I am not a pro bike mechanic, and I don't pack and unpack bikes all day but I do have common sense. It seems obvious to me that precautions need to be taken anytime a piece of metal has a possibility of contacting another piece or the frame because of movement during shipping. Cardboard should be placed between any two such objects. Loose parts should be wrapped separately and the dropouts should be protected against bending.To place the freewheel in direct contact with the seat tube and just hope for the best is inane. I wouldn't even put these two items in close proximity to each other if they were resting in the corner of my shop for fear of being jostled by a cat or my son or stumbled upon by myself. If that's the way they choose to professionally pack the bike, I'd be afraid to leave my bike in that shop for any repair. As it is I get nervous when I see bikes in shops stacked next to each other being readied for repair or waiting for pickup. I try to make an appointment so that I can wait for my bottom bracket to be tapped out or something else I might not have the tools to do for myself. I often want to say to the shop workers that a modern bike no matter how expensive is replaceable but if something happens to my thirty year old whatever, then there may not be another one like it in the world to take its place. Rarity and age deserve respect and reverence.
Garth Libre in Miami Florida USA