For those that ship/transport larger Illusions, I'd love to know recommendations on the shipping companies that have been good/reliable to deal with. Thank you.

I second that…

The shipping companies have almost all become unreliable to a greater or lesser degree. Something I highly recommend when shipping magic props or anything valuable (artwork, collectibles, computer equipment, etc.) is to make photos and a video recording thoroughly documenting the condition of the prop before you pack it , showing it from all angles. Then make a video as you are packing the prop , showing how you carefully pack it with foam or bubble wrap (or both) or other reinforced packing material, and then sealing it up thoroughly with strong tape or straps. Take photos and/or video showing the packed box/crate from all angles before you turn it over to the shipping company.

That way, if they break something in transit you have proof that you made every reasonable effort to protect the object being shipped and that the breakage is down to poor handling during shipping, because the item was in good condition before you turned it over to the shipping company. This is especially important with eBay sales as eBay will almost always side with the buyer who complains that an item arrived damaged. (eBay will withdraw the money from your bank account , and you must prove that you were not at fault ... even then they will sometimes refund the buyer and you lose all the proceeds on the sale. Based on some recent experiences, I am very leery of selling any breakable items via eBay nowadays.) You must be able to prove that when it left you it was in good shape. The shipping company must take responsibility. (of course , insure the item for the maximum amount).

Thank you both. Good advice David, it does seem like there is a lot of damage these days. I'd love to hear any consistent experiences with shipping companies with minimal damages.

I've had the best luck with FedEx Freight and use them almost exclusively. XPO and Reddaway are decent and can be slightly less cost, but not always.

Central Transport was the worst: Shipped to a customer from California to Florida, tracked it all the way there, then it sat for a month and started traveling back to me. it was returned damaged and COD with no recourse even though I had insured it through freightcenter.com

I use freightcenter.com to get a quote of the various companies and still use them occasionally just to get an idea of pricing as they typically show you around five to seven companies prices. But I suggest booking directly with the freight company as the online quote companies put the claims back on you the shipper with no support.

The key though no matter who you use, is to package like you assume it will be treated poorly. A forklift jab here, a complete crush on the corner, dropped from altitude, etc.

I also ease all the edges (plywood/wood) so no one has any extra reason to be angry with my crate.

Thanks for the information Cleverpaws, that is most helpful. What has your damage rate been with FedEx Freight, compared to other companies?

Zero. Of course past performance is not a guarantee of the future!