After reading through your thorough post on this subject I wanted to ask a few questions and double check my understanding.

With white glove/blanket service you can take an item out of it's packaging, inspect it, and then sign off on it or refuse the item, correct? In other words the driver shouldn't leave until you are satisfied the item is the correct one and in good condition from shipping.

With common carriers/standard service most times unless you notice apparent damage to the packaging of the item you take delivery and sign for it, then unbox and inspect it and if you find any damage/problems keep all the packaging/paperwork and call the company you ordered from or the shipper?

With common carrier if the box is damaged insist that the driver let you open the box and inspect it. If the contents are damaged beyond repair refuse it. You may want to insist on inspecting the contents anyways. The driver will get upset but when you sign the freight bill you are stating the goods are received without damage.

BTW Duane this is a really good topic for the group over on google since it can go in the "pages" section and not get buried or cluttered with "bumps" like the quality 101 post over here.

BrianT,

Yes, that is correct. With a White Glove service you want to inspect that piece fully before the team leaves your house. In the excitement of the delivery its easy to just give it a cursory look and then let the guys go, but you should take a little time and eyeball it to your satisfaction. This is not to say that you may not notice a loose thread, or scuff on a back leg...certainly use common sense in deciding what is acceptable. I would NEVER suggest accepting anything that has a dent, hole, cut or otherwise cannot be repaired with a simple 'nick kit' (markers and filler crayons).

With common carrier items, you'll pay hell getting a claim filed if you gave the driver a signed bill free and clear. Freight companies are notorious for not paying on concealed damage claims. Steve is absolutely correct that you refuse rather than accept when in doubt.

Nothing is perfect in life, and quite honestly most pieces are going to have a slight mark here or there that you may or may not readily see. These would be the kind of marks you would expect to get in a few weeks of everyday use, so my recommendation is to not refuse small imperfections. By the same token, never - ever accept broken or highly damaged goods. Refuse delivery and you can do a partial refusal as well - keeping only the good items.

Horror Story:

About ten years ago, I shipped a D.R.Dimes Triple Bow Settee to a customer ($ 1,000 cost) in New York City. Boxed it myself using 350 lb test cardboard (well past industry requirements) and sent it out via New England Motor Freight. The customer gets the piece, signs off on it, then calls me complaining its broken in seven places. I tell her its not my responsibility but the shipping line (true)- file a claim with them and I would help her as need be. Well, the freight line wouldn't accept her claim as she no longer had the carton it came in. She goes bonkers, and stops payment on the check to me. Outstanding.

So after she calms down I ask her 'What did you do with the box? I sent a procedure sheet telling you that you need to always keep the packing material." She floored me with "There was no box, it came in bare." ?????????

Apparently New England Motor Freight has so mangled the box - probably with a forklift - that there was nothing left of it. They delivered the piece bare and broken and she accepted it. NEMF would not honor my claim, and lost me as a customer over it. I replaced her settee and hand-delivered it to her, took back the broken one which I now have in my hallway at home (after a weekend of gluing/clamping/painting). Common carriers don't really care if they deliver damaged freight (and this is just one proof of that) so the burden to make the call is on the person accepting the shipment.

So that what can happen when you don't know how to deal with a shipper. She should have refused the shipment.

FYI, the vase bulk of severe common carrier damage is compression damage. When they load trucks at the crossover terminals, they use forklifts. Guess what happens when the driver can't quite get a box in the trailer? Does he get off the motor unit and hand-adjust it? No way..he revs up the forklift and SHOVES IT until it goes in. Those tow motors are strong and all he cares about is closing the door on the trailer with the least amount of effort. Thats why its important to look at the outer box and see if it shows sign of compression, especially if you hear anything rattling around inside.

Duane Collie

Thanks for verifying and giving everyone more information so they understand the process better.

I must say that's quite a horror story. I shake my head and wonder who would sign for something in such bad shape but will admit I even know people like that. I always try to check out items for damage before taking delivery. I'm glad you made it better and commend you on your effort.

In my personal life and at my job I have had some run ins with damaged items and have small bit of advice. Whenever you receive a damaged item be quick to alert both the retailer and shipping line and if you own a digital camera take some photos. The longer you wait the more a retailer and/or shipping company will question why you waited.

Does anyone have a good recommendation for shipping from Norwalk, Ct to Dallas Texas? I found a breakfront on ebay but they want pickup only and I am trying to locate a company that will pack the piece and pickup.

Many thanks

Vintage Transport out of Atlanta GA or Plycon Van Lines out of Torrence CA go 48 state, small load blanket wrap, you can find both on the 'net. Expect to pay $ 375 to $ 525 shipping for that breakfront, and have the dimensions, weight and decide how much insurance you want to get your quote.

Duane Collie

I have a number of customers out-of-state who buy from me via 'white glove' delivery service (a misnomer if ever there was one) and while most customers say they are happy with their services, occasionally a problem delivery occurs.

When a problem does happen, its the delivery company that takes responsibility for it, not the selling store. PLEASE call them first, and keep your dealer advised and in the loop, but don't expect the store to be able to direct the carriage company.

