Most pallets seem very shoddy, so I build my own skid / pallet.
Ya'know, you'd think this seems like a nice idea, right?
Well, with some shippers, if the load isn't on an "official" pallet, they WILL put it on one.
I had two small milling machines shipped, a year apart, with Fastenal.
For the first one, the seller found a decent standard pallet, put a 3/4" plywood top on it, and bolted the crated machine to it - It arrived securely on the pallet, no issues.
The second one, however, was different - The seller made a fine sturdy crate, with fine skids under it, BUT it wasn't an "official" pallet size.
So, Fastenal, in their infinite wisdom, put his fine crate on the crappiest, 1/2 broken pallet I've ever seen, and shipped it like that, just sitting on the broken pallet.
When the forklift driver brought it out of the back warehouse, it was rocking side to side so bad, he was driving the lift at about 1/10th mph. with his eyes bulging out - I made him put it down, narrow the forks, and pick up the crate alone. Absolutely rock steady then. I'm still amazed it made it all the way here....
Moral is, check out what the shipper requires - Don't assume that just because you build something nice and reasonable, doesn't mean those bozos will go along with it.