The Mattress Industry is One Big Scam
The last time I bought a mattress for myself was about 11 years ago. I bought a fairly new full-sized one off a coworker. Four moves and a decade later, we’ve decided it’s time to replace it with an adult (and sometimes an extra toddler)-sized bed.
Shopping Blind
When we started looking, I was shocked at the prices. $3000 for a mattress? What the heck are these things made of? Knowing very little, we went shopping for a mattress and other things on a Saturday morning. The first place, we stopped, Sleepy’s, seemed nice enough. We laid on a few and honed in on the one that we both felt most comfortable in. Meanwhile, Audrey discovered the fun of letting herself fall backwards onto mattresses and did it all over the store. She was giggling and the whole store couldn’t help but look and smile at her. Unfortunately, we soon stopped smiling.
When we found something we liked, the seemingly helpful salesman started to get more aggressive. He asked how much we were looking at paying and I made up a number on the spot, something way below the listed price on the bed. The said he would “talk with his manager” and see if he could get us that price. Then he started asking us if we could commit and have it delivered tomorrow. Anne had walked outside to give Audrey a break by that point, so I said I had to go out and talk with her about it. We talked about it for a bit, then decided we didn’t like the high-pressure sales pitch, so we got ready to leave.
I had the car started up when the salesman came out and approached the car window. He then said that he had “talked to his manager” and he could give us the price we wanted AND a free “platinum package”. I said we would talk about it and let him know. We again decided this was sketchy, but to make good on my promise, I went in and gave him my phone number and left.
Later that day we went to Jordan’s Furniture, generally known to be a reputable place with reasonable places. The salespeople there were nice and NOT high-pressure. Prices were generally lower, but strangely, we couldn’t find the mattress we found at Sleepy’s. They had Sertas, but not the one we liked.
Being indecisive, we left with a couple new names of ones we liked. Later, we went to Mattress Discounters. The woman there was not pushy and told us about the BBB complaints that Sleepy’s (a 700-store chain) had gotten. We decided to think some more and head home.
At home, I did some research online and I found something strange – I couldn’t find much of anything on the mattresses we saw that we liked. I found some mattresses, many of the same brand, but not the same models.
One Big Scam
I later came to find out that this was completely intentional. The mattress industry is one big scam. There is no way to make an objective decision on a mattress using actual facts.
Here’s a few things that the mattress industry does to get you:
1. They mark up their prices 100% to 200%!! No wonder the first guy was able to get his “manager” to give me such a steep discount. They were probably still going to make hundreds of dollars of profits on it.
2. They give the same mattresses different names in different stores or they set up exclusivity agreements by mattress line in certain stores. This makes it impossible to comparison shop because…
3. They make it really had to get actual facts about the mattresses. Stuff like coil counts, materials, overall construction are shrouded in secrecy. But that doesn’t really matter because…
4. There’s no objective measure of mattress quality. Consumer Reports won’t rate them because they can’t get the data and there’s no testing that actually says higher coil counts are better or the number of wires in the coils makes a difference in any way. You’re left to deciding how much you believe the marketing. Is a pillow top made of alpaca hair any better than one made of cotton? Your guess is as good as mine.
5. There’s very little online reviews of mattresses, probably because the model names are so fractured. The ones I did find looked more like content-free sites designed to attract referral credits.
Cracking the Code
With some more research, I found out that it was somewhat possible to compare mattresses models from different places. It turns out that they really only make one hardness variation in each line. So you can assume that a Plush Firm mattress in the “Classic” line, is the same as another Plush Firm in the Classic line, even if they have different names.
US-mattress.com was very helpful in figuring this out. We were able to understand which mattresses we saw and how they related to each other. For example, the mattress we liked at Jordan’s was a product line better than the one we saw at Mattress Discounters, even though they came out to the same price! Clearly Jordan’s had the better deal, but US-Mattress had an even better deal.
So I did something I never thought I could do, buy a mattress over the internet. I’m pretty sure it’s the same one we saw in the store and the free delivery and frame were a good deal. I’m sure that even if I’m getting it at half the price I saw it listed at elsewhere, they’re still making a decent profit on it.
Anne and I agree that buying a mattress is worse than buying a car. While both have sketchy salespeople, when you buy a car, you can compare them on MPG, size, features, etc. Multiple dealers have the same models so you can compare prices and make an informed decision based on their invoice prices. There’s none of that when buying a mattress.
Our mattress should arrive in a few weeks. Hopefully we’ll just find it comfortable enough to have to avoid going through buying a mattress again for at least another 11 years.
UPDATE: The mattress arrived quickly and in good condition. We’ve been sleeping on it for several nights and while it feels comfy, I’ve had some upper back soreness which seems to be related to the new mattress. I’m going to keep trying it for a few more weeks and see if my body adjusts as the US-mattress.com website suggests. Hopefully it will go away. Otherwise, we’ll have to find another one and do a $100 exchange I guess.
August 20th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Yeah, 60 minutes had an episode on the great mattress scam a few years back. Product names are basically invented for each retailer, so the “find this model cheaper somewhere else” can’t be done.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:29 am
It is also a big part of Douglas Coupland’s book “Eleanor Rigby”. Quite funny how he explains it there.
August 21st, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Thanks for this article. This echoes the frustrations I had a few months back. We decided to look for a futon frame at a mattress store, and wandered toward adjustable tempurpedic beds. The guy was way to pushy/slimy.
We decided later we didn’t need the fancy bed… I’d definitely like it, but I really wish there was a better place to get beds.
August 23rd, 2008 at 11:57 pm
When I went mattress shopping last year I ran into this same issue. I should note I’m in Australia.
One bed shop openly admitted that I would not find the same mattress at other shops because although they both carry the same brands, each retail shop opts to carry a different range of mattresses at each price point to make it hard to compare.
I ended up deciding my budget then buying the first comfortable mattress at that price, given that the shops were all offering roughly similar discounts.
August 24th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
yeah…. I did a bunch of similar research a few years back and came to similar conclusions.
The furniture industry is similar but I’ve only researched the top of the iceberg.
I ended up buying the frame from the store and a used mattress off craigslist.
I think I ended up spending $700 total but 90% of this was spent on the frame which was solid wood.
Kevin
August 26th, 2008 at 10:04 am
I discovered the same problem when I called up our local “mattress warehouse” to ask about coil counts. I basically told them that if they can’t provide coil counts I’ll take my business to someone who will because I’m not spending that much money and that much time sleeping on a mattress without knowing what I’m buying.
Incidentally, I made a spreadsheet including all the information from every vendor I can find. Then I can sort by Coil Count, firmness, etc, and at least I can compare items with similar features.
I think the Mattress industry is a sham. I can’t believe it’s legal! Oh, and the kicker…the local mattress warehouse place claims to beat competitor’s prices! An easy claim to make when you have no way of finding any comparable products in the first place!
Michelle
August 31st, 2008 at 8:02 am
Jeff I hope you read this I need some info. did you receive your mattress and did you like it. I am in the process of purchasing one right now fr Mattress.com Help? SHould I?
