I'm wondering if they sent me the black by mistake. The label said chocolate, but the shelf is very dark - much darker than the picture shows. The back is very cheap and looks and feels like a piece of folded up cardboard painted to match. But the rest of the shelf is great. I've only had it for about two weeks, and it's doing its job. I have novels and DVDs on the two adjustable shelves, and law school casebooks on the two fixed shelves (not the whole shelf though - I don't want to push my luck). So for the money, I think it's worth it!