company but received a reply stating the tent was out of stock.
"They said that they had sent me a similar item.
"I decided to send another email and was offered a £4 refund even though I paid much more for the tent.
"As yet I have heard nothing more about my complaint with the company.
"Fortunately I had not booked a holiday and had just decided to buy the tent because I thought it was such a special offer.
"Initially I thought it was amusing, but had I booked a holiday and hoped to use the tent I would have been very disappointed."
Jagdish, who works in despatch for Warburton's Bakery in Wednesbury, said that colleagues at work had found the incident involving the swap from a tent to a doily amusing.
He added: They have now offered to buy the doily for £5 and I think they just want to tease me about the incident.
"Meanwhile, we have the doily on the table in the house but I have still not heard anything again from the company.
"I am hoping the company will get back to me about this and have also complained to Paypal about the matter."
