It has really helped on the carpet. My chair rolls a lot easier. But when you set in the same spot you get a rut. I don't know what effect ths will have over time if any.
Don't buy this to go on your carpet at home! That's not what it's for. Yes it is a thinner material because it's meant to go on 1/4" thick carpet in office buildings with no pad underneath. People writing reviews of this are disappointed because it's cracking and gets dents in it. READ THE DESCRIPTION BEFORE YOU BUY! It's like writing a bad review of a Honda Civic because it broke down the first time you took it off-roading. This is product is perfect for its intended use.
Our company purchased several of these couple of years ago and so far we only had to replace 2 mats. We really work these mats with our chairs and I like how the mats really hold up.