This cabinet needs assembly, but it is no where near as difficult to put together as many types of furniture purchased online. Once completed, the piece looks stylish and eyecatching. It does NOT look cheap. One gets what one pays for with this cabinet. The black is a "distressed" look so might appear a very dark espresso brown under certain lights. It is not a glossy jet black. There is a lot of very good storage room inside, and the drawer is easy to open and close. The accompanying hardware is attractive. Our cabinet came missing one of the magnetic closures, so I had to contact Overstock's customer service department. All of their communications with me were prompt and detailed, and the missing piece was sent out within a few days. Once it arrived, our cabinet was complete. Nice merchandise, excellent customer service - and all this for my very first time ordering from Great Offer Stock.com. I am impressed.