My rug was delivered quickly, and was extremely well wrapped in several layers of heavy plastic. It is soft to the touch. There are numerous ripples in it which should flatten over time. I plan to use it in front of a large hearth only during fireplace season so a few tiny ripples won’t be a problem . The reason I only gave 4 stars is that it is not a rich black color like I expected, it is more of a charcoal black, but it still works for my purpose.