When I bought my FW on Ebay it came packed with the thick foam like when it was shipped by a manufacturer, there were also old towels what where rolled up and taped so they kept the shape. It was really quite interesting to unpack - but the machine and the case made it with no damage. I remember reading you do not want to use loose packing peanuts because of the weight of the machine will crush them and move about in the package.
I would think the shipping charge alone would discourage many US buyers.