Buying Office Furniture Online: Tip of the Week

This week's tip has to do with the method of delivery. When buying office furniture, or any furniture or large items online, it's very important to take note of the delivery method. Here are the basics:

Small Parcel - This is the method most people think of when shopping online because it's meant for smaller items. This is the standard, FedEx/UPS guy shows up at your door and leaves the package. Depending on how close you are to the shipping warehouse, your item will arrive between 1 and 6 business days (1 to 10 business days for USPS) after it leaves the warehouse.

Truck Freight - This is a bit more complicated. Typically items go truck freight because they are too large and/or heavy to ship through FedEx/UPS. The most important thing to remember about truck freight is that you must inspect the package at the time of delivery. If the box has any damage, you should either refuse shipment or write "PRODUCT DAMAGED" on the receipt when you sign for the package. Also, you should keep in mind that you may need a couple of people to help unload it. Unless you're willing to tip the driver, it's pretty unlikely he'll be willing to help in any way.

White Glove - White glove is the best shipping method for larger items. But not all white glove deliveries are created equally. Oh no, there are several tiers - white glove bronze, white glove silver, white glove gold, and the king of them all, white glove platinum. Here's how they break down:

White Glove Bronze - Bronze service level provides two-man delivery, to inside the threshold of your residence. If you live in a home with a garage this means the product will be left in your garage. If you do not have a garage the product will be left in your front entrance, or mudroom. If you live in an apartment building or condo the product will be carried up two flights of stairs from the building threshold (4-15 steps = 1 flight). The product will be left in the original packaging.

White Glove Silver - Silver service level provides two-man delivery, to inside your residence to the room you choose. This service includes carrying the product up two flights of stairs from the building threshold (4-15 steps = 1 flight). The product will be left in the original packaging.

White Glove Gold - Gold service level provides two-man delivery, to inside your residence to the room you choose. This service includes carrying the product up two flights of stairs from the building threshold (4-15 steps = 1 flight). Once the product is in the room you desire, the shipper will unpack the product and provide basic setup that requires no tools (i.e. will set pieces next to each other, or on top of each other). The shipper will also remove and dispose of all packaging.

White Glove Platinum - Platinum service level provides two-man delivery, to inside your residence to the room you choose. This service includes carrying the product up two flights of stairs from the building threshold (4-15 steps = 1 flight). Once the product is in the room you desire, the shipper will unpack the product and provide light setup that requires basic tools (i.e. pieces will be screwed or bolted together, set pieces next to each other, or on top of each other). The shipper will also remove and dispose of all packaging.

I cannot stress it enough, if a retailer says you're getting white glove gold or platinum, you should definitely make sure you get the services listed above. Unfortunately, some retailers will call something white glove gold that is anything but. BUYER BEWARE!

That's it from me - I'm off to the Red Sox game!