Recently a GardenWeb member who purchased from me took delivery of a very light colored leather via a White Glove Service and the personnel handled it with greasy/grimy hands, marking the expensive leather and its not fully coming out. When this occurs, REFUSE that piece. Anything that is not a very minor touchup should be refused.

Truck drivers are truck drivers. They are usually hot, sweaty and dirty. In spite of the 'white glove' banner they like to claim, these guys don't have clean hands or gloves of any kind. You are within your rights to ask them to wash their hands before handling your furniture or better yet, next time you're at Home Depot or Lowes and buy two pairs of the cheap ($ 2.99 a pair) cloth 'grip' gloves and have them there to use when your leather arrives. Its cheap insurance, and they'll probably like to keep the gloves!

A delivery is only as good as the guys on the truck. Don't be shy in asking them to clean up or take padding precautions with your purchase, after all YOU are paying them for the service. In my store delivery trucks that I run locally, we always have several pairs of clean gloves, dollies, door-jamb blanket pads and even temporary runners to put down on wet days.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure - is very true.

Duane Collie

I wish I'd read Duane's "Shipping 101" before placing our recent furniture orders. The driver for our delivery via Home Delivery Service said he could not wear gloves and claimed that it is against OSHA rules, and in violation of their insurance regs, to wear gloves or to remove dirty shoes/boots. He was quite adament that if a delivery driver did wear gloves and dropped the item, the delivery service's insurance would refuse to pay for the damage and the customer would be out of luck. Whether or not he was lying, I don't know. The driver also insisted that it would be easy to clean the marks he left on our chair, and even suggested using Pledge to clean it. (No, we didn't.)

Having already waited long enough for the chairs and ottoman, I didn't want to face another delay in furnishing the living room. I also thought, incorrectly as it turns out, that it was better to simply note the damage (which we assumed was minor) on the delivery service's paperwork and work with them toward an acceptable resolution. I've been down that road before and have generally been pleased with the work done. In addition, I was concerned that if I returned the chair and the side panel had to be replaced, it would be impossible to match the color, having read here about wide shade variations in the same color name.

I emailed Home Delivery Service and received one reply, asking for another photograph. I explained that I'm unable to access the digital camera or the desktop computer, since I'm in a wheelchair and they are on a different floor (my dh has been out of town.) I repeated my request that Home Delivery Service take care of the damage their driver caused (& admitted) and HDS has not emailed back. Perhaps they have telephoned, but if so they have not left a message on our answering machine. It takes too long for me to get to the phone, so I let the machine pick up and usually get the messages each evening. It appears that if dh is not successful in removing the remaining stain from the chair, I'll have to find a local leather technician to do it.

We have four more pieces on order from H&M for our living room, and I hope to use a different delivery service. However, I've read a few complaints online about their #2 choice for delivery, so my confidence level isn't very high.

The new house still has a hearth room, sitting room, game room, guest suite and four bedrooms to be furnished. Dh insists they remain empty until I am mobile and able to shop locally, unless I'm willing to turn the job over to a decorator.

A question for Duane/dcollie or anyone who have shiped furniture to Canada. Do you know any good shipping company ship furnitre or item from USA to Ontario Canada? Please recommand. Thank you.

What kind of shipping? There are different carriers depending on what you have being shipped, its origin point, if its new or used, and if its bare or crated? Need more details on what you want to transport.

Duane

Duane, thank you for your advise in advance.

The origin will be either from Boston or Chicago, we have family there. The items will be new however, most likely bare. There will be 2~3 items here and there at one time. I am looking for more like a "White Glove" service, however, if it's too much, the other kinds of shipping will do fine for us too.

Sorry about not able to get more details, we are just starting to think if it's worthwhile to do that instead of buying here, since we don't seem to have lots of choice.

tyth,

Tough one. I don't know many blanket carriers that go into Canada. Plycon Van Lines has a sister company (Nationwide Logistics) that does offer that service on small, household loads. Probably expensive - I've not used their Canadian carrier system however. Give them a call and they can direct you.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plycon Van Lines

As an addendum to this thread, the most difficult thing we run into in home deliveries is - by far - egress into the room. It seems architects don't pay enough attention to how things are going to get into a room / basement when they spec doorways and design halls, sliding glass doors, and the like. If you're adding on a sunroom, or finishing a basement, be sure to pay attention to those items when building out so your delivery service can get the piece into your home.

Doorways: Install 34" doorways at a minimum if you can. If buying a sliding glass door, have one that either is easily removable or also keeps that 34" distance when fully open. Most pieces will fit into doorways that size. On new construction, don't end a doorway against a 90 degree wall to the jamb. Big sofas need to be able to hook around the door.

Stairways: Removable banisters are most excellent on narrow staircases that have turns to egress to them. Most homes do not have them and that has stopped many a queen or king mattress from going up the stairs. (speaking of which, you cannot fold mattresses more than just a few degrees without rupturing the spring grid inside, despite the fact that many are said to be designed for folding 45 degrees or more).