September 2nd, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Hi Jeff!
I ran across your blog post while I was surfing the web and I wanted to stop in and make sure everything went okay with your purchase. I know buying a mattress online can be a little intimidating. I’m glad to hear that our information was able to help you find the mattress you were looking for. I’m even happier to know we were the best price for you!
If you need anything or have any more questions, please don’t hesitate to call our customer service people (1-800-455-1052) or drop us an email (help@us-mattress.net).
Hope you’re getting a good night’s sleep now!
September 13th, 2008 at 1:28 am
Hey Jeff, hope you and the family are doing great back east. As for mattresses, we discovered this “scam” a few years ago when we were looking to purchase our first bed. We figured out which mattresses were similar (prices were similar), then went with the nicest salesman (at JCPenney of all places).
Just remember to flip and rotate your mattress just like your car tires. We do this about every other time we change our sheets.
September 23rd, 2008 at 11:32 am
I reached the same conclusion that you did that it is a crooked business. We bought a Serta soon after we married 10 yrs. ago and it was like the slab at the morgue. We listened to all that coil count etc. and still hated it. We donated it to a home for battered women. We then thought “Tempur-pedic!” Boy, they are just so expensive. We bought ours on the internet (a no-name brand) and it is fine. It was half the price and has it flaws, but it didn’t make our backs hurt and didn’t break the bank.
September 23rd, 2008 at 4:45 pm
I’ve always slept on a waterbed. The firmness (or softness) can be adjusted by the amount of water put into it.
September 23rd, 2008 at 5:30 pm
we’ve been ikea bed and mattress owners for the past 25 years. we recently bought a new bed and mattress again from ikea – total price for under $1000. we’ve always slept soundly, and have ever rarely experienced any backaches or bad sleeps.
September 23rd, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Great post. I only wish that I had this information about six months ago when my wife and I were looking for a new mattress. We ended up spending nearly $3000 for our mattress but that was after the $2000 one destroyed our backs. Good luck with the new mattress. I hope that your back adjusts better than mine did.
September 23rd, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Thanks for the info. We just purchased a mattress from Big Lots for use in a second bedroom(cheaper than anywhere else). But in looking around on line to compare Serta’s, I ran into the same thing – never the same style name. This is done with appliances and TV’s and almost anything else you can think of. Any store that offers to beat the competition’s price on a certain thing knows that no one else carries that model name, number or whatever they use for identifier.
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Wow thats nuts. I also went through that sort of trouble when buying a mattress.. now I’m thinking I over payed for it
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Everybody has a different preference, so I don’t think the coil count etc. really matter. I bought a thin foam mattress from Ikea along with the bent wooden slats that come with the bed. I haven’t slept so well in years.
Also, I work in sales and I think a 100-200% markup is pretty standard across most industries. Once you factor in the sales commission, the salaries of non-commission employees, shipping, and everything else that comes with running a business, the actual profit isn’t as much as you would think.
September 28th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
I bought a queen mattress from a store front in Phoenix for $200. Best mattress that I’ve had in years, and since I put it in a mountain cabin, every relative that has stayed there has commented on it.
Thus, my comment is that you should go to smaller shops and lay on them, but the one that you want, price means nothing.
September 29th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Live by the advice I got from my uncle who worked in the mattress shop for years. Buy the heaviest mattress in your price point that is comfortable. It will last the longest, because the coils are the only thing that weigh anything. And never buy a pillow top. Not being able to flip your bed will make uneven wear. And getting a feather bed to put on top of your mattress amount to the same thing, except the feather bed is replaceable and let the mattress be flipped.
October 3rd, 2008 at 8:22 pm
buy the costco memory foam matress for $500
October 13th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Don’t buy the costco memory foam. It is made by Novafoam. 100% petroleum foam and harmful chemical fire barrier. Buy the Keetsa memory foam. 12% plant oil, no VOC. Keetsa.com
November 17th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Mattress buying is the most frustrating experience. I’m one of those super consumers who researches and compares everything about a product I’m thinking of buying and I’ve never seen anything so confusing as a mattress purchase. I don’t know how they can get away with this!
January 27th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
I confess I work in the mattress biz.
The inability to comparison shop “models,” it’s a tradition. Retailers everywhere demand their own unique sku’s. The goofy half-off sales, that’s a tradition too. Some retailers, though, are avoiding that behavior now.
But you must admit, this is the only consumer product that no matter what brand it all seems the same–white rectangles.
So they jazz things up–foams, coil counts, stretch knits, hypoallergenic yada yada.
My advice: find a furniture or mattress store you like w/good sales help or cs, and a wide selection. And buy there. Good-sized stores cover all the price points.
My new latex mattress is fabulous. The old bed gave me a backache. A new mattress is worth its weight in feeligs of well-being.
March 3rd, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Issues with Simmons & Sleepys
From: Alan Prefer
Date: Sat, Feb 28, 2009 at 2:10 PM
Subject: Listening to the voice of reason
To: dacker@sleepys.com, tom.freet@sleepys.com, ablank@sleepys.com, tfreet@sleepys.com, sacker@sleepys.com, amarder@sleepys.com
- Show quoted text -
Why wont you attempt to work with a consumer to resolve an issue and be logical:
mattress set wasnt what was represented…list 2799, i went to my max budget which was 1400 and said, if you cant do the deal, then we will understand…YOU DID the deal
the set which wasnt in that store The Bianca…which is truly what the set should have been is 3999, so at 50% it would be 2000…
manny offered to switch out originally for 478 then for 620 then everything changed
we dont have the money but to clear everything and move on we would find the money
doesnt it make more sense to do the right thing and be done, rather than this disaster the way that it is?
alan
On Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 6:26 PM, Alan Prefer wrote:
This is an email which was sent to the president of Simmons.
Your customer service has an attitude issue and they dont get it. Have you ever tried to call in and see how your “customers” get manhandled and treated. I am sure that if you got treated the way that they treat customers, you wouldn’t stand for it.
You took a satisfied return customer and alienated them and in this economy, thats not good for business.
I was hiumiliated, made to feel like an idiot and told that the mistake was my fault…read this letter
I will also be sending an email to all the news channels and telling them my story.
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: Alan Prefer
Date: Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 5:44 PM
Subject: Simmons Issues & Why American Companies Lose in the Market
To: ceitel@simmons.com, charles.eitel@simmons.com, charles_eitel@simmons.com
I hope this email gets to you.
I left you a message on your voice mail as well
I just got off the phone with Sleepys and Sleepys Customer Service.
