The mat wasn’t in a box and had been warmed in the delivery truck so it was pliable and laid flat right from the start. It works great keeping the chair casters from ruining our new laminate flooring.
I have carpet underneath a large office desk and chair and don’t want to ruin it. These mats are thick sturdy last a few years and are reasonably priced. If you have carpets underneath your desk chair this is a pretty necessary item. It has sharp grips on one side of it to adhere to the carpet (they won’t hurt it) so be careful when carrying it and laying it down. They are somewhat sharp but work well to keep the mat in place.
I bought this one online over the lower priced mat in the store and it's a bit more sturdier. It's made for the Berber rug I have so that was a plus too. There's no lip around the edge so I don't trip on it. It does shift around about a 1/2" at times but that is not too much of a bother. The wheels do sink into the mat a bit and leave impressions but the mat bounces back nicely overnight. It has a smooth surface and cleans up easily. I'm happy with it for the price.