Elevated Decks: Build an exterior landing out beyond the door if that's the way you expect your furniture to come in. To have just a walkway into a door makes it extremely difficult to bring pieces into the room.

Better delivery services and dealers that operate their own trucks carry door jamb pads that have spring clips to attach to jambs, that can prevent a lot of friction rubbing on tight doorways. Ask if they have them. They also have temporary runners to put down in your hallway on wet/muddy days. Its not safe or practical to ask the delivery guys to remove their shoes, but either they can put down pads or you can get old newspapers to prevent tracking into your home.

Take pictures and breakables off the walls before they get there. Clear stuff out of the way ahead of time and your delivery will go easier. Finally, don't expect them to move your old pieces to other rooms and especially out of the house to a garage or basement. That's not part of the service contract. If they agree to do so, tip accordingly.

While I think about it....don't try to help with the lifting and advice (this is for the men on the list). If they need help, they will ask for it, otherwise you're just in the way. Two guys moving furniture together are like a ballet. They have all their moves choreographed through experience and when they get a 'helper' it upsets and unbalances the dance, and the end result is they are more likely to rub corners or knock things over - or sometimes even accidentally knock down the volunteer assistant. The best way to help is clear the area ahead of time, show them where you want it placed, then go have a cup of coffee while they do their job.

-Duane Collie

Great read, Duane! Thanks so much for taking the time to post this. (You should really write a book about buying furniture!) It's very timely, too, since I've just ordered my (very large) sofa from a local store.

We are thinking about picking up the recliner we are planning to order; it will fit in our SUV. Any advice on picking up your own custom-ordered furniture at the store? I haven't asked the questions yet concerning whether it'll be crated and whether someone will be there to help load it into the vehicle - is that customary? We have someone to help move it into the house.

greenpond,

My favorite pet peeve! I just love it when a customer comes to my store, opens the back of their Explorer, and asks me to load that 150 lb recliner in the back which has 2" of clearance on each side. Usually, its a slightly built woman (sorry ladies!) and there is just no way I can lift that in there without tearing up myself or the furniture. That has happened more times than I can count.

How are you going to unload it at home? Pulling a 150 lb recliner out of an SUV is awkward, and is a perfect way to wreck your back. You will never see anyone in the furniture business deliver in a truck that requires them to bend over and reach - or crawl into a minivan and duck-crawl with a piece. I've seen a lot of people hurt themselves or drop the furniture over the years. We in the business have developed lifting techniques and have the tools to load and handle furniture safely without injuring ourselves. When you pull up in an SUV and ask us to load into it, we are at risk of hurting ourselves as well, yet we try to grin and bear it for the sake of customer service.

Here's why stores prefer not to do this. These don't load smoothly due to confined spaces, Pieces can get bumped or bruised either during loading or in transit. Because the store assisted loading, we are legally liable for damages to the piece. I learned that lesson the hard way in the 80's. And if we place it on the sidewalk and say 'there you go' then that looks bad as well, as if we don't care. That's why we offer delivery, where we have all the right equipment to load, pad, and secure in a truck a person can stand up in. But yes, delivery does cost money, and many people do not want to pay for that service.

I would estimate we damage 1 piece in 5,000 on my delivery truck. Customers hauling their own run a damage rate of about 1 in every 100. Oh, the stories! Here's a couple:

* Did you know boxed furniture tends to fly out of pickup trucks at about 45 - 50 mph? Goes right over the tailgate and hits the highway. When it does, the customer has no insurance to cover it, as its cargo in transit which means it requires an Inland Marine rider to your auto/truck policy. You probably don't have that rider. I've had at least a dozen customers lose boxed furniture out of pickup trucks, including 250 lb sofas that they assumed were heavy enough to stay put - smashed on the interstate.

* NEVER send a man to pickup furniture during his work day. They are always in a hurry, fail to load carefully or secure, or even pad the pieces, and ultimately I get a tearful call from the Mrs. hours later asking how to repair damages. Even more true if hubby is in the construction business and has a work truck full of wood, concrete and building residue and debris. Big mistake.

There are times when for whatever reason its not practical to use the store delivery service. Maybe you have a beach house three hours away, or need the recliner for someone coming out of the hospital today. If you choose to haul yourself and the piece is heavy, sometimes its best to rent a cube van with a walk ramp, hand truck, tiedowns and pads. If the pieces are lighter, then SUVs and pickups can work, but bring plenty of pads (furniture-grade, not worn-out blankets) and tiedowns. Bungee cords at the very least, camlock rachets preferred, but not clothesline rope - and never nylon rope as it stretches. Plastic palletizing wrap is a godsend to keeping pads attached to the piece while loading. Have plenty of egress for the piece in question to load. Its no good to try to get things in with one inch to spare - thats always tough. And finally, bring your own muscle to the store. We'll supervise and be glad to give loading advice!

Deliveries are not a profit center for most stores. We try to break even on them (most the time I lose money with diesel at $ 4.00 a gallon) but in most cases its the safe way to do it for both bodies and the furniture.

-Duane Collie