Let me start at the beginning:
We currently own a Simmons Dalton mattress-great mattress queen sized, puchased 3 years ago approx from Sleepys
We decided to upgrade to a king…but the same format
We went into Sleepys on 2/16, my wife’s birthday to get a king on Route 4 W in NJ
We were undecided between a SpringAir and your Balthazar mattress
My wife decided to stay with the Simmons and go through Sleepys
We went back to Sleepys and placed the order taking our budget as far as we could-which we explained to our sales person
The mattress came in and was very late on Friday evening…about 10:30…I had to bribe our building to get it in
They set it up and we sat on it…wasnt the same feel as in the store…no padding like sleeping on a rock
We contacted the store and went there on Sat
They acknowledged that other people had had the same complaint and they upcharged them to switch
They said that the bed in the window might have been sat on too much (yeah right) , they had had other complaints on this bed and misrepresentations, told to us by Manny
After going back and forth, Marcy the Simmons regional rep (908-875-6891) indicated that the mattress had been in the sun too much (????) and that it had been there for a long time and its too bad, not her responsibility.
Isnt it a mfg rep responsibility to ensure that the places selling her product have good product
Product which properly respresents what someone will get if they purchase
Then she said to go look at a different model…that wasnt the same feature set as the Balthazar
Then we finally cornered her (she REFUSED to come to our home and see the mattress to understand our issues) NO ONE WOULD COME OUT AND SEE THE BED..its hard as a rock and no padding
Sleepys then said, its too bad, we will do nothing for you…the bed we wanted which we saw subsequently was more money and they decided that they were considering ours a switch out, not a bad mattres and considered it an exchange and were charging more than we could afford. Hugo is a nasty human being.
We went to 6 stores in 6 nights, ended up fighting between ourselves over what should have been a fun experience
This isnt the way to run a business or build especially in this economy. The mattress that was represented was not the mattress which we had delivered. The bed and its sitting here and Simmons lost a client and Sleepys lost a sale and a reference.
Doesn’t any one care any more…..
At the end of the day, after we found an acceptable mattress and called Manny, he first said it would be 478 more, then called back and said 620 more…THEN said that the company wouldnt stand behind him and it had to be considered a replace and was 1070 more. NOT NICE
-
April 21st, 2009 at 7:53 pm
I am shopping for a new mattress after 13 years with the same bed. It does seem like a scam and the sales pressure is amazing. They want to make their buck that day. Anyway, I am confused about coil count and coil gauge. After much looking in stores, I found a sealy posturepedic online that has the PostureTech coil system. The coil gauge is 14 and the coil count in 986. I have not seen it in the showrooms. It sounds great, but what does the coil gauge mean? Does the higher coil count matter? I do like a firm bed, but there are now so many firm options. One place is really pushing the Natural Allure that is firm, but a little fluffy on top. It has some kind of bamboo in it and is considered a green bed. I am suspicious! Can anyone help direct the search?
April 23rd, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Looking for a new king, esp. since my wife will soon be undergoing back surgery and it’s time to put our 20-y.o. mattress out of its misery. CostCo is offering a Posturepedic ["West Wind Plush"] for $1,300. I like CostCo [no superslick sales person trying to push a particular brand or model because of the greater commission it will bring him] and I think Sealy PostPed has a good performance record…yes? no? Any advice, comments? Thanks.
May 23rd, 2009 at 12:03 am
I shopped at Back-to-Bed and allowed myself to be sold a Tempur-pedic Deluxe bed by a condescending salesperson for too much money when afterwards I realized my cheaper Serta in the guest room with a memory foam,eggshell foam pad on top from HomeGoods worked better for much less money.
The one scam I did not fall for though was the $3,600 top-of-the-line Temper-pedic bed with a pillowtop. If the whole basis for how the temper-pedic beds work is your body’s heat melds into the memory foam of the bed, then how can it possibly do that if you have pillowtop material present between your body and the memory foam? Your body heat cannot possibly carry through all the way through the pillowtop material and your sheets to get through to the memory foam and then sink in to make an impression of your body to provide you that comfort fit. So you are paying for about a foot thick of memory foam for nothing.
If I had it to do over, I would have gone with my first instinct and bought the Westin Heavenly Bed off their website. I have always slept incredibly well when sleeping on those beds.
July 28th, 2009 at 12:22 am
I agree with you about almost everything in this article. The mattress industry is in dire need of a make-over. It’s confusing that they change all of the names, but normally you can just ask for specifications from a salesman, and he can provide you charts, etc.
The one point that is incorrect however is the mark-up.
The mark-up for MSRP is about 75%.
The mark-up of sales prices is about 50%.
That is very standard through most retail markets.
@Kate – Tempurpedic beds aren’t for everyone. Most people either love them or they hate them. That’s why there is a 90 day trial for exchange.
July 30th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
All the blame on the mattress industry? Ridiculous as all of you indicate that’s it’s the manufacturers. I work for a manufacturer and the worse thing for a manufacturer is multiple names, covers, and specifications. That trend is totally retail driven by big chains and department stores. They come in with the promise of high sales if they have their own covers and names. It’s purely retail driven because they will keep going to manufacturers with big promises until they find one who will do what they demand.
Since all of the big “S” brands are publicly owned or owned by financial firms it does not take long for a retailer such as Macy’s to find a company wanting more sales.
As far as the markups at retail, the wish is for a 45% gross margin which in almost every market is barely profitable after consumers demand negotiation on pricing and delivery and a free frame. It’s ridiculous that the furniture industry has been tainted by the car industry but that’s the result of retailer driving consumers nuts with multiple product lines.
For the record, manufacturers work on a much lower gross margin where a matter of a few dollars can make or break profits on a product.
August 13th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
When you shop for mattress, you should lay on the mattress for at least 10 mins and you should tell the sales person to go away. Also, make sure you tell the sales person whether you sleep on side or on your back, this will determine what type of mattress is best for you.
August 18th, 2009 at 9:03 am
Good advice for the most part. Some people will need a “caring” salesperson to stay, others will need to send them away. You should spend at least 10 minutes on the mattress you feel is right and you should lay in all sleeping positions for at least two minutes to see how your body will respond to that particular product.
There are good and bad people in the mattress business, just like any other business. The real key is finding people you feel comfortable doing business with and then not “over analyzing” it. Trust your instincts and relax. Goldilocks did it under much more pressure and found one that was “just right.”
August 27th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
This is so true. I’m currently needing a mattress and after a weekend of frustration I’ve concluded exactly what you have. Different names so you can’t compare, huge markups, phony sales.
This industry needs its version of the Knapp Commission, or Nap Commission as it were.
August 30th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
We’ve been looking for a mattress for the past week, and it has been one of the hardest and somewhat confusing ordeals we’ve ever been in. But with all my research, by now, I almost feel like a mattress expert, ha!
