The fact that packing materials are a shadow of their former selves is a good reason to make sure the supplier has more than one of the item in stock. A rack is one thing, but an amplifier or speaker is another. If anyone accepts a package with visible damage and doesn't immediately open it, regardless of the protests by the driver, they're in for a battle. If it has no outside damage but the item(s) inside didn't come through unscathed, it's time to file a hidden damage claim, usually through the sender.

Having someone at the destination doesn't guarantee much- I ordered a projection screen and on all sides, it had 'DO NOT STAND ON END'. As the person at the FedEX store searched, I pointed to it and said "It's the tall, skinny box with 'DO NOT STAND ON END' leaning against the wall".