11 Do & Don'ts for Mattress Shopping From Danny SeoIt might be your mattress. Apart from a couch, shopping for a mattress can take a large chunk out of your home furniture budget but it's a smart investment in your life. To learn how to get the most out of our money, we went mattress shopping with Danny Seo a few weeks ago to check out Natural Care, his new mattress line, and to learn some tips about getting a good mattress at a good price. And we also learned some things we wish we hadn't. Be prepared to be grossed out! DO lie down on the bed you're thinking about and curl up for a few minutes in the position you like to sleep in. Get yourself comfortable with a few pillows. Hey, you'd better like it; returning a mattress is nearly impossible. DON'T buy a mattress on Craig's List. When you buy a new mattress, you put your old one out on the street to have it picked up, right? Well, it may not be picked up by the trash man but by folks who take those old mattresses, slap on some new fabric, wrap 'em in plastic and sell them to you on Craig's List or at close outs.
DO consider the fabric the mattress is covered in. While you'll likely cover it with a mattress protector of some kind, it's possible you'll feel the texture through your sheets. Danny's new line is covered in a plush super soft fabric; you almost don't need a sheet! DON'T waste your time trying to find the same mattress at another store, thinking you can beat the price or get a price match (as some places advertise). You'll never find that same mattress at another store. Turns out that every store orders unique names for their mattresses. DO bargain with your salesman. You may be able to get a few dollars off. DON'T buy the floor model. C'mon, think of how many people have laid down on it. With their shoes on. DO consider buying your mattress at a store like Dream at HD Buttercup in Culver City. The sales people don't work on commission. They're genuinely interested in selling you a great bed. DON'T believe that firmer is always better. What you want is a mattress that cradles your body.
DO put a piece of plywood under your mattress if you'd like it firmer. This is a good compromise for couples who often have different idea on how firm they want their mattress to be. Put a piece of plywood just under one half of the bed. DON'T be talked into believing that you need to buy a mattress and the matching box spring. A box spring is not always necessary, especially with modern platform bed. DO consider a new mattress if you have allergies. At least consider a mattress protector. DON'T assume all latex mattresses are created alike. Danny's new Natural Care line from Simmons is made from a thick core of natural rubber tree-based latex and soy-enhanced base foam. The holes make it breathable so it doesn't get hot, a complaint with many other latex mattresses. To learn more about Danny's Natural Care mattress line from Simmons (and we can definitely attest to it high comfort factor!) as well as more mattress buying tips, click here. More tips from Danny SeoDoing Laundry the Danny Seo Way 2 Tricks from Danny Seo to keep your bedroom cleaner
[images by Laure Joliet]Why buy your mattress from The Brick? The Brick makes choosing a mattress simple. We promise you the best price, guarantee your comfort and protect you with the most comprehensive warranties in the industry.Find out more about The Brick's Mattress program. 180 Day Comfort Guarantee 90 Day Price Guarantee Shop for mattress sets by size Choosing the right size of mattress just got easier. By averaging mattress dimensions from across our brands, we've outlined each size of mattress to help you choose the one that works for you. Find your new mattress now by selecting your preferred size. Select your mattress size Shop for mattress accessories Mattress accessories enhance your nighttime experience and extend the life of your mattress set. A bedframe is required for The Brick's lifetime warranty, while a mattress protector is required for our 180 day comfort guarantee. Select the mattress accessories you need today. Select your mattress accessories
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.