It’s true that the Manufacturers give different ‘personal names’ to different models for every store. You will not find the same model with the same name at any store. This is done to avoid price cuts and that ‘price matching’ gimmick (because it’ll be impossible to find a perfect match). Once you figure that out, just forget about the darn name. All you need to comparison shop (for real!) is make, model, series name, firmness, top, and price. For example:
Make: Sealy
Model: Posturepedic
Series name: Reserve
Firmness: Cushion Firm
Top: regular
After been ‘jumped’ by all those pushy sales people at different stores, I decided to look online and see what prices/deals I could find there. Now before I tell you more about that, I’d like to voice out my complaint and aggravation for all those sales people out there who know mostly NOTHING about the models at their stores (or mattresses in general for that matter). I found that so angering. They talked like they knew about the stuff, when really I knew a thousand times more than they did just by the research I’d done in a few days. I mean, they must really think everyone’s an idiot. I even had to correct many of them in the stupid and WRONG things they said about the mattresses. It was just beyond me that a store would have sales people who didn’t know anything about what they sold. Arghh… That said, my search online yielded awesome results. I found several websites with he mattress I’m interested in and their different prices, deals, etc. Hands down the best one I found was http://www.us-mattress.com. The prices are unbeatable. Period. I mean seriously $300 and more BELOW retailers prices AND FREE SHIPPING AND WHITE GLOVE SERVICE. Their website only posts prices for mattress sets, but if you call their 800 customer service # you can order mattress only (which of course costs less). We’re ordering ours tomorrow via phone, and I can’t wait! What a deal! Good luck to all you mattress seekers!
September 7th, 2009 at 1:02 am
You know what, I’m not interested in mattresses and have no intention of buying another one any time soon yet I just read that entire post without realizing it. It was actually interesting and I don’t know why. Nice writing and a great story.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
This blog post is about my personal experiences buying a mattress and for others to share their experiences and tips.
If you’re looking to use this page to try to get free advertising, go elsewhere.
October 9th, 2009 at 11:57 am
My hubby and I are going thru a similiar nightmare. We bought a bed from sleep train and in two years the left side is collapsing. There is a tiny water stain on the mattress barely visible to the naked eye, and they want to renig on the warranty using that loop hole! We just purchased our boys two new mattresses for their bunk beds a twin and a full and if they don’t guarentee their warranty, I am getting my money back with their 90 day no questions asked, return policy. Then I will take it to Costco or someone else! Any suggestions??
October 15th, 2009 at 10:32 am
We are sizing down from our king (which has been so comfortable for 10 years now) to a double and after reading this article I feel no matter what I pay or reviews I read I might not be happy.
My brother lives in Costa Rica and they all use Euro beds over there. I had the best nights sleep there, still not sure what a Euro mattress is? I’ve seen a few in the US for sale but they are really pricey!
Thanks for the article, now I know what to do when I go shopping this weekend.
October 25th, 2009 at 11:41 am
has anyone taken a look at million dollar mattress. custom when you order. kind of hard to want anything else.
November 7th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
I feel your pain people. For the Upset Sleep Train customer I am surprised by this. That is a very good group of people that typically takes great care of their customers. I work in the industry and know their CEO and he is really a stand up guy. If you have any further issues, you might want to reach out to him directly. You can reach me at @joplinquinn on twitter if you need more help I can try for you.
November 8th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
I work in the mattress industry and I completely understand your problems with the names changing from store-to-store.
I also get your complaint about the “pushy” salespeople. However, customers need to understand that salespeople are people first and their professions second. They do their jobs to support their lives.
Many times salespeople will become “pushy” when you give the buying signal that you like the mattress.
The reason for this is that if you’ve just had the salesperson cater to your beckon call for 45 minutes to an hour just to leave and “think about it” when really you’re leaving to price shop other stores means that you as a customer didn’t appreciate the salesperson’s efforts in helping you find the mattress you liked and you as a customer don’t feel that the salesperson should be paid for their time and service.
What then happens is the customers go to several other stores and then “give-up” and buy a bed from someone that probably didn’t spend much time with them and gave them a deal that will probably result in them getting fired for discounting entirely too much.
I sell mattresses, and work on commission. You know how much commission I make off of a full retail non-discounted $3,000 dollar mattress–only $97.43.
You know how often people buy mattresses at that price–about 4 times a month in my market. So that’s less than $400 in a month on high priced mattresses.
You know how much work goes into selling a $3,000 mattress–a lot. Because many times customers who are “just looking” or “just started” refuse to listen to salespeople when they explain to them that model names are different from store to store.
So the best advice is buy from the salesperson that is nice and spent the time with you to find the mattress you liked … not to go to 10 different stores and frustrate yourself. Once you find a bed you liked in your price point just save yourself the trouble and go for it.
November 24th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
I own a mattress store.
WAIT! Don’t shoot me yet!
Pretty much everything I’ve read on this blog is painfully true. But don’t hold it against all vendors…there ARE some good guys out there.
In Southern California almost EVERYONE says that they’ll beat EVERYONE’S price…How is that possible? Bottom line is that it isn’t possible…Unless…
Everyone carries a line of mattresses that are private labeled especially for them. Go to a big store…say Sears Or Jc Pennys….write down the name of every single bed in the store…now go to ANY other store and try to find the same bed. You CAN’T. So in other words Sears says “We’ll have the lowest price guaranteed or double the difference +10% on the Shiloh PT.” They are the ONLY store that HAS the Shiloh PT.
Does that whole thing suck? YES IT DOES! Is it legal…YES IT IS! Do I do it? NO I DON’T!
It’s legal…but it’s CRAP. It is the most disingenuous bit of business I’ve ever seen.
The original poster was right….with many name brands you can simply look for the line of bed and then the feel. For example The Simmons Beautyrest Classic Hanson Bay Firm is the same bed as the Simmons Beautyrest Classic Lorena Firm. You can find the line (Classic) and the feel (Firm) and that will go along way. You must remember though that there are several firms in the Classic line…there are a couple different levels even within the line so be a bit careful.
If you ever have a question about mattresses…buying…brands….scams… or anything else don’t hesitate to ask me…I’ll give you my HONEST OPINION!
Bruce Burnett
Owner
Dreamland Discount Mattress
1007 N. Azusa Ave. Covina CA 91722
dreamlanddiscountmattress@gmail.com
November 24th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
And by the way…as to the post from Amber…I am HAPPY to spend as much time as you need to buy a mattress. I am an owner and NOT on commission. My sales guys are on SALARY and NOT commission. They’ll spend as much time speaking to a customer about the least expensive mattress we carry as when talking about the most expensive….
Bruce Burnett
Owner
Dreamland Discount Mattress
1007 N. Azusa Ave. Covina CA 91722
dreamlanddiscountmattress@gmail.com
November 29th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
These posts read exactly like my experiences, Ditto on the mattress industry being a giant scam. It seems that it will only get worse, here is what I found from newspaper articles and Wikipedia. Serta is only a brand name, the beds are actually made by 8 independent companies. (neatly explains why some Serta’s suck and others get rave reviews). The Serta “brand” is owned by Ares and The Teachers Pension Plan(TPP) under the name National Bedding Company, (the largest licensee)and who manages the Serta brand . Here is the funny part, On Sept 25 2009 Simmons filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Ares and Teachers pension bought them. Yes, Serta and Simmons are owned by the same company. The public is being told they will remain competitive companies but anyone with half a brain would realize this is impossible.
