Shipping damage becoming a real issue

If it looks damaged it probably is. Anyway, I'd not take any chances and refuse it.

Nothing is safe--your carton will be thrown, gaff hooked, dropped, rolled, booted, gored--a heavy-duty outer box containing the factory carton is mandatory and should be insisted upon. A box that was new when sent arrives looking like it's 20 years old--filthy, mashed corners, torn, gouged--there is no excuse for this from a shipping service. The seller should be spending $20-50 on cartons, styrofoam and tape.
I wish someone would start a white-glove courier service, where orders are collected from a metro area and driven to another metro area. Sellers and buyers would have to converge at certain points--it would take much longer and would be expensive, but safe. Otherwise, sellers and buyers could each agree to drive 100-200 miles to meet, making regional transactions, or a long road trip would be alright for a large purchase.

Jafreeman, I had many of the same thoughts. Ultimately something will have to change. I love this hobby but its just impossible to feel good about ordering items of this expense without assurance they'll arrive safely.

Ghanson sorry you've had those experiences with dealers and I hope they make good on any issues for you. All my transactions here have been with private parties with good results other than some dealer purchased tubes.