I wish all online companies would include shipping in their costs. It would make life a lot easier and probably help boost sales.  I talk to probably 2 or 3 people a week that are gymnastic coaches or cheer-leading instructors and I see how much gymnastics equipment is necessary and how expensive it is to ship and how hard they work for funding.

Remember being a kid, really wanting a kids play mat or a toy or something and having to save up for it? I do. I remember when CD players first started becoming big and I wanted one so bad, but my mom said I would need to save the $60 myself.  After a few months of doing odd chores and hoarding lunch money, I was finally able to afford it. Imagine how devastating it was to learn I didn’t think about tax? The same goes for shipping prices, in my opinion. Most instructors, or students themselves, go online looking for the best price possible and start working as hard as they can to raise the money only to find out they’re still short a couple hundred dollars for shipping.

We at MatsMatsMats.com include shipping cost in almost all of our gymnastics mats, dance equipment like the ballet barre, and many other products, which make saving money for these super simple! You will know exactly what your cost is, without having to predict shipping costs (especially since there isn’t an exact science to figuring it out).  It’s not like tax where you can just add a percentage. So many factors come into play. The lightest item can cost $100 to ship because it’s bulky, and vice versa for smaller items.  As a super consumer, I really appreciate companies like ours that make purchasing so easy.

I was going through all the wonderful comments you guys make on our website and I was pleased to see how many of you decided to go with our company because a product was Made in America. I knew our Gymnastics Equipment as well as our Dance Equipment and many of our other products, are made in America.  Whenever I hear “Buy American” I usually see it as a marketing ploy. I can’t stand salesmen or ploys to trick me into buying something (which will make me the most honest salesman ever). I went online to look up actual reasons to buy USA made products and I’m going share with you my favorite:

-Foreign labor standards allow unsafe worker conditions in many countries. When you buy American you support not only American manufacturers but also American workers, safe working conditions, and child labor laws.

-US manufacturing processes are much cleaner for the environment than many other countries; many brands sold here are produced in countries using dangerous, heavily polluting processes. When you purchase American-made product, you know that you’re helping to keep the world a little cleaner for your children.

-The growing lack of USA ability to manufacture many products is strategically unsound. When you seek out American-made goods, you foster American independence.

- Foreign product safety standards are low. For example, poisonous levels of lead are in tens of millions of toys shipped to the USA. When you buy toys and other goods made in the USA, you can be confident that American consumer protection laws and safety standards are in place to protect your family.

- As the US manufacturing ability fades, future generations of US citizens will be unable to find relevant jobs. Buy American and help keep your friends and neighbors-and even yourself-earning a living wage

-Shipping anything from overseas can take a long time and be pricey when you consider duties and fees that have to be paid. Even if you don’t order directly from another country, if the company you do order from gets their products from overseas- they most likely pass those extra fees onto you

I was going to list all our products that are made in the good ol’ U S of A, but then I discovered it’s too many.  From Gymnastics to Dance, you can be sure it’s made here- even most of our Anti Fatigue Mats.  In fact, the things you won’t find are made here are the Soft Floor Tiles (trade show flooring) and our Yoga Mat.  But I guess you can’t win them all.

I have two nieces.  They have been princesses, witches, models, pop stars, scientists, superheroes, and just about every other occupation you can think of.  Of course, nothing could prepare us for the very creative ways that they go about fulfilling the tenures of their latest imaginary employment.  I’m sure we can all relate.

The mess on the kitchen mats from the five-star chef.  The crayon art on the walls from our little Picassos.  Even the near flood on the floor mats from our bath-tub Jacques Cousteaus.  They all serve to inspire us on the time where we really felt and thrived on the idea that absolutely anything we could think of was a potential occupation.  

While we’re in the bathroom, let me tell you about my co-worker’s niece Emma.  This little doll is a gymnast in the making.  Her parents, being the good folk they are, have catered her physicality with gymnastics equipment and classes, the toys and tools that might make this little tike the next McKayla Maroney.  This unfortunately, does not slow down the imagination and as she lacked gymnastic bars, she decided to do a little practicing with the towel racks in the bathroom.  

Suffice it to say, these are most certainly not the ticket to fame and fortune, but might make for a good scowling form the folks.  Lesson be learned parents: Keep the young ones occupied with the right tools and an extra bit of supervision.

It was National ‘Mean Girls’ day recently, and I know you’ll make fun of me but I LOVE that movie!  So, as offended as I was, when this next thing happened to me, I thought it very appropriate:

I’m going away this weekend on a much needed mini vacation to Catalina Island.  I’m really looking forward to turning off my phone and just disconnecting for a while.  I haven’t really had any time to just relax and enjoy the amazing weather we’ve had this summer (I know…sad). 

So anyway…I went to Nordstrom yesterday looking for some swim shorts and when I asked the sales clerk she replied “That season is over, you can try Ross.”  I was mortified!  But being National Mean Girls Day I took it as festive. Plus, she really got me thinking about how fast the seasons are changing! That means the Holidays are fast approaching!!!  I somehow always forget to start shopping, so I guess I’m grateful?  Now I’m stressing out and starting to think about how I can get the most gifts for my buck. Getting to the mall to shop is not an easy task, especially when I start thinking about lack of parking and the unorganized shelves. I really would prefer to do all my shopping from home, if only I could not pay for shipping. 

 I wish I knew more people that needed dance equipment, gymnastics or cheerleading equipment.  We have many great products that are really affordable.   In fact, that is even before you take into account that a lot of the dance and gymnastics equipment includes shipping!  That really makes life easier because when I am budgeting how much money I will spend on all the people in my life, I rarely think about shipping costs.  I also never think about shipping errors, which is odd because I see how often shipments get lost or damaged.  By the way, if that ever happens follow the procedures from who you are ordering from and you will be protected. 

We can do everything we’re supposed to, to get your cheer mats or other package and out on time, and stuff still happens!  You wouldn’t believe how often a storm delays a plane, or a truck breaks down or some overwhelmed delivery guy accidentally delivers the package to the wrong address.  I figure I should probably start shopping now, and attempt to avoid all the chaos or at the very least have enough time to rectify the problem. Oh well…as soon as quitting time hits, I’m stress free!

Summer is here, and we’re trying to find things for our kids to do with their time other than gazing at some sort of illuminated LCD screen for hours on end!   If you’re in the same boat, have you considered buying some kids balance beams or other gym equipment for a game room or even to use in the back yard, under a shady tree?

You might be surprised at how much fun your kids will spend practicing handstands or other, simple maneuvers on their very own, foam balance beams, which aren’t nearly as dangerous to fall on, as traditional, wood beams. These lower, softer, lightweight beams are highly portable in that they are foldable, plus they’re lots of fun—and great exercise—for kids of pretty much all ages.

Check out what other gymnastics equipment you can add to your home game room or even school gym to encourage more physical activity for your kids!

If you are an administrator for a school or youth facility, then you surely have some experience in procuring decent gymnastics equipment.  It’s no small undertaking to find the right kind of mats, bars, and other equipment—especially for active kids—that will truly suit purposes of those using your facility.

The range of sizes of gym equipment runs the spectrum from items such as the mini bar and mini bar mat, pictured here, as well various tumbling mats, seamless flooring, jump ropes, and so forth. For instance, would you know where to look to find a vault pad for vaulting, or uneven floor bars?  Don’t feel bad, if you don’t: most us wouldn’t have a clue where to find such things, first time around!