Two good links for further info on buying a mattress are http://www.mattressscam.com/ and http://www.sleeplikethedead.com
December 3rd, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Consumers Report recently suggested spending 10-15 minutes on the mattresses of your choice cuts down comfort exchanges by 80%. That’s huge and well worth the time.
I, too, own a mattress store in Canada and feel your frustration. Is it the industry or is it the consumer?? BOTH! When I advertise a sale, no matter how good the price is (and I KNOW it’s a good price because I shop my competition on COMPARABLE beds) I am ALWAYS asked “what was the original price?”
As for Euro beds. Yes, they are pricey, but you definitely get what you pay for. Imagine buying a bed today and having it for life!! That means never having to go through the mattress buying nightmare you’re all hating! I suggest Carpe Diem, a handmade, natural bed from Sweden. It has beat out Hastens in Sweden for the past few years but priced considerably lower! It has 3 different layers of coils and is a engineering feat, conforming beautifully to the body.
Good luck in your quest for a good night’s sleep.
December 10th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Buyers beware of Sleepy’s. Their salespersons will say whatever you want to hear to make a sale. Their Prices are inflated so that they can then lower them to make you think you’re getting a good bargain. Look at their Prices and you can rest assured they will come down by about 20% by the time you’re ready to walk out the door. I wish I had walked.
What they fail to tell you is this: If you have a problem with your Mattress, you can forget about dealing with your salesperson. Your salesperson will have nothing to do with you! Instead you’re given a 1-800 number to call where you will deal with a faceless person who doesn’t know you from a hole in the wall. They’re quick to recite the company policy to you and if you have a problem you’re just out of luck. Even if you want to upgrade to a more expensive mattress, you’ll still have to pay a fee of $149 for a twin, $249 for a queen, and $399 for a king in order to exchange.
I recently bought a mattress advertised as a plush, (after the salesperson said that the one I was thinking of buying was not as well made as the one convined me to buy) but it turned out hard as a rock. My last mattress was a $1200 Sealy Plush and was never rock hard, even when it was brand new, so I know what I’m talking about. This mattress had “no give” whatsoever and I am convinced it was a mislabeled Firm. I asked to upgrade it to a more expensive plush version, one that would have cost me an additional $500 and I could still keep the same box spring, since it would match the upgrade. I asked if I kept the same boxspring and just exchanged the mattress would they still charge me the $249? and they said “Yes, it’s a flat Fee”. Needless to say, I cancelled two other mattress sets I had on deposit with Sleepy’s and sold my new mattress online. I lost $150 + taxes, but would have lost $250 plus pay another $500 for the upgrade with them. Now I can go buy my mattress sets elsewhere. They lost me as a customer and lost the sale of two other mattress sets in the process.
I understand the fees, but if you’re exchanging only one piece, why would you have to pay the full $249? Another thing I don’t like, is how they change foams and rename mattresses so that customers cannot comparison shop. This is how they can “Guarantee” lowest prices…they know you won’t find “their” mattress anywhere else! I am currently looking for a new mattress, but will make sure I deal with a store that won’t charge such a high exchange fee and where you will deal directly with a live human being.
February 11th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
One major element of the mattress scam which is overlooked by a lot of people is that A GOOD MATTRESS DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THAT THICK!!!
One of the reasons these cheats are able to get away charging such outrageous amounts for mattresses is that the manufacturers make mattresses sometimes approaching 2 feet thick… this gives the impression that you’ll get greater comfort! NOT SO. This is an integral part of the scam.
February 16th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
MATTRESS WAREHOUSE GIVE THE BEST DEALS…if you buy one online I hope that you can test it out with telepathy..
The best way to shop a mattress is to go to a store that sells each line from the best to the cheapest of the big brand names. If you buy an off brand, basically it is going to be a piece of dung even if it is at Sleepy’s. One thing I found out is that all generic brands are made cheaply in China…or most of the components are ( I have a friend that is an importer).
so..buy brand names, look at a store that has all off the lines from best to worst…and most importantly
DONT BE AN IDIOT…at least you can shop mattresses…and qualities….
not like the Cell phone oligopoly. do you want owen wilson or the hear me now guy who both have PRICE FIXES
February 25th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
Hello,
I have worked in the mattress industry for 4 years now. We tell every single person that comes in how to compare products and guarentee the lowest price on any “comparable” product, meaning that it does not need to be the exact same model. We even have a competitor reference system that has any pricematch ran in the past 100 days listed so that we can ensure the lowest prices.
When shopping the internet, always go to the About Us section. 90% of these sites are selling you a refurbished mattress that was likely obtained illegally and will not be covered under a Manufacturer’s Warranty. They can get away with this by selling a few new ones and hiding the small print in this section.
The internet site may say that they will give the warranty on the product, but who is to say they will be around when you need it.
All you have to do to make mattress shopping easy, even enjoyable, is to go into a store with a nice salesperson, try the mattresses out, find your favorite and tell the salesperson what you will buy it for. Nine times out of 10 you will get what you want and save yourself time and energy.
-Happy Sleeping
July 19th, 2010 at 3:57 am
Nothing really new about this tactic. Walmart does the exact same thing… They offer to match local competitors prices for the same products… Turns out that Walmart gets most of it stuff from manufacturers with exclusive “model numbers”. It’s the exact same product but with a Walmart-only model number, so they don’t have to honor most of the price matching claims while still advertising. But it’s not just Walmart, many places do the same thing.
July 20th, 2010 at 6:16 am
Mattress warranties are about as worthless as shingle warranties.
I was told the bed has to have an 8″ dip seen when a flat board is placed over the top of it. Even our 20 year old bed that had no support left did not have an 8″ dip when no one was on it.
And imo, the biggest struggle with buying beds is, the bed that feels nice and soft is not the bed that will make you wake up feeling the most refreshed. Our bed felt very firm when we got it, but I knew that firmness would translate to a good night sleep. We went with the stearns and foster firm pillowtop with memory foam. It was about 1200 bucks for mattress and box spring.
July 29th, 2010 at 7:35 am
If you are looking for a site that has dozens of experts in mattresses talking about this stuff every day check out what’s the best
mattress. I have been on that forum for years and it has helped many.
August 6th, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Awesome article.
I’ve been through a similar ordeal, going back and forth between big mattress retailers, so many pushy salespeople, too much selection and ambiguity between mattresses models – the whole deal. Not only is it frustrating, it’s completely exhausting!
After visiting about 5-6 stores to no avail, I turned to shopping online (which I rarely ever do). I searched for memory foam and went to several online stores, but I found the best deal at http://www.novosbed.com so I decided to FINALLY order a mattress. It arrived about 2 weeks after I ordered (fast!) and I’ve been sleeping on it for about 4 months now. It’s super comfortable… And I sleep even more soundly just knowing that my money didn’t go straight into a pushy salesman’s pocket.
I definitely recommend Novosbed to anyone who is sick and tired of being ripped off!
August 16th, 2010 at 9:41 am
There is a joke in here somewhere about getting screwed by the mattress industry, I’m just not witty enough to think of it. Good blog though, sounds like most folks already knew about the mattress industry scam, but I didn’t.
