I was pleasantly surprised to find the quality was better than those buy and assemble bookcases found in Target or Walmart. The pieces felt solid and sturdy. I assembled the entire bookcase by myself (49 year old woman here) and the only thing I had trouble with were the drawer knobs. It took some muscle to tighten the screws. Other than that, it wasn't very difficult to assemble at all.A couple of pieces were slightly damaged, but not during shipping. It arrived securely packaged. I went online to Wayfair's website and ordered replacement pieces that arrived in a few days. It was painless and hassle free. The back of the bookcase is thin cardboard, the only downside, but as another reviewer said, you won't even notice it once you fill the shelves.All in all, I'm very happy with the bookcase, as it took me months to find one in the right color to match my entertainment center.