White Glove Delivery: What It Is, When You Need It, and Your Options Explained

Whether delivering furniture, appliances, heavy equipment or machinery, LTL shipping often involves shipping more than just pallets and delivering to a location that isn’t just a loading dock. When shipments are heavy, high-value, fragile, or destined for interior spaces, White Glove Delivery services come into play.

White glove services can be an invaluable tool for business owners across industries and understanding the finer points of these services in essential in using them effectively.

This guide breaks down what white glove freight delivery really means, the service levels available, when it makes sense to use it, and how Freightcom simplifies the entire process.

What Is White Glove Delivery?

White glove delivery is a freight service that goes beyond standard curbside or dock delivery.

At a minimum, pallet white glove delivery typically includes:

• Scheduled delivery appointments
• Professional handling by trained delivery teams
• Placement of the shipment inside the customer’s location (not just at the door)
• Optional unpacking and packaging removal

Unlike standard freight delivery, where the carrier’s responsibility often ends at the curb or loading dock, white glove services are designed for customer readiness.

Common use cases include:

• Furniture and home goods
• Medical equipment
• Appliances
• Commercial equipment
• High-value or fragile palletized goods

White Glove Delivery Options Available

White glove delivery isn’t one-size-fits-all solution. Through our trusted carrier partners, Freightcom offers multiple service levels depending on how much handling and labor is required at delivery.

Delivery to Threshold (One-Person)

• Shipment is brought to the first accessible doorway
• Performed by a single delivery professional
• No interior placement or unpacking

Best for: Smaller pallets or locations with easy access where minimal handling is required.

Delivery to Threshold (Two-Person)

• Two delivery professionals handle the shipment
• Delivered to the doorway or entrance only
• No interior placement

Best for: Heavier pallets or awkward items that require two people for safe handling.

Delivery to Room of Choice (One-Person)

• Shipment is carried inside to a specific room or area
• One delivery professional
• No unpacking or packaging removal

Best for: Palletized goods that are manageable by one person and don’t require setup.

Delivery to Room of Choice (Two-Person)

• Two-person delivery team
• Interior placement to a specific room or floor
• No unpacking or debris removal

Best for: Heavy, bulky, or delicate items requiring additional care and manpower.

Delivery to Room of Choice & Packaging Removal (One-Person)

• Interior placement
• Packaging materials removed and disposed of
• Single delivery professional

Best for: Moderate-weight pallets where a clean, customer-ready delivery is required.

Delivery to Room of Choice & Packaging Removal (Two-Person)

• Full white glove service
• Two-person delivery team
• Interior placement and packaging removal

Best for: High-value, heavy, or fragile shipments where customer experience is critical.

When Should You Use White Glove Delivery?

White glove delivery makes sense when standard freight services create risk to the product, the recipient, or your brand.

You should strongly consider white glove delivery if:

• The shipment is too heavy or awkward for a single person
• The delivery location lacks a dock or forklift
• The product is fragile, expensive, or customer-facing
• You’re shipping to residential addresses
• Customer experience and professionalism matter
• You want to reduce damage claims, refusals, or re-delivery costs

In many cases, white glove delivery costs less than the downstream problems caused by failed or incomplete deliveries.

Freightcom: One Platform for Every Shipping Need

Freightcom makes white glove freight delivery easy by bringing it into the same platform you already use for parcel, LTL, and full truckload shipping.

With Freightcom, you can:

• Compare carriers and service levels in one place
• Select the exact white glove option required
• Schedule deliveries and appointments
• Track shipments in real time
• Manage invoices, claims, and exceptions centrally

Freightcom gives you one account, one platform, and full visibility across all your shipping needs.

White Glove Delivery FAQs

Is white glove delivery only for residential shipments?

No. White glove services are commonly used for both residential and commercial deliveries, especially when interior placement or professional handling is required.

Does white glove delivery include assembly or installation?

No. White glove typically covers placement and packaging removal.

Is white glove delivery more expensive?

In certain cases it might be, but it often reduces total cost by preventing damage, re-delivery fees, customer complaints, and claims.

Do I need white glove delivery for every pallet?

No. White glove is best used selectively when the shipment, location, or customer experience justifies it.

Can I choose either one-person or two-person delivery?

Yes. Freightcom allows you to select the appropriate service level based on shipment weight, size, and delivery conditions.

How do I know which option to choose?

If unsure, start with:

• Two-person delivery for heavy or fragile pallets
• Room of Choice for interior delivery needs
• Packaging Removal for customer-ready delivery

Contact your dedicated account manager, or sign-up today, to have one of our shipping specialists walk you through your options.

Final Takeaway

White glove freight delivery isn’t about luxury, it’s about control, professionalism, and risk reduction.

By choosing the right white glove service level and managing it through Freightcom, businesses can ship smarter, protect their products, and deliver a better customer experience, every time.