September 9th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
First off I’m sorry you guys have had bad experiences. I work in a mattress store, I have been selling for 7 years. I am a NON COMMISSION sales person. The mattress industry does not mark their products up 100 to 200% There is a mark up, but not anywhere near that extent. I would like to know what type of scam you are referring to? What mattress companies do to sell their product is no different that anybody else in the retail industry (cars, tvs, appliances, toys). Just because you had a bad experience with one or two companies doesn’t mean the entire industry is faulty. You probably dealt with commissioned sales people who just want your money.
October 15th, 2010 at 4:24 am
Thats really bad that you have had such a negative experience. I work for a mattress and bed company in London and we pride ourselves on being as helpful and informative as possible.
October 22nd, 2010 at 10:38 pm
how much are your beds
October 28th, 2010 at 2:14 pm
we bought a mattress from us-mattress.com and it was heavily damaged (which was supposedly in the incredibly fine print somewhere on their site). 70% restocking fee.
DO NOT USE THEM!!
November 14th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
I am not surprised by all the comments. I’ve been around this industry a long time and everything mentioned sounds way too familiar.
There is too much confusion and too many gimmicks. That’s why I really appreciate what Tempurpedic has done. Minimum prices and the same product in every store. Makes it much easier on consumers. It was my best selling brand and least returned. It would be nice if other manufacturers would learn from their success.
Of the innerspring matts, the quality continues to drop. The “luxury” level beds today would have been your basic mattress 15 years ago. Its insane.
In defense of the people selling, there are some good and honest folks in the business. And if you find them, they will earn every penny of their commission making sure you are matched with the perfect sleep solution. A good salesperson should be selling a good night sleep, not mattresses. Unfortunately, there are far too many out there who should be working at the carnival instead.
December 18th, 2010 at 1:50 am
There is a joke in here somewhere about getting screwed by the mattress industry, I’m just not witty enough to think of it. Good blog though, sounds like most folks already knew about the mattress industry scam, but I didn’t.
February 20th, 2011 at 7:32 am
U-S Mattress.com WARNING: Do not buy from these people. We purchased a King Sealy Posturepedic 60th Anniversary Edition for $1169.00 on Dec 28, 2010. After using this mattress for only a few nights we realized that it too has serious problems with body cavities. After a phone call to their sales dept we were told that this is a normal condition and not to worry. This IS NOT NORMAL, we are in our late 60′s and this is the first time in all our lives we have had these problems with a mattress, such as back pains after sleeping on this mattress. After much discussion with the sales person I was told that the only remedy was a less padded model and that the price would be approx $400 less. Since they have a 100 night warranty I thought fine ship it to us, however she said they would not reimburse us the difference in cost. WTF?? PLEASE USE OUR BAD EXPERIENCE TO YOUR ADVANTAGE, STAY AWAY FROM THESE PEOPLE. Do not become a “I TOLD YOU SO” victim.
Per Wikipedia:
US Mattress has among the highest complaints in the industry, as it doesn’t really permit refunds. As they rely on 3rd party delivery people, the quality & timeliness of the delivery can vary greatly.
Also: http://www.dldewey.com/bed.htm
March 12th, 2011 at 7:24 pm
Sleepy’s of Alexandria sold me a supposedly Simmons NG400 mattress. Approx. $2500. The mattress has a 3/4″ indentation in just one year. Memory foam. Now, I awaken with extreme hip and back pain. Can’t get any help from Simmons. Sleepy’s will allow me to buy another mattress at a “discount,” but I must pay the $1500 remaining balance on the mattress that I have, which literally is coming apart at the seams. I believe the next stop will have to be court! What other recourse does a non-suspecting consumer have?
March 22nd, 2011 at 1:54 pm
I think from this blog, the comments, and so many others on the web that it’s clear that the major mattress manufacturers and the national chain stores that are for the most part “in bed” with them are not the places to find value when you are buying a mattress.
In my own search for a mattress, I ended up with a list of almost all the local and regional mattress manufacturers in the US an Canada and quickly came to realize that the real value, quality, and service when you are buying a mattress is from local manufacturers who take pride in what they build. They are also much less than anything equivalent in the major brands.
The misinformation about materials used in mattresses, what they are good for, and how long they last is all over the web. This is compounded by sales and business practices in many places that are questionable at best.
While I don’t sell mattresses, I did put together an educational site, http://www.themattressunderground.com based on hundreds of hours talking to good manufacturers and retailers that can help guide people through the pitfalls of mattress shopping and let them know what to look for and where to get their best value.
The more the “mattress industry” is exposed and the more consumers get good, transparent information, the better.
April 10th, 2011 at 11:36 am
I work at a store that sell mattresses. I would never buy a mattress online or from a TV shopping network. It is a huge investment that needs to be seen in person. Many of your claims as well as others claims on this blog are exaggerated & inaccurate. I will not try to change your mind or dispute your claims because it would be a waste of time.
I will say there are lots of reputable dealers who sell thousands of mattresses with satisfied customers. Our store has a 60 night sleep guarantee. Sleep on it. If you don’t like that mattress you have 60 days to exchange it for another one. It will not take sixty days to know if your mattress is right for you.
Good luck the next time you buy a mattress!!
April 16th, 2011 at 4:33 am
There is always a person that will either do good or bad to you, especially in terms of business. The key is to find people that you feel most comfortable in doing business with and do not over think it.
April 20th, 2011 at 7:20 pm
You say that the mattress names are the only things that change from retailer to retailer…. That is 100% false! The quality of mattresses may also change, Not just the names! The amount of time the mattresses have been sitting in a warehouse may very as well… Not to mention that some larger retailers may have specially designed mattresses made just for them… You have been misguided misinformed and this article is completly misleading. When you buy one car that is the same model as another there are certain features that may make one vehicle more expensiv than another! When mattresses are made for Cstco or sams club they are made very quickly because these companies order so many at one time. The quality of these mattresses will be inferior and in most cases the mattress you purchase will be very old and sitting in a warehouse stacked in a huge pile for a very long time (check your julian dates) every mattress and box spring (foundation) will have one on the law tag. Never purchase a mattress from a store that offer any kind of comfort guarantee! The only mattress manufacturer that will take back a mattress for comfort is Tempur-Pedic. They offer a 90 day comfort exhcange. No other brand has a comfort exchange… Therefore you must ask yourself 1 question???? If you are offered a comfort exchange, what are these mattress distributors doing with the old mattresses that have been in someones home for 30, 60, or even 90+ days? THEY ARE RESELLING THEM! GROSS! Would you want to sleep on a mattress that has been in someone home for 30 days… People do a lot of things on mattresses (including but not limited to: Smoking, Eatting, Sexual Intercourse and much much more…) That is so gross I can’t even stand to think about it… Do not ever buy a mattress from a retailer offering a comfort echange! Take your time and make sure you are comfortable, DONT BE CHEAP! YOUR SLEEP IS IMPORTANT! We sleep a third of our lives yet we spend thousands upon thousands for our cars that only depreciate in value! A mattress is the number one item that you get what you pay for out of… How important is sleep? Well with out it diet and excersise will do nothing for you, AT ALL! Don’t let your friends tell you what mattress is right for you! You and only you can decide weather you are comfortable on a mattress… Don’t ever ever ever buy a mattress online! So to the person who wrote this article, don’t make assumption based upon a bit of research you have done and don’t jump to conclusions!!! MOST OF ALL DON’T BE SO CHEAP AND DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR OR READ ON THE INTERNET!
