We bought these on clearance. After reading previous reviews, and especially because they were previously returned, we figured that they would have some damage.  They came and the packages were beat up pretty bad.  The bolt from the base poked through and scratched and dented the seats. A little bubble wrap would have gone a long way.That being said, the stools are awesome,sturdy and despite the scratching they look great(I pounded out the dents with a block of wood and a hammer). Because of the rustic look you can hardly see the scratches.  I thought about trying to find a paint to match but decided to just leave it. Bottom line we love these stools.