I used UPS ’Pack and Ship’ successfully three times. You give item’s unboxed size and weight to UPS, (seller measures/weighs for you, or get maker’s size/weight data online).
UPS gives you an estimate, you decide whether to buy the item, then UPS gives you exact price when they receive the item from seller.
You pre-arrange with UPS, seller simply drops the unwrapped item off at designated UPS near them ’in your name’. Thus UPS fully responsible, protection in your name, no involvement of seller in any damage claim.
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This is a way to buy an item from a seller who says ’local pickup only’ which is what I did for a pair of AR-2ax’s.