Decline or accept upon receipt of damaged gear

Refuse shipment or take photos and get return label from seller 

You can't return it to the shipper if you expect to get your $$ back. If the box and contents are damaged, document with lots of photos. The seller will have to initiate a claim and the shipping company *may* want to send an inspector to look at the package. Refusing the package just complicates things.

Refusing the shipment kills the transaction and you can stop payment through your credit card company. Its the seller's deal, the insurance they did or didn't purchase lists them as the beneficiary and its their problem. They are responsible for satisfactory arrival of a product.

All well and good if you paid with a CC. Sometimes it gets complicated.

I chose to refuse the shipment and cancel the payment. The seller was critical that I did not first accept the package and then contact him to arrange a return.