1. A collection of well-deigned, reusable shipping containers for the most common tape decks, plus a couple of generic containers, owned by the community, or underwritten by interested community members;
2. available to community members for temporary use, to ship items purchased online, or to/from dealers and repair facilities;
3. a user puts a deposit on the container, and it is then shipped empty, with packing instructions and shock-watch stickers, to the shipper;
4. if the receiver is a community member, he stores the container for future use, and then ships it to the next user;
5. "current" user pays for shipping from previous user's location to shipper;
6. cost of shipping from seller/shipper to "current" user is per terms of sale of equipment;
7. users report on condition of equipment received, and also log the condition or wear of the container;
8. users perform required maintenance on container.
Could be a really well designed, heavy-duty double box system; or perhaps the OEM shipping system, if appropriate.
Could be standard ATA flight cases with fitted double-wall cardboard boxes (outside).
Containers could be sponsored by commercial concerns, who and specify advertising graphics, and insertion of advertising materials.
Potential to negotiate reduced insurance costs.
Container value could be insured, too.