Since the original crate was located at the entrance of our house, I needed to purchase this type of crate to have a nicer decorative appeal when we entered our home. We received the crate in one gigantic box. None of the pieces were broken, scratched, etc. Everything was carefully packaged and shipped. The assembly was very easy to put together. It took no time at all. The cage, itself is very flimsy and will bend and break easily if the dog is not already kennel trained. Since our dog is already kennel trained, we are not worried of her trying to pry the bars open, bite them, or bend the metal (like she did with our first, sturdy crate). If your dog is not kennel trained, do not purchase this product! Kennel train the dog first and have them get use to the environment before settling for this product. You will be disappointed in the flimsy quality. This kennel's primary objective is for decorative purposes. I was a little shocked at the quality of the wood and metal pieces for the price I paid. I've had this cage for one month now and am glad with my purchase (just not too happy with the cost). My dog loves the space it offers, and I love that the cage is no longer an eye sore in my home.