This bed came very carefully packaged and so even though the exterior box was a bit beat up and the fed-ex guy literally dragged it to our front step the interior pieces were well protected with no damage. We got a king size so it is a large and heavy package, you will need two people to move the box. The directions were good and the pieces very organized. Assembly went well and took less than two hours. We have only started using the bed but so far it feels very sturdy, doesn't squeak from any kind of movement, and looks great. We ordered the chocolate color and like others have said the color seems lighter and redder than on the website, but it is still a nice color. We just put on a 14 inch mattress and not much of the headboard is showing, with pillows it will be mostly hidden. We are pleased with the quality and style for the price.