If you’ve woken up feeling stiff or sore from sleeping on an old mattress, or have noticed it sag in any part, it might be time for a replacement mattress. Either online shopping or retail showroom shopping could offer great savings opportunities when selecting one that meets all of your criteria.
Many online retailers now ship mattresses compressed in boxes, often offering 100-night sleep trials.
Online
When the time comes to buy a mattress, many consumers question where is best place to shop. After all, finding an appropriate retailer will determine whether there are enough choices of mattresses to choose from, how knowledgeable their salesperson is and if returning or exchanging your mattress should it not fit with your needs easily enough.
One of the key advantages of shopping in-store for mattresses is being able to lie on them and assess how well they suit your body and sleeping style. While purchasing online may pose some concerns regarding touch and feel issues, most major mattress brands have policies in place to assist buyers make an informed purchase decision – most offer generous trial periods of 100 to 365 days; should it not meet your sleep style needs, most will arrange disposal and offer a refund – or provide full service disposal and refund arrangements as necessary.
Department stores and other types of retailers that sell household items may also carry mattresses; however, these stores tend to not focus as heavily on sleep and typically only carry a limited selection. Their salespeople may also not have as much knowledge when compared with specialists; furthermore they may not offer as many sales and promotions.
Specialty mattress stores tend to be owned and managed by their respective mattress manufacturer, offering a selection of mattresses at reasonable prices from which customers can make their selection. Unfortunately, however, specialty stores tend to have higher price points since their expenses must cover covering an actual physical showroom space.
It can be easier than ever to find mattresses certified for environmental and social responsibility when shopping at this type of store, such as Avocado. Their mattress are both GreenGuard Gold Certified and B-Corp certified; in addition, they’re Fair Trade USA members which means their high-quality beds are also fair to both farmers who grow the cotton used to assemble the beds as well as workers assembling them.
Department Stores
Mattress purchasing can be a significant decision and finding the appropriate one should be top priority. When shopping either online or in-person, warranties, return policies and customer service must all be top-notch to make your experience satisfactory – the ideal mattress location often depends on several factors including budget and comfort level.
Department stores like Macy’s and JCPenney may sell mattresses, although this isn’t always the case. Department store retailers typically stock generic or name brand mattresses in limited selection; their salespeople usually aren’t as knowledgeable about mattress care than those at specialty mattress shops.
Furniture stores that specialize exclusively in mattresses may also be an option, offering an assortment of furniture pieces and can help give an idea of how it would look in your space. They may also provide discounts and sales events. While buying your mattress from such an establishment may be more costly, if it means finding exactly the style or size bed that meets your requirements it could well be worth your while!
Mattress Warehouse was the top rated mattress retailer in our survey, with customer reviews consistently reporting positive experiences at its stores and with their staff and selection of mattresses. Shoppers found the showroom models clean, while deliveries were on time. Mattress Warehouse sells its own mattresses as well as those manufactured by other manufacturers, all coming with different guarantees depending on manufacturer.
The Original Mattress Factory boasts 119 stores and 11 factory locations nationwide, offering its own and other brands of mattresses at competitive prices with 100-night home trials for most purchases and an exchange warranty allowing customers to swap out for another model within one year for only a percentage of its selling price.
Avocado mattresses are renowned organic and natural mattress brands, available both at retail locations and online. Their zero-waste manufacturing process and efforts toward becoming certified-organic producers make them one of the world’s first certified organic mattress producers. Firm mattresses designed by this brand come with free white-glove delivery and set up.
Retail Showrooms
If you prefer traditional in-person shopping and are willing to spend extra on advice from salesperson, specialty showrooms may be your ideal destination for mattress purchases. Mattress firms such as Mattress Firm, Tempur-pedic and Sleep Number sell their mattresses this way; other mattress companies such as Saatva and Bear have more hybrid approaches whereby showroom sales coexist with online shopping options.
Stores offering mattress shopping provide you with an opportunity to explore a wide selection of mattresses while sitting on them and speaking with salesperson about various features. Some retailers even provide special services like white glove delivery whereby they will set up and remove your old mattress for you.
These showrooms, however, typically only carry a handful of brands as opposed to other options available and may be more costly due to requiring a storefront and staff for operation. On the plus side, many offer attractive clearance periods around holidays like President’s Day and Independence Day that make these showrooms worth considering.
Department stores that sell furniture and home furnishings also typically feature a selection of mattresses for purchase, making shopping for your entire bedroom in one convenient place more feasible than ever before. Unfortunately, however, these stores usually don’t offer as extensive a range of options or discounts through sales or coupons as other mattress sellers might.
Mattress warehouses, which specialize in mattresses as well as household products, are another convenient way to shop in person. While their selection is usually smaller than other showrooms, their prices often represent greater value; moreover, clearance deals may also be offered during certain holidays and events.
Saatva and Bear, two specialty mattress companies with showrooms located throughout major cities, can be an excellent way to familiarize yourself with their products without needing to conduct additional research. Furthermore, these stores have generous trial periods that give customers up to one year before making a final decision.
Third-Party Retailer Sites
If you’re shopping for a mattress, the right place for you can depend on a number of factors: brand and model selection; knowledge of salesperson; generous return or exchange policy. Depending on your individual needs and desires, shopping can range from specialty stores or department stores all the way through Amazon to manufacturer sites directly.
Online mattress purchases allow you to shop at your own pace, select from more mattresses than in stores, and often take advantage of steep discounts unavailable there. Furthermore, full-length sleep trial periods and direct home delivery reduce hassle of transporting heavy objects through narrow hallways or apartment complex complexes.
Mattress Firm and Tempur-pedic offer hybrid options where customers can visit a physical store to test out mattresses before placing an online order for home delivery. While they still charge their standard in-store markup fees, physical stores usually provide more extensive selection and knowledgeable salespeople than online offerings.
Department stores can be convenient options when it comes to finding a mattress, though it’s wise to contact them first to verify whether or not they carry your desired brand or model. In general, selection at these locations tends to be smaller than in specialty shops and they might not offer showroom displays where you can try out the bed for comfort before purchasing. Regular shoppers at certain department stores might even benefit from loyalty rewards that make this shopping method even more feasible.
When purchasing through a third-party retailer, your warranty and customer service may be administered by the retailer rather than by the mattress maker directly. While this shouldn’t be a major consideration when comparing different mattress options, purchasing directly from the maker usually offers greater savings on shipping, handling, sales tax fees as well as cutting out the middleman and passing along savings directly to consumers.
The Sleep Loft - Online mattress showroom 