The packaging was overkill, but It shows the commitment to quality
About a long shipping time, I see few reasons why they are doing this:
1. If you need it fast, you will buy it, if you are a start up, you will wait for a free sample.
2. They can produce these kits at a more economic schedule (if you order one, they won't run a full production run) and they don't have to keep inventory for it (sales inventory would be separate i guess).
All in all very happy with a good development platform, just a bummer that I managed to put my finger at the wrong place and did something to force the board to use extra 100 mA (witch puts LDO to thermal shutdown). Fixed with a brute force of putting a beefier linear regulator.