Curbside vs Threshold vs Room of Choice vs White Glove Delivery

When you buy something big, the delivery option on the checkout page can look like a list of nearly identical words. Curbside, threshold, room of choice and white glove all sound like they mean the item shows up at your house. They do not mean the same thing, and the difference decides who carries a 200-pound item up your stairs.

This guide explains the four service levels in plain terms, shows where each one stops, and helps you pick the right one for a home, a store or an office. For a quote at any level, call 866-216-7742 or use the quote form.

The four levels at a glance

• Curbside: the item is left at the curb or the end of the driveway.
• Threshold: the item is brought just inside the first entrance.
• Room of choice: the item is carried to the room you choose.
• White glove: room of choice, plus unpacking, assembly, inspection and removal of packaging and old units.

Each level adds work, and each adds cost, so the goal is to buy the one that covers what you cannot or do not want to do yourself.

Curbside delivery

Curbside is the most basic option. A driver, often working alone, brings the item to the curb or the driveway and leaves it. There is no carrying, no inside placement and no unpacking. It works for light items that one person can move, and for customers who have help ready.

The risk is the gap between the curb and the room. A heavy appliance or a boxed sectional can be left outside in the weather, and the customer is responsible for any damage that happens while moving it in.

Threshold delivery

Threshold delivery, sometimes called inside delivery or entry delivery, brings the item through the first door of the home or building and leaves it just inside. A crew of two usually does this, and they protect the entrance as they come through. It is a real step up from curbside, because the item is no longer outdoors and the heavy part of the carry is done. See our page on threshold delivery for what is included.

It stops at the door. If the bedroom is upstairs, the item stays in the entryway unless you have paid for more.

Room of choice delivery

Room of choice delivery carries the item to the room you pick: the living room, the upstairs bedroom, the basement, the office on the fourth floor. The crew places it in the room. It is usually priced higher than threshold because stairs, elevators and longer carries add time and effort.

Unpacking, assembly and debris removal are usually separate from room of choice. If the crew leaves the carton in the room, you are left to open it, assemble it and dispose of the packaging.

White glove delivery

White glove is the full service. A crew carries the item to the room, unpacks it, assembles or installs it, checks it with you for visible damage, and takes away the packaging and debris. If you are replacing something, they can haul away the old unit. For a more detailed breakdown, read our complete guide to white glove delivery or visit the white glove delivery service page.

When white glove is worth it

• The item needs assembly, such as a bed frame, a dining set or modular furniture.
• The item is fragile or high value, and you want it inspected while the crew is there.
• You are receiving several pieces and do not want to deal with the packaging.
• You are an office, clinic or store and need the item in place and ready for use.
• You are replacing an old unit and want it taken away.

How to choose

For a home

If a delivery is light and the route is easy, threshold may be enough. If the item goes upstairs, or you want to avoid opening and assembling it, move up to room of choice or white glove. For a mattress, a sectional or a major appliance, many customers pick white glove for the assembly and the cleanup alone.

For a store or an e-commerce brand

Your customer will judge you on the delivery, not on the factory. Retailers that ship big and bulky items often offer white glove as a premium option and room of choice as the standard. Our final mile for retailers and last mile delivery pages show how those programs work.

For an office, clinic or business site

Business deliveries almost always need room of choice at a minimum, because freight left in a lobby is in the way. Add white glove when the item must be assembled, set up and made ready for staff. Buildings often require a reserved freight elevator, a loading dock slot and a certificate of insurance, which is part of the planning.

What to tell the carrier no matter which level you pick

• The item, its size and its weight.
• The addresses, and whether either is a house, an apartment or a commercial building.
• Stairs, elevators, narrow doorways and tight turns on the route.
• Building rules, including dock hours and insurance requirements.
• The date you need it and whether it needs a specific time window.
• Whether an old unit needs to be taken away.

Where we deliver

We deliver at every level, nationwide. Our city pages explain how delivery works in each region, including Richmond, Washington, DC, Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Frequently asked questions

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Tell us what you are receiving and we will tell you which level fits. Call 866-216-7742 or send the details through the quote form.