April 23rd, 2011 at 1:43 pm
It’s immaterial how much you spend when you buy a mattress. There are so many sites out there that rate user satisfaction that it is so obvious that price does not equal satisfaction. Instead, price equals costs plus a decent margin. Remember that. Once you do, you will see that cheaper, local and/or discount mattresses can offer the same amount of long-term satisfaction as some of the bigger-ticket mattresses out there.
Lastly… The last comment talks about reselling returned mattresses, but that “sleep guarantee” that so many stores and manufacturers offer is important… you just cannot properly “size up” a mattress in-store. You might get a feel for initial comfort, but to decide whether it offers the support you need, you will want a week or so. And if you are worried about getting a “slept-in” product that would have been properly cleaned up, (ever sleep in a hotel? I’d be more grossed out about THAT), get a mattress protector for $20.
April 26th, 2011 at 3:22 pm
How many people actually post a positive review about things on this planet. Wooooww its so easy to complain online about stuff. But if you have a positive experience are you actually going to go out of your way to post a review online? Most likely not. This blog is bias because + and – reviews are not evenly distributed online. Sorry but that is a fact. We live in a world of duality so there is 2 sides to the story and not just one end all be all. I am certain that there are some very good mattress salesmen out there that would appeal to your architype of personalty , just maybe not in your town…
June 25th, 2011 at 9:00 pm
And…if you send the mattress back then what? They repackage it and send it to me! This is what just happened to us. I bought a Serta from a reputable local dealer. The mattress was wrapped in “new” plastic with “new” tags. There was black dog hair and a urine stain on the mattress.
We sent it back, but what will be shipped out to us next Thursday?
July 12th, 2011 at 8:45 am
There is a web site that has all the known names published and has a consumer advocate to help people. It is http://www.BeddingHotline.com and the names are in the “Name Comparison” section. It is very helpful.
July 18th, 2011 at 12:41 am
I have to say that I think I liked the mattress review site http://www.qmattresses.com/ more just because there was more than just mattress sales info there. They had comparison reviews, warranty complaints, and a lot of the popular names in mattresses.
August 6th, 2011 at 2:19 am
Nothing really new about this tactic. Walmart does the exact same thing… They offer to match local competitors prices for the same products…
August 16th, 2011 at 12:37 pm
They actually do have a test for mattresses called the Rollator. This big rolling pin thing that weighs 230 lbs. rolls over the mattress 200,000 times. Lots of foam mattresses don’t hold up too well, losing about 15% of their shape to this. The trick is finding the balance of comfort and support. Enough springs to support you, enough foam to feel comfortable. You are right though, outside of the Rollator I don’t know there’s much on the industry as far as testing or ratings go. Very confusing industry, hopefully legitimate review sites start popping up soon.
August 21st, 2011 at 9:49 pm
Like Rubydo comment #59 I am another victim of U.S.-MATTRESS.com.I Purchased a Sealy Queen Posturepedic Shadow dream luxury mattress from U.S. mattress in September 2010 for $1250.00 and after less than three months the mattress sagged and bulged out the sides. It’s distorted so bad the sheets will no longer stay on the bed .Another was sent from U.S. mattress with the same problem.I can no longer sleep in this bed and U.S. mattress refuses to refund for what they themselves admitted is a manufacturers defect.Wish i had been warned,so now I’m warning you.
November 10th, 2011 at 11:35 am
I am in the mattress industry and it is geared toward making the customer buy, and nothing else. Even coil counts are a scam. An example is a cheap imported spring with thin wire, not tempered, being touted as “1000 coils and therefore the best.” Meanwhile a super-duty American built 364 coil, which I know through experience lasts 30 years, is overlooked. The big box stores took over the mattress industry. If you want quality, go to a family-run mattress factory so they can show you how they are built: mcroskey.com in San Fransisco, norwalkmattress.com in CT, sunsetmattress.com in NH, http://magicsleeper.net in PA, Maidinmaine.com in ME, Mycustommattress.com in NJ, etc. This site mentions 100% mark ups in mattress stores. I can tell you that it is actually more like %390. Go to the small mattress maker instead and you will see a big difference! In most cases you will get the real thing for less than half the price. I aggree with Phoenix’s post and his objective mattress underground website. It is time we collectively took a stand against a different kind of corporate greed. Thanks for your time. John S.
November 10th, 2011 at 8:17 pm
I would just like to add a bit of information on how you can shop for a mattress in a more educated manner. As I mentioned previously, John brought up a lot of really valid points. Yet, coming back and re-reading, I realize there really are no solutions. A client I work for offers a mattress buying guide on his website. You can find the guide at http://www.qmattresses.com/qmatters-faqs/12-questions-a-mattress-buying-guide/
December 3rd, 2011 at 4:59 pm
I could not sleep last night when the realization hit me like the famous ton of bricks that we had been had by Sleepys in Alexandria, VA. $3,600 for a double mattress, no box spring just mattress, but 1/2price sale. $1,800.
Oh Boy. But wait!! A lot of chat about warranties and bring back if not working etc. Last mattress several years ago was from Penny’s and bought with less song and dance about bringing back etc { I did bring back the first soggy mattress to Pennys with no problem but you have to exchange, not return and a small fee }
So we are getting ready to buy the mattress at Sleepys sort of in shock at the price, and we learn UNLESS WE BUY A $139+ mattress cover we have no warranty. Shock again. I feel like I was worn down. AND the salesman “CALLED HIS MANAGER FOR SOME $$ OFF.”
NEXT we can have credit with no interest payments over 2 years if we wish. OK the husband said. I did not want the debt. But what the hey. So I am approved for credit and can pay off the mattress when we wish no penalty. Ok we say why not??? Why not is the email I got today that I have a credit card WE WERE NOT TOLD WE WERE APPLYING FOR A CARD. We have all the credit cards we need and could have used them.
Also fees to bring us the mattress- fees to take away the old one, taxes and the darn mattress cover and the bottom line grows. I knew better. It was time to leave{ but I do so need a new mattress the 71 year old bones need some support. }
take your time look around. I also felt one of the department stores could be a nicer place to shop. Consumer reports sort of washes its hands re mattresses and says it is very individual. Lie down on one. Stay Smart. I hope to undo our whole transaction with Sleepys
But what to do. Error! that we did not go home and think it over. And the golden mattress did seem OK. I feel had and dumb that I did not think and compare. It is a hard shopping chore.
