White Glove Delivery: What It Is, When to Use It, and How to De-Risk It
White glove delivery is the premium end of last-mile logistics. Instead of a curbside drop, trained teams bring items inside, place them in the room of choice, assemble or install them, and remove all packaging. It’s designed for bulky, fragile, or high-value products—furniture, fitness equipment, major appliances, medical devices, artwork—where a standard hand-off isn’t enough.
What a white glove job actually includes
A well-scoped white glove delivery typically covers:
- Scheduled delivery window and pre-call/ETA updates
- Two-person crew and appropriate handling gear (straps, blankets, floor protection)
- Inside placement to the specific room, including stairs if specified
- Uncrating/unboxing, basic assembly or installation, powering-on/tests if applicable
- Removal and recycling of all packaging, with photo proof of completion
Many providers also offer haul-away of old items, disposal appointments, and simple site prep (door removal, shoe covers, surface protection).
Why brands upgrade to white glove
- Damage reduction: Extra handling controls during the highest-risk segment (the last mile)
- Better customer experience: Delivery day feels like a concierge service, not a DIY project
- Operational relief: Retailers outsource heavy lifting, assembly, and debris removal
If your item is heavy, delicate, or requires on-site setup—or if a failed delivery would be costly in returns and reputation—white glove delivery usually pays for itself.
Cost and alternatives (with realistic ranges)
White glove sits above “threshold” and “room-of-choice” tiers:
- Threshold (inside the first dry area): baseline price
- Room-of-choice: typically +10–30% vs threshold (no assembly)
- White glove (setup/assembly): commonly +30–100% vs threshold, depending on stairs, assembly time, and crew size
Illustrative example: Shipping a $6,500 treadmill 1,000 miles
- Threshold: $150–$250
- Room-of-choice: +$40–$80
- White glove (carry upstairs, assemble, test, debris removal): +$120–$220
Actual pricing varies by distance, weight/dimensions, service level, and metropolitan vs rural delivery zones.
Insurance: don’t skip the fine print
Even the best crews and checklists won’t eliminate risk. Make sure coverage matches the exposure:
- Cargo coverage for loss, theft, or damage in transit (door-to-door)
- General liability for accidental property damage or injury during in-home service
- Full replacement value (not weight-based) and clear deductibles/limits
- Exclusions to watch: unattended delivery, inadequate packaging at origin, concealed damage reporting windows, installation-related errors if not explicitly included
Use a photo-based condition protocol (at pickup and after placement) and agree a claims SLA (what documents, when, and typical decision timelines). For high-value items, consider dedicated shipping insurance to cover gaps beyond carrier or mover limits.
How to choose a provider (practical checklist)
- Scope clarity: Crew size, stairs, door removal, room-of-choice, assembly steps, debris/haul-away, time on site
- Visibility: Real-time tracking/ETAs, pre-call, and photo proof at hand-off
- Protection & training: Floor/wall protection, lift/rigging capability, fragile-item playbooks
- Claims performance: Current certificates (cargo + GL), damage rate, average claim resolution time
- Right-sizing the tier: If no assembly is needed, room-of-choice may suffice; reserve white glove for items that truly need setup or precision handling
A simple example
You’re delivering a $7,000 sectional sofa. With standard delivery, the customer receives multiple cartons at the threshold, manages stairs, assembles parts, and disposes of packaging. With white glove delivery, a two-person crew books a precise window, carries pieces to the living room, assembles and levels the sofa, checks for defects, removes debris, and documents the result. If a scuff or loose bracket is discovered, the provider’s checklist and photos accelerate remediation—and your insurance backstop keeps the customer whole.
Bottom line
White glove delivery is a strategic upgrade when value, fragility, and experience matter. Specify the scope, verify insurance, and use photo-driven proof. You’ll reduce damage, cut support costs, and turn delivery day into a “wow” moment customers remember. For shipments where failure is expensive, pairing white glove delivery with solid coverage is simply smart logistics.
