It's a big piece of bent steel. It's not like it needs a lot of packaging and bracing.

A box to put it in is about $2 at ripoff places like Mailbox Etc. and the actual shipping cost can't be more than $5. Does it even weigh a pound?

$30US is a lot for shipping. I'd say $20 of it is handling, and if there is that much work in shipping it, why isn't it in the initial purchase price?

And why doesn't the site say something about $30 shipping before you go through the process of ordering?

You're not at all concerned that the shipping cost almost doubles the cost of the item?