When you receive furniture delivery, there are actually many situations that can arise and put you in precarious positions. Almost all of these positions can be completely avoided simply by knowing what to do when the driver arrives and, more importantly, what to do before they leave. Buying furniture is often too expensive to ignore this information, and the last thing you want is to be left with damaged or incorrect furniture. Here’s a little guide on how to handle furniture delivery from start to finish.
The first thing to do is make sure you are there when the furniture arrives. While this sounds like common sense, many people make “others” keep their furniture. Take the day off (or half a day) and make sure you get exactly what you were promised. In addition, you must ensure that the delivery includes the settings. If your furniture delivery does not include this service, then you will need help from friends or family. The furniture delivery driver will only be responsible for bringing the delivery to the front porch, not the house, and will certainly not be installed at the final resting place. As such, you should make sure you have a few people to help you transport the furniture. If you paid for this service, then this is not a cause for concern.
Once the furniture delivery arrives, you should thoroughly inspect the boxes for holes, rips, and tears. Damage of any kind should be noted and recorded, including on outer packaging. The reason for this is that it could become very important if you find furniture damage. This could have been caused in the delivery process or at the factory. If the outer packaging is damaged, it is likely that the damage occurred in transit. If the outer package is flawless, the damage is likely from the factory.
Before the delivery driver leaves, be sure to open and inspect each piece of furniture. Don’t sign any paperwork until you’ve done it from top to bottom. This means inspecting the frames, fabric, legs, and function of the furniture. If you have a recliner on order, for example, be sure to check the recline option to make sure it works perfectly. If not, you should write it down on the delivery sheet and contact the furniture company. A quick phone call to the furniture company is vital to the process, because some will ask you to return the furniture.
If you do not call and accept the furniture, some companies will claim that they are accepting the furniture as is. This is a dirty tactic, so you need to protect yourself. Most reputable dealers will not attempt to fit you with damaged or incorrect furniture, but it doesn’t hurt to protect your interests. This is done in a number of ways.
The first way is to inspect the furniture. The second is to write down problems in writing and over the phone. The third is to have the furniture delivery driver approve the damages. Some will be reluctant to do so, but you should insist on it whenever possible. When in doubt, simply refuse the delivery. If you feel like you’re being cheated on or forced to accept damaged merchandise, then you really need to go with your instincts. If, for example, it appears that the furniture company is inclined to hit you with the furniture, you should refuse the delivery. This is rare, but you should know that you have the right to receive what you asked for. Accept no less.
Furniture delivery drivers are generally not employees of the furniture company and rarely have an interest one way or the other. The reason for this is that your job is to deliver the furniture. Nothing more and nothing less. Once they deliver the furniture, they can move on to the next delivery. For this reason, they can rush you through the process. Don’t let them do this. Take your time and make sure you get the furniture you ordered.
In the long run, most furniture companies will do the right thing. However, it is not bad to protect your interests, know your rights and empower yourself. Know what you can and cannot do, and be sure to thoroughly check the furniture. The last thing you want is to find damage after delivery. Very few (although there are a few) furniture companies would do anything to help you. Only the best furniture companies would handle this kind of thing, so don’t risk skipping the process. If you do these things, the delivery of your furniture will be very easy and your rights will be protected.