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Home > Smart Spending > Archives > 2009 > February > 16 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USThinking mattress sales on President’s Day
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It is President’s Day, when families bond by piling into the car and go check out mattress sales.
The connection between this holiday and comfortable sleep is unclear. But we are so inundated by TV and print ads that we cannot help but think Simmons Beautyrest and Sealy Posturepedic instead of Lincoln and Roosevelt.
What is your theory on the mattress stores treat President’s Day as if it’s pre-Fourth of July for fireworks?
It might not surprise you that these sales might not be what they seem.
The mark-up on mattresses over wholesale price is massive. As a result, so-called sales occur regularly, not just on Prez Day. So, if you get caught up reading Washington’s biography all day, there will be more opportunities to save.
Our first commandment for all shopping: Compare. The mattress industry makes it difficult by selling “exclusive” models to selected retailers. Thus, going store-to-store for an apples-to-apples comparison can be frustrating, as this website addresses.
Stacking up prices on the Internet can be helpful, if not fully satisfactory. Make a list of mattresses in your price range, and see if you can spot the same product in the store.
Just don’t enter a place blind because you’ll exit dizzy. Some mattress peddlers are notorious for bait-and-switch tactics.
Also, determine the delivery charge before you buy. Stores offering decent deals might get you on the back end with such fees.
Have you hunted for mattresses on President’s Day? What is the appeal?
Can you share a favorite tip on purchasing a mattress?
One more question as we ponder the holiday tie-in with mattress sales: You think the Obamas will spend the day shopping for their new White house bed?
Comments
By Sasha
February 16, 2009 3:04 PM | Link to this
If you have one in your area, The Original Mattress Factory is excellent. The quality is better, plus they don’t work on commission, so you don’t get a pressure sales job. Their prices are the same no matter what day or holiday you shop. They told me to spend at least 15 minutes lying on each mattress I was considering. The biggest plus is they still make their mattresses so you can flip them. All the big mattress companies no longer do that, so it shortens the life of your mattress. Very pleased with mine from the The O.M.F.
By Xynox
February 16, 2009 3:22 PM | Link to this
Mattresses are good because you can do fun things on them and not get bruises.
By GaNative
February 16, 2009 3:53 PM | Link to this
Take a fat person with you to the showroom. When both of you lay on the mattress and you find yourself having to hang onto the edge or the mattress or the bedpost to keep from rolling over into a sink hole, then it’s not a good mattress.
By GaNative
February 16, 2009 3:54 PM | Link to this
Take a fat person with you to the showroom. When both of you lay on the mattress and you find yourself having to hang onto the edge of the mattress or the bedpost to keep from rolling over into a sink hole, then it’s not a good mattress.
By kwwk
February 16, 2009 3:54 PM | Link to this
Do NOT buy from Mattress Buys. Ever. We asked them to hold our purchased mattress from them while we finished renovations and then when we tried to set up delivery, they refused to deliver it or give us a refund. They said that even though the receipt wasn’t stamped as delivered, they couldn’t be sure that they never delivered it. We don’t have a mattress! That’s one clue. I have never had a worse retail experience.
By GaNative
February 16, 2009 3:59 PM | Link to this
I wish I could afford a sleep number mattress. I’m still sleeping on springs. And when the springs wear our or begin to pinch me I just turn the mattress over. And for stability on the springs, I usually go to home depot and buy a slab of plywood to put between the mattress and the box spring.
By just askin
February 16, 2009 5:08 PM | Link to this
Has anyone bought a mattress at Sams? Any good? What is the cheapest KIng size mattress pillow top(medium/good quality)you would recommend?
By Snore Bore
February 16, 2009 5:49 PM | Link to this
I would have to second the response above about The Original Mattress Factory. Their prices were very reasonable and the sales person was not trying to push me toward buying the most expensive model.
By Sleep Number is the Way to Go
February 16, 2009 6:22 PM | Link to this
The OMF mattress we purchased lasted about 3 years. The king size mattress developed a permanent sink hole after this relatively short time period.
Next, we purchased a Select Comfort (Sleep Number) mattress and have enjoyed it for 7-8 years. It can’t “wallow out”, doesn’t need to be flipped or rotated, and it’s easy to lift to change sheets. They are pretty expensive to acquire, but on a cost per use basis it was less expensive than the OMF product.
Plus, since you can adjust the firmness, it’s difficult to make a bad decision. I would look at mattresses in past years and would think a particular one felt good—then bring it home and realize it was way too firm. With the SC, no such problems.
Women and men typically have vastly different weights, so it’s not easy to find a mattress that fits both persons’ needs. Since each side of the SC can be adjusted separately, no worries.
By sleepspert
February 19, 2009 10:33 AM | Link to this
I agree it’s too bad retailers all demand that mattress manufacturers sell them “exclusive models.” Consumers like to feel they’re getting a good deal by comparison shopping.
The smart retailers sell the benefits of a fantastic night’s sleep, because that’s what a new mattress is.
FYI: The site link you’ve embedded above is such an angry outdated rant. Talk about bad karma. If someone heads out shopping planning to be ripped, they will be.
Instead read the shopping tips at a major manufacturer’s web sites or the Better Sleep Council’s.
Then go to a reputable mattress or furniture retailer with a good selection of beds and a sales staff that gives off a good vibe.
With most mattresses, you truly get what you pay for. There’s no magic to it. The magic comes when you feel better every morning because you”ve slept well.