i don't get it.

i've ordered a few things online in the last couple of weeks. good deals, presents, stuff for girl's camp.... just different things. and i don't get how packaging and shipping systems work for some places! i've ordered the same product a couple different times, and they'll come differently. or take this example: i ordered 20 books from barnes & noble for girl's camp. they came in two different packages, likely because not one location had them all. thats fine. BUT. 2 books came in a huge box with tons of puffy plastic, and the other 18 just came in some cardboard wrapped with packing tape. ???

or how some places throw free shipping around with everything, no big deal. like a custom shirt for joe. that came all the way from china. yes i KNOW it was china, there are china stamps all over it and was over-nighted. that was free. but to ship some lightweight paper products a few hundred miles? that'll be your arm please. do you want it sooner than three weeks? okay, thats an arm and a leg. i rarely pay shipping on anything.... but still. free from china, ten bucks from illinois.

i'm not upset or offended. i'm really happy that i can sit at home and do a little click, type, click and diapers land on my doorstep, and not drag my kids all over the place for every little thing. but the crazy packaging? gotta love it.