December 29th, 2011 at 6:45 am
I totally agree the mattress industry is one big scam, and something so serious that congress needs to look into it. Something not mentioned here is that some mattress companies, such as SpringAir, license out the rights to manufacture their mattress, and I believe us-mattress.com has that license too. Hence quality can easily be compromised. I bought a Sealy Postupedic from us-mattress and it was nothing like advertised. I could not believe Sealy let their logo be put on something like that. They are still promoting it on their web site as the most popular, and I feel sorry for anyone that falls for that. Their site claims over 8000 people like that model, but for three months only 19 reviews! Never changing, and I think 18 of those reviews were posted by their staff. I will never buy a mattress online, no matter the situation.
December 31st, 2011 at 9:22 pm
Ok here is my journey but i have a very happy ending… i suggest you follow and read things posted or you will get robbed!!
read http://mattressscam.com/
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/10/your-money/10haggler.html
A major Mattress company was busted for re-selling used mattress’ returned after a 30 day try out. Apparently they were examined with a black light and discovered to have “fluid” stains YUK!
and yes you have heard of this company
But I found a bright light in the world of mattress scams.
http://saatvamattress.com/saatva-mattress.html
Check em out! read the reviews, and I will personally vouch for the quality of the bed. Best sleep I’ve had in years.
I do not work for this company nor do I have any relationship but a happy customer with this company.
January 17th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
I am a mattress salesperson and not a great one. I am not a top performer which means I make less sales (and money) than most others. I am not bad at my job. I have a tremendous amount of knowledge about mattresses, I’m friendly, I’m great at fitting each customer to a mattresses they love and can afford. So why am I not a great sales person? Well, I’m not pushy. Customers come to me, receive all the information, use me to find them the perfect bed then leave. The top sales people are the ones that DO push and ARE more aggressive. It always baffles me when people complain about how pushy mattress sales people tend to be. If these were not the ones customers purchase from than this would not be the case. The sales people that truly care about the customers and try and give a very very fair price are the ones that get fired because they are not producing. Buy from the salesperson that cares and the aggressive sales people would no longer be around. One last point…Those online mattress websites can be less expensive. But can you lay on the mattress? Is there someone that helps you find a good mattress? In my experience, customers find the mattress they like from a brick and morter store and then buy online. Unfortunately that brick and morter store has overhead and training costs. you may pay a little extra but its because customers are being provided a service. I have a family to support and because I am not one of those “shady” salespeople I have a harder time supporting my family.
January 26th, 2012 at 2:45 pm
I would be carefull of US Matress. They lie a lot about there delivery times. They advertise overnight when they mean 2 weeks delivery. They are nice when selling but dickheads if you ask them to stick by their promises.
Avoid Avoid Avoid
January 28th, 2012 at 1:57 pm
I bought a Stearns & Foster mattress which is made by Sealy. The mattress immediately started collapsing & bowing out all around the sides of the bed. We took pictures & sent in a complaint packet. I had no doubt they would honor the warranty. No, that didn’t the manufacturer said it was normal wear & tear. This was all before one year of warranty really!! We paid over $3k for the top of the line mattress. I can’t believe Stearns & Foster (Sealy) can’t not design a mattress to last longer than a year!!! You feel like you are falling off the mattress. I worked for a furniture company in college. I bought a mattress for $500 it never collapsed around the sides & bow out even after 10 years!!! There is something wrong, why have a warranty!!! A mattress warranty with Stearns & Foster (Sealy) is a WORTHLESS piece of PAPER!!!!
February 2nd, 2012 at 10:43 am
I really like your blog post. I work as Consumer Advocate for a mattress company and deal with the very same problems you state everyday. I talk to hundreds of people throughout the work week are going through the very same circumstances you write about here. I can tell the readers of your blog that you must compare the materials in the mattress and not the mattress name. Measure the height and get a print out of the materials so an honest comparison may be made between two mattresses. Make price your last consideration because mattress companies actually mark up mattresses by as mush as 600 – 700 percent. When you compare you will find the price gets a lot better, especially if you compare online.
Best regards,
Jeff
February 25th, 2012 at 10:31 pm
Great blog….very interesting read. Thanks.
March 1st, 2012 at 2:47 pm
If you are wanting more information on mattresses then I have created a wonderful blog. Many questions you have will not be answered in the store. Taking the time to answer them is my expertise.
March 17th, 2012 at 11:46 am
I have a couple of mattress stores in Austin and it is sad that the industry has made it so difficult to shop mattresses. Out of over 600 manufactures in the US there are only 12 major components companies and 6 major components (3 coil systems and 3 foams) If the retailers were better educated they could simplify the process greatly. Everyone is carrying the same products under different names. Never buy from that pushy sales person. They always have an agenda other than your good night’s sleep. Find those stores that are selling health and wellness in a relaxed environment with no proverbial fine print.
Thanks, MattMan
March 20th, 2012 at 5:59 pm
You usually get those kind of problems with big name stores. They only see $$$ signs and not a human being that walks though there doors. They only want to sell you what they want you to buy but not what you need. It is aways better to go to a local independent retailer there you get no pushy sales teams good honest advice and can usually work with you to get a discount on your purchase.
Plus the $ that’s spent in in a local store usually says in the town as the owner of that store would probably support other local stores buy using there products and services, not like the larger companies where your $ is whisked around the world and may never be spent in your local neighbourhood.
April 15th, 2012 at 10:41 pm
You bought a mattress online… hope it is not used and rewrapped!!!!!!!!!! Should of
purchased from JORDAN’S!
May 18th, 2012 at 2:36 pm
I purchases a $700 Sealy mattress for my daughter who weighs about 120 lbs. After about 10 months, it had a 2 inch sag in the middle. When I tried to get it warranted and because I did not keep the “legal” tag, I was sent from my retailer to Sealy.
What a joke that was. I was greeted by an extremely rude “service” rep, who had obviously been down this “no tag/no warranty” road plenty of times. After interrupting me many times as I tried to explain my situation, I asked her to transfer me to someone that could help since she would or could not.
I was transferred, after about a 5 minute wait, to a “Corporate Retail Mediator” who stood by the company policy. What was quite humorous was that when asked why Sealy had to have that tag to stand behind their warranty, he told me that “the government comes in and audits us to see where we are spending our money. We have to have those tags to prove what we are warranting.” I asked him to clarify, but he simply said that because they are a “publicly owned” company, that is how it works and without a tag, I would not be getting a warranty.
This guy, who obviously has never been through a customer service seminar, proceeded to tell me to go back to my retailer….I was the retailer’s customer, not Sealy’s. What a joke this organization is. In my 47 years, I have never experienced anything as ludicrous as this.
Obviously, they deal with this every day due to a crappy product and their own poor policies and service. What made the conversation even better was that when I asked to speak with someone in customer service, he said that was impossible. Rather, the next person that I would speak to, after filling our a form of some sort, would be their legal department. I presume that they are used to people attempting to sue in order to get treated right. Bottom line is that I will never again by a Sealy product and would offer that same advice to anyone. Worst service I’ve ever experienced.