I ordered diet root beer

It took a surprisingly long time - weeks - for delivery.

Four bottles arrived in two separate boxes and the protecting/padding was 8 different padded flat rate envelopes.

If you go to the post office and BUY these envelopes, each one will cost you $9.35.

That means I paid Walmart roughly twelve dollars for the soda, and USPS paid roughly $74 to ship it.

What is going ON out there?