Finding the appropriate mattress can make a substantial impactful on your sleep quality. From sleeping positions, plushness preferences, temperature regulation needs, etc. – each mattress will suit different people differently.
Traditional mattress stores such as Mattress Firm, Tempur-pedic and Sleep Number still account for a sizable portion of the market, offering customers the chance to browse a showroom and test mattresses in person.
Online
If you’re shopping online for mattresses, there are plenty of choices available to you. According to Consumer Reports’ 2021-2022 mattress buyer survey, 41% purchased their bed from an online retailer compared with 45% the year prior (down from 45 percent the year prior), yet this still represents a substantial portion of the market.
But when it comes to online mattress sales, not all retailers are created equal. Some offer better values in terms of pricing, sleep trials, warranties and customer support while some have wider selections of mattresses than others.
Casper, Purple, Bear, Amerisleep, and Sleep Number are among the leading online mattress sellers. Each brand operates multiple retail showrooms nationwide and sells directly to customers through its website or partner stores like Amazon or Target – though their return policies may differ accordingly.
Casper and Purple mattresses are two of CR’s top picks for online mattress sales. Both offer direct-to-consumer models; additionally they each have 10 showrooms located throughout New Jersey, New York and California where consumers can test out their beds before making a purchase decision. Furthermore, both offer 100-night home trial periods to try their beds.
Casper and Purple both offer all-foam mattresses of various firmness levels, as well as hybrid versions featuring layers of foam interwoven with coil springs. Casper offers more comprehensive warranties than Purple and also provides white-glove delivery at no cost; both products received excellent reviews from Consumer Reports members for sales service, customer support and delivery quality.
Wayfair is another online mattress retailer with an expansive selection of brands, from all-foam mattresses, innersprings and hybrids from Serta to Sealy Beautyrest and Zinus mattresses – with each mattress available in multiple bed sizes and adjustable-positioning bases for ultimate convenience. Reviews give them high marks in sales service and customer support categories while only receiving middling marks for price and on-time delivery.
Amerisleep, which manufactures its mattresses in Texas and Arizona, is another online mattress retailer with 12 retail sites across the United States that you can test their mattresses in-store or for up to 100 nights at home – including up to 20-year warranties on each mattress!
In-Store
Traditional mattress store purchases require visiting a specialty mattress shop. Such stores often feature large showrooms where customers can easily walk around and lay on various mattresses to determine which they prefer best. Knowledgeable salespeople at these types of stores help facilitate shoppers through the purchasing process while providing sleep trials or return policies so buyers have peace of mind when making their selection.
Many specialty mattress stores sell both their own brand of mattresses as well as well-known brands from other stores. Although mattresses sold in specialty stores tend to be more costly than those available elsewhere, savvy shoppers may save money when they purchase from discount or warehouse clubs.
Another option for purchasing mattresses directly is shopping directly from mattress companies. Many of these businesses specialize in manufacturing their own mattresses in factories while also selling other brands on their websites directly to consumers, offering lower prices than retailers due to eliminating middlemen.
These stores also tend to provide a wide selection of sizes and styles of mattresses, from standard twin to queen, full, king and California king mattresses – with protectors, pillows, adjustable beds as additional services – making these stores an excellent choice for shoppers living in areas with few retail options.
Big-box retailers like Costco and Home Depot also carry mattresses, offering wider selections than most traditional mattress shops and usually providing sales events with significant savings opportunities. Unfortunately, however, their mattresses may not meet up to those found at specialty or mattress-only stores due to them selling different household products rather than specifically products related to sleep; additionally, these retailers may be less adept at helping their customers select an ideal mattress suited to their individual needs.
Department Stores
Mattress industry trends may change quickly, yet traditional brick-and-mortar stores remain an integral component of consumers’ shopping experiences today. Department stores typically carry an expansive selection of mattresses for customers to browse at leisure before lying on them for themselves and experiencing various models first-hand. Some stores also provide sleep trials or exchanges and allow shoppers to negotiate prices with salespersons.
Shopping at a mattress showroom requires both time and effort, as well as being uncomfortable when working with salespeople who can apply too much pressure in an attempt to close sales; that can make some shoppers nervous or even anxious.
Many department stores now feature dedicated mattress showrooms. These can range from large national chains, regional franchises, or local mom-and-pop shops; with offerings from brands like Casper and Tuft & Needle also being carried within these showrooms.
Department stores and general retailers sometimes carry mattresses from other manufacturers, offering shoppers access to various mattresses from multiple brands under one roof. This can help those struggling to select their ideal mattress get more options within a single store setting; moreover, such purchases typically come with shorter sleep trials and customers may need to arrange returns or exchanges through third-party retailers.
Warehouse clubs also sell mattresses, though typically only a limited selection and membership is required to shop there. Sometimes only bed-in-a-box models are offered so shoppers can try lying on them before buying.
Some online mattress companies have taken steps to open physical locations for their customers to visit and try out their mattresses before making their purchasing decisions. Casper Mattress in NYC provides shoppers with an opportunity to test out and purchase its Aurora Luxe mattress – featuring 8″ zoned pocketed steel coils topped by three layers of foam in various densities – before placing their orders online. Strategist writer Latifah Miles recently tried it herself and wrote an enthusiastic review for Strategist writer Latifah Miles of Strategist Writer Latifah Miles also reviewed this company’s Aurora Luxe model which features 8″ zoned core pocketed steel coils on top.
Specialty Stores
Once the decision to buy a mattress has been made, finding an appropriate store or online vendor might become your priority. Research may have helped, or you could just be looking for recommendations; either way, when making this investment decision it can be overwhelming and time consuming to determine exactly which model best meets your needs. Once made, once shopping begins online or locally you should find out where best place for purchase lies.
If you prefer shopping in-person, there are numerous specialty mattress stores dedicated to selling mattresses. These locations often operate out of brick-and-mortar locations that specialize in selling specific brands or collections of mattresses; one benefit of choosing this method of shopping would be sales teams trained by manufacturers that sell these types of beds; however, prices tend to be more expensive since these locations must pay rent, maintain it, pay employees as well as incur expenses associated with keeping space open.
Department stores provide another avenue for mattress shopping in-person. These types of retailers typically carry an assortment of products and may even feature a small section specifically dedicated to mattresses. Their sales staff tends to be friendly and make shopping an efficient process – but keep in mind these stores may only carry limited selections and won’t offer as many great sales on mattresses.
Some of the leading online mattress brands now offer showrooms in select cities to give consumers an opportunity to test out their mattresses firsthand and gain first-hand experience of them before making a purchasing decision. These locations are open to the public and many offer generous trial periods; so if something doesn’t sit right with you when trying your new bed out, return it within an acceptable period and receive your money back.
Avocado, Bear, Tuft & Needle and Saatva are well-known specialty mattress brands. All four use sustainable materials in their mattresses while adhering to ethical business practices; some even operate zero waste factories! Furthermore, all four offer numerous hybrid models which combine innersprings and memory foam for better pressure relief and bounce.
The Sleep Loft - Online mattress showroom 