For me, it arrived in perfect condition and looked just as it was pictured. However, I didn't notice the zipper in the back while looking at the pictures - it's a bit ugly. There is cushioning, but it's just a little stiff, not the most comfortable thing to sit on. This is made worse because the back rest is so low, and it sits a bit too far back. In order to use the back rest, you have to lean back quite a bit in this stool, which still isn't as comfortable as leaning onto the table itself. While eating, you have to learn forward a bit, so the backrests go unused in my house. My friend with scoliosis has to use a cushion because these seats don't provide the right lumbar support. Also note that although you can adjust the height, you can't adjust where the footrest is relative to the seat. This may be a good or a bad thing. But you do have to get out of the seat to raise the height, rather than just being able to push yourself up using the footrest. I'm giving four stars because it looks nice, assembly was easy, and it was accurate to the pictures.