Five ways to always get a good deal on a bedAre we buying a mattress or fixing Matthew McConaughey's space ship in Interstellar? These layers of confusing jargon do little to comfort stressed-out consumers looking for a new mattress. To help cut through the clutter, we contacted a retired industry insider known as "The Old Bed Guy." The 85-year old former bed maker and seller now runs a popular mattress consumer information site where he gives out his (somewhat cranky) advice. “Mattresses have no real value,” said 'Marshall Coyle,' a pseudonym he uses to avoid blowback from the tight-knit mattress community to which he used to belong. That statement is a rude awakening to anyone who's peeped at the price tags after taking a stroll through a mattress showroom lately. With prices running into the thousands, dreams of better "zzz's" are quickly zapped by sticker shock. Tanya Constantine/Blend Images / Today The Old Bed Guy is talking about the markup versus the actual value of the steel, foam, and wool that goes inside a bed.
For example, he said, it might cost a factory $600 to make a mattress that they sell to a big department store for $1,300. That store might then slap a price of $2,999 on it, then give it a big discount during one of the never-ending sales, he said. "The money goes for something other than what you're sleeping on," said Coyle. While every business is entitled to try to make a profit, every maker also has its own special lingo. That makes true comparison shopping difficult. Some of the differences are real. Some are just marketing vapor. Rather than try to explain it all and risk being as bewildering as the confusion we're supposed to be relieving, here are 5 tips from the perspective of The Old Bed Guy that always get you a better deal on a mattress, no matter what store or manufacturer you're dealing with. Look for stores that have their own factoriesA few smaller regional stores make their own mattresses in their own factories. That cuts out the middleman. "I don't know of a better way as far as value," said Coyle.
Stores in this category include Charles P. Rogers, McRoskey, Original Mattress Factory, and Verlo. Their stores aren't everywhere, but the savings and quality difference is enough that this reporter nearly considered a 10-hour road trip just to get a bed. Buy based on weightIf you're a fan of strong, long-lasting steel coils, a heavier mattresses usually mean there's more quality materials inside. "They have 12-15 inches to fill," said The Old Bed Guy. "You can stretch your coils and make them tall and thin." Typical mass-produced beds weigh about 90 lbs while higher grade beds can weigh around 120 lbs, he said. But you won't find this info online, you'll have to buttonhole the sales agent or bed maker to get the details. Buy at the end of the year"If anything is for real," said Coyle of the mattress business, "the periods when people don't buy mattresses see the best deals." Few buy before Christmas, saving room on the credit card for the holiday shopping spree.
The last 2 weeks of December are a prime time as stores try to unload inventory before the new year. Good savings can also be had the first two weeks of January. Be careful with Internet-only storesSome online outfits say they pass on the savings of not having any retail outlets. But it's not that hard to set up a shop and outsource manufacturing and shipping to China. That can create an accountability gap that leaves consumers in a lurch if their bed starts giving them lumps. "If they won't give you their street address, don't give them your credit card," said Coyle.Latex costs more and is worth more, period," said Coyle.YOUR BROWSER IS NOT FULLY SUPPORTED BY LEARNVEST.. We currently support Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer 8+. Click Here To Upgrade Ratings > Returning a Mattress Based on 22,439 Mattress Owner Experiences Our research shows that about 15% of mattress consumers return their mattress, and at least another 15% would like to but do not, usually because of unfriendly return policies.
Given these facts, mattress shoppers would be wise to pay attention to retailer return policies and to do everything possible to ensure that their first mattress choice is the right one. Not surprising, the main reason people seek to return their mattress is a lack of comfort. A mattress that is either too firm or too soft / unsupportive for one's personal preference, body type or sleep position can cause discomfort or pain, usually back, shoulder, and hip pain. Less common reasons people seek to return their mattress include heat retention, excessive off gassing odor, and unsuitability for sex. Chart: Main reasons for wanting to return a mattress Most mattress retailers give the buyer at least one month to return a mattress for an exchange or possibly a refund. Some mattress retailers try to differentiate themselves by having extended return periods, such as 100 days or longer. Our research suggests that the majority of new mattress owners know within one month whether they like their mattress.
As a result, these longer return periods often do not have much actual value to owners, but they can provide peace of mind. At least 35% of mattress retailers now require that you keep your mattress for an amount of time, usually 30 days, before you can return it. Some of these retailers, however, give you the option of returning your mattress early, but a fee may be charged to do so. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that the buyer has given the mattress a fair chance and has allowed the mattress to be broken in. Owners who know right away, however, that they are not satisfied with their mattress do not like having to wait until they can return it. Some owners report resorting to sleeping on their old bed or a couch until they can return the mattress, especially if it causes them pain. While a money-back policy is becoming more common among mattress retailers, about half of them do not offer one. Furniture or department stores that sell mattresses sometimes offer store credit instead of money back.
Getting your money back will often cost you. Money-back policies often involve fees – such as return transport and restocking fees – ranging from $50-$500 depending on several factors, with the average fee being about $220. Online mattress retailers are more likely to offer no-fee money-back returns than are traditional / brick & mortar retailers. Most mattress retailers offer a one-time mattress exchange. (A few may allow more than one or even unlimited exchanges within the return policy time frame.) If you buy from a retailer that allows only exchanges and no refunds, then you would be wise to make sure before you buy that the store has another mattress model that you like in case you need to make an exchange. There are several reports of a consumer wanting to exchange his mattress only to find that the store he bought from does not have another mattress that he is interested in. Fees to exchange a mattress often range from $50-$500 depending on several factors, with the average fee being about $220 including the redelivery fee.
Also, if the mattress you are exchanging for is more expensive than the original, you will have to make up the difference. These various costs cause some people to not return their mattress even though they are unhappy with it. These people, as a result, end up tolerating their mattress, or in some cases they sell it (craigslist and ebay are often used), and or they may even go back to their old mattress assuming it was not taken away when the new mattress was delivered. For a mattress to be eligible for return, the law tags must be attached and the mattress must have no soiling, dirt, stains, burns or tears. Therefore, it is wise to use a mattress protector at least until you are sure that you will keep the mattress. Indeed, to be eligible to use the return policy, many retailers now require that a mattress protector be used. In addition, return policies usually apply to mattresses and foundations only and exclude adjustable / motorized bed frames, demos, and closeouts as well as any accessories that may have come with the mattress such as pillows.
Returning a mattress to a brick & mortar retailer usually involves them sending one of their trucks to your home to pick it up. For online retailers, the process can vary considerably depending on the retailer. Most of the newer online mattress companies (those in business since 2013), such as Casper and Leesa, offer a return process similar to that of brick & mortar retailers in that a courier removes the mattress from your home and no shipping preparation is usually necessary. By contrast, for the more established online mattress retailers such as Amazon, the return process can be a greater hassle as it often involves using FedEx or UPS. This means that the mattress will need to be prepared for shipping by the consumer which may include wrapping and or boxing the mattress. And if the mattress is dirtied or damaged during return shipping, the retailer may not provide a full refund. Consequently, due to the return shipping hassle, some consumers do not bother to return their mattress.