Comments on: The Mattress Industry is One Big Scam

By: Russ

Russ — Fri, 18 May 2012 19:36:05 +0000

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.

By: ROX

ROX — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 03:41:21 +0000

You bought a mattress online… hope it is not used and rewrapped!!!!!!!!!! Should of
purchased from JORDAN’S!

By: Tony Lester

Tony Lester — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:59:00 +0000

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.

By: Steve Chandler

Steve Chandler — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 16:46:20 +0000

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

By: Mattress Maniac

Mattress Maniac — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 19:47:35 +0000

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.

By: David

David — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 03:31:26 +0000

Great blog….very interesting read. Thanks.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:43:42 +0000

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

By: Marcia Henderson

Marcia Henderson — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:57:54 +0000

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!!!!

By: steve

steve — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:45:06 +0000

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

By: Christine

Christine — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:40:11 +0000

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.