I think you underestimate the power of the post-office to mash stuff up.

The last order I got from PeakModel (just a month or so ago) came in double-boxed packaging -- and it was squashed as flat as could be. The cardboard had been so crushed that it was completely soft. Fortunately there was nothing breakable inside but if it had been a model it would have been a bag of balsa fragments wrapped in film.

My mate's 180 was also well boxed -- but half the engine was till hanging out in the breeze when it was finally delivered :-(

I also got a package from another (Hong Kong) supplier today and the heavy postal envelope it was packed in was ripped open such that some of the contents were missing.

Stuff comes from the USA fine -- it's just the China connection where the carnage occurs.