If you buy this item brand new, it should come in a plastic vacuum package typical of Sony products so it should be well protected during transport. Upon taking it out, it feels like a very robust piece of hardware but at the same time is lightweight.
The cards sit nicely in the slots which are a lot better compared with other readers I have used (notably one I bought from Jessops where after prolonged use, the card would no longer sit tightly in the slot and the contact pins wouldn't meet the card).
The USB cable it comes supplied with is just the right length so you do not have coils of wires over your desk but you get enough lead to place the reader where you need it.
Altogether from my experience of it so far, it meets up to the quality I would expect from a brand such as Sony. Recommended.