Scam or no scam?

Hi,

I’m moving back to Chicago from Massachusetts. I’ve spoken to a few moving companies each of which claim the practices used by the others are scams. So I wanted to ask folks in this sub what you think of four practices in particular, since the advice I’ve seen so far is contradictory and the companies themselves criticize each others processes.

1) Requiring a deposit to book a date (done by one moving company and called a scam by two others)

2) Using weight vs. Cubit feet/item list to determine quote estimate. One company said they go by cubic feet (the same asking for a deposit) and two others by weight

3) Local movers vs National movers. One is a smaller locally owned moving company (the cubic feet & deposit company) and the others are agents for national companies Atlas, Mayflower and UPack

4) Pods - UPack are scams items get broken and stolen (I imagine this is just standard denigrating a competing business in order to secure the order)

Also the local company that quoted by cubic ft was priced significantly lower than the first quote provided by weight through a national company ($4,000 vs $11,000). The cubic feet quote was done through an itemized list (I measured some items and relayed it to them). The other two companies did virtual walk through of the apartment.

All say their quotes are offered through a binding contract (though I've read that doesn't mean much). I’d obviously like to pay less and support a local company. But the credibility of a national company feels like it will provide greater certainty that nothing goes terribly wrong. And one quote being so much lower than the other gives me pause that I’ll just be up charged in the end. I appreciate any help also thanks to the sub for the FCMS database that was helpful!

TLDR;

Are deposits scams? Is a quote by cubic feet suspicious? Are Natl movers usually worth it? any good or bad experiences w/pods/upack?