The chair arrived in a sturdy box and all the parts carefully wrapped in plastic to protect the metal surfaces during shipping. It took me about 45 minutes to assemble. ( I'm 70 and I don't move as fast as I use to!) As other reviewers pointed out, "read the instructions and follow the order".  Spent the first evening it arrived just rocking away! The cushion is comfortable and the back is just the right height. I would recommend this rocker chair to my friends and feel it is a good buy for the money.