If you receive damages in shipping the shipping company UPS or FED EX or USPS should be liable and you should get reimbursed after filing a claim. Shouldn't be any out of pocket expense that way. If the claim got denied then take it up with the seller. If you used a Credit Card then that's what the disputes department is for.
Unless the shipper buys sufficient insurance coverage, isn't there a rather small limit on the shipper's liability? One would hope that if obvious negligence is involved, it would be covered, but I don't know. I've been using USPS a lot the last year or so, due to convenience. I print the label at home, and drop it off. The problem, I can't buy insurance through my account from home, so quite a bit of my shipping has been uninsured, or, I suppose limited to a routine maximum. Not smart on my part, and I guess I should take the time to go to one of the counters and buy adequate insurance. One problem there, my local UPS store is a franchise store, and they will not accept air rifles for shipment, have to take it to the main company store which is not convenient for me. My local Fed Ex accepts air rifles, but I've been told that their insurance claim process is less friendly than UPS, thankfully, I haven't had experience with either one.
