Chair arrived in a heavy duty box, but a small portion of the base was poking through the box. The box is just a tad too small, but because of bubble wrap, no damage occurred during shipping. The base is not welded very nicely. They even provide a plastic cover to put over the center to cover up the bad welds. But from a distance, the chrome shines, so if you're not too picky, it will still look good. Easy assembly with 4 screws and the hex tool, so no tools necessary. Pop the wheels on, put the hydraulics in the base and put the seat on the hydraulics. Easy as pie. Chair is small but I also have a larger rear, so it hugs my butt nicely. It's actually very comfortable against my back. Long term use will determine if it's actually a good chair. I wanted something with low or no arms do I could sit with my legs up, but that's not possible with this seat. However, it's much healthier for me to sit with my legs down, so it's probably what I need. Cushion is not thick but since it hugs my backside, I'm not sure it needs a thick pad. The way it's designed and aesthetically, putting an extra seat pad on won't work. Wheels are typical plastic. I will trade them out for roller blade wheels that roll a lot smoother. All in all, it's an adorable chair that might work for my long crafting hours. If not, I will have a prettier chair for my living room desk that gets used only frequently. Stitching and fabric look good. For the price, it's a great moderate use chair.