It took me weeks of looking at every store near my house to realize what an amazing deal this rug is. I was very nervous to make a purchase of something this size without seeing it first but I'm so glad I did - it's stunning! It unrolled and later flat right away and there was no smell to it. And there was no shedding! It feels really comfortable - my kids love playing on it. One of the tassels was unraveled upon opening but it was an easy fix and I couldn't be happier with the look of this rug.