...and if you already have laminate or hardwood floors, they want to SELL you some carpeting (UP TO 80% OFF!)... installed with lots of spikes and stuff so that if you get tired of it and remove the carpet, you find out the floor underneath has been ruined

At least with an area rug you can roll it up, take it outside, and return the dirt to whence it came. With carpet you have to run a shitty electric suction bag over it, sometimes twice. Carpets indeed suck. What happens if there's deep stain? Also, a portion of those dogshit particles will be forever locked within the fabric, beyond reach of spray or brush bristles. In closing, fuck carpets.