Curbside, threshold, room of choice, white glove: delivery levels explained
Delivery names are shorthand. Tell the customer where the furniture goes, what the crew does there, and which services cost extra.
The OrderPilot team·
“Free delivery” can mean a sofa placed in the living room, legs attached and packaging removed. It can also mean a pallet outside. A delivery level describes the work purchased with the transport: where the piece is left, how it is handled, and what happens to the packaging.
Names and inclusions vary by carrier. Sell a written scope beside the name, and give the delivery team the same scope. That is how the customer’s expectation becomes a service the crew can actually perform.
What do the common delivery levels mean?
Use these as common descriptions, then replace them with the exact terms of the service your store supplies.
| Level | Common meaning | Details to spell out |
|---|---|---|
| Curbside | Delivery outside, such as the curb or driveway | Exact drop point, pallet handling, and customer responsibilities |
| Threshold | Delivery to or just inside an accessible entrance | First dry area, garage, steps, and building entrance versus apartment door |
| Room of choice | Carrying the piece to a selected room | Stairs, access, unpacking, and whether assembly is excluded |
| White glove | A broader service that may include unpacking, placement, assembly, and packaging removal | Every included task, plus exclusions and access limits |
For a real carrier example, Averitt’s final-mile services distinguish doorstep, front-door, room-of-choice, and premium service. Its premium description includes unpacking and debris removal; assembly is not listed in that description. The label alone would not justify promising assembly.
The guide to named delivery lines turns these definitions into something the customer can recognize on a quote.
Should white glove include taking away the old sofa?
Only include haul-away when the store has arranged and priced that service. Removing packaging from the new sofa and removing the old sofa are different jobs.
State whether old furniture must be accessible, what items the crew accepts, and any condition restrictions supplied by the provider. If disassembly or disposal costs extra, settle that before booking. A truck arriving with a new sectional should not discover its return cargo during the doorway conversation.
For the rest of the service, make the distinctions equally plain. Attaching supplied legs is different from a complicated assembly task. Electrical connection, wall mounting, and moving unrelated furniture need their own agreed scope.
How should the store price the levels?
Start with the service cost and the delivery conditions, then choose a price structure staff can explain. A flat amount by service level is simple; delivery zones, item counts, or clearly named add-ons can address work that varies.
For an illustrative quote, say room-of-choice delivery costs the customer $200 and an agreed assembly service adds $50. Show a $250 total service charge or two clearly named charges, with the included work described. If old-sofa haul-away is excluded, the customer should see that before accepting.
A “free delivery” offer still needs a defined level. Explain the area and conditions of the offer instead of leaving the word “free” to describe an unlimited service. The delivery-pricing guide examines that decision in more detail.
How do you keep the crew’s work aligned with the sale?
Send the provider the service scope, item list, access information, and agreed extras. Ask the provider to confirm the booked level using its own terminology. That comparison catches a mismatch before the customer watches the truck arrive.
Use an arrival checklist covering condition, placement, assembly where included, and packaging removal. Photos and customer sign-off record what happened. The delivery-day checklist should reflect the service sold, rather than a generic “delivered” box.
Choose a last-mile partner that can explain these differences clearly. Staff and drivers need the same meaning for “inside.”
Can pieces on one order have different arrangements?
Yes, but make the scope explicit for each piece. A customer may take a lamp home today, collect dining chairs later, and have a sofa delivered with setup. Those are distinct handoffs, even though they belong to the same sale.
If separate delivered pieces receive different service levels, identify which service applies to which goods in the description and delivery instructions. A fee name alone should not leave the crew guessing whether assembly applies to the table, the sofa, or both.
How does OrderPilot show the service?
OrderPilot supports reusable named fee lines, such as “Threshold delivery” or “White glove delivery,” that print separately on the quote. Service products can also represent priced services where appropriate. Delivery versus store pickup is set per line. Named fees are order-level charges, so describe their scope clearly when the goods have different service arrangements. Documents show separate delivery and pickup tables when both are used. Routing and appointment scheduling happen outside OrderPilot. The order gives the team a record of the goods, handoff choice, and charges to use when arranging the service.
Next, review how to sell delivery as an add-on, with the scope visible before the customer says yes.
Sources
- Final-mile delivery services: Service options — Averitt. Carrier-specific examples; delivery names are not universal standards.
Sell the work the crew will perform, not just the name of a delivery level.
