This is a very disappointing occurrence. The package appears have been subjected to extreme force, and I doubt that there is any practical way to protect against this.
I started to sell internationally in 1978, that's almost 40 years, and I don't know how many packages containing sharp pointy things I've sent from Australia to other countries since then, during that time I have suffered one loss because of similar damage to that which occurred to estcrh's sword.
The damage occurred in White Horse, Yukon, Canada, and what actually happened was that a piece of earth moving machinery drove over the package. As to why a piece of earth moving machinery was anywhere near some Canada Post parcels is a question that only God can answer.
In any case, this parcel was insured, but the insurance only covers total loss, it does not cover repair, so when the claim is lodged the choice is of accepting the damaged goods or accepting the insurance settlement. The damaged goods remain the property of the postal authority.
The goods belong to the person shipping those goods, until such time as they are accepted by the person to whom the goods are sent. So the seller gets his money from the insurance settlement and then refunds the purchase price to the buyer.
In accounting terms nobody loses.
But there is no insurance available that will recompense for disappointment and frustration.
The damaged goods remain the property of the postal authority. Do they go to auction? Do they go to the local garbage dump? Does an employee take them home?
The things I sell are mostly keris, which are pretty fragile. The packing I normally use is a lot of bubble-wrap, corrugated cardboard, and light three ply lining of the box for especially fragile or valuable articles. This level of protection seems to work pretty well, but nothing is going to work against a major force such as estcrh's package was subjected to.
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