Prepare for a furniture delivery before the truck arrives. You need the order, a receiving contact, a suitable unloading plan and the seller's written instructions for missing or damaged goods. A delivery receipt should not be the first time someone learns that assembly and inside movement are their responsibility.
Use this checklist to organize the handover. Follow your seller's and carrier's actual procedures where they differ.
Confirm the service you bought
Ask where the driver will deliver the goods and who moves them from there. Confirm dock access, unloading equipment, any liftgate, inside movement, appointment arrangements and the size of the shipment.
FedEx flags unloading and liftgate needs as a source of avoidable freight problems. That does not mean every delivery uses FedEx or includes those services. Get the answer for your order.
Measure the delivery route, including doorways, turns and elevators where relevant. Compare it with packed dimensions, not only the furniture's assembled footprint. Assign safe handling to appropriately equipped people.
Assemble a receiving pack
Have these records ready in one place:
- Purchase order and latest seller acknowledgment.
- Item list with model, quantity, size, finish and upholstery.
- Expected package or pallet count, if provided.
- Freight reference and carrier contact.
- Seller contact for shortages, damage and incorrect items.
- Written inspection, reporting and claim instructions.
- A place to record photographs and exceptions.
Identify who is authorized to accept the shipment and who can reach the decision-maker if there is a problem. Do not rely on whichever employee happens to be near the door.
Check the shipment before it disappears into storage
Compare visible package counts and identifiers with the delivery paperwork. Photograph the overall shipment and any damaged packaging, moisture, broken pallets or visible product damage.
Describe observed exceptions specifically in the required receiving record. “Two cartons crushed on the right side” is more useful than an unexplained tick or a general note that everything might be damaged.
Do not sign a statement you know is inaccurate. If the carrier cannot wait for full unpacking, document what was and was not inspected, then follow the seller's concealed-damage process promptly. There is no single reporting deadline you should assume applies to every order.
Unpack systematically
| Check | Record |
|---|---|
| Quantity | Ordered, received and missing units |
| Identity | Model, size and configuration match |
| Finish | Approved code and obvious discrepancies |
| Components | Tops, bases, seats, glides, fixings and instructions |
| Condition | Visible defects, damage and photographs |
| Next action | Accepted for installation, held for review or reported |
Keep parts with the correct model and avoid mixing boxes from different configurations. Retain labels that identify production batches or order lines.
The FedEx claims guidance calls for supporting records and retention of original packaging for possible inspection. Follow the relevant seller/carrier instructions before discarding packaging or attempting repairs.
Hold questionable items out of service
Separate damaged, unstable or incomplete pieces from accepted goods. Label them so an installer or employee does not place them into the room by mistake.
Do not make an improvised repair simply to finish setup. Get a documented remedy from the responsible seller or manufacturer and use a qualified person where needed. A photograph does not establish that a structural problem is cosmetic.
After assembly, verify the correct parts and configuration against the approved instructions. Keep the technical installation work with the people responsible for it.
Close the loop on each exception
Send one organized report listing the order line, quantity affected, problem, photographs and requested next step. Record who will arrange replacement parts, collection, repair or further inspection.
Track unresolved items through to completion, including revised dates. A filed claim is not the same as a replacement delivered, and delivered goods are not necessarily ready for guests.
Add receiving needs and contacts to the quote brief before purchasing. For an upcoming opening, keep this checklist beside the ordering timeline so inspection and remedial work have a place in the plan.