Mattress Store Guide To Help Make The Right Decision

When the time comes to buy a new mattress, the prospect of making this type of purchase can seem overwhelming. After all, you spend about 1/3 of your life in bed, on your mattress, so it should be a purchase that you really take seriously.  However, before you even get into the specifics of what mattress to buy, you need to know where to start shopping. Take a look at our mattress store guide that will cover all of your brick and mortar and virtual online shopping options to help you get the mattress you have always dreamed of. 

Buying a Mattress

When it comes to buying a mattress—one of the biggest decisions you will have is whether to go with an online retailer or a brick and mortar store. However, before you get down to choosing between virtual and in-person shopping options—there are a few other considerations to make when it comes to buying a mattress.

Preferred Firmness

You need to start by knowing what type of firmness you like in a mattress, which can often have a lot to do with your sleeping style and whether or not you sleep on your back, stomach or side. While some people prefer super plush beds, others choose to sleep on firm and supportive mattresses instead. This is a great way to filter through your different options until you find a mattress that works for you.

Materials

In the past, mattress manufacturing was notoriously hard on the environment and many companies created mattresses from toxic and harmful materials. In today’s market, it is much easier to find eco-friendly, organic and sustainable mattresses that are made with non-toxic and safe materials. This is an important feature for many shoppers who are looking for a safe place to rest at night.

Shipping, Returns and Trials

Even when you shop for a mattress in-store it can be hard to determine if that mattress is the right mattress for you, without giving it a real trial in your home. This is why it is so important to look for mattress companies that offer in-home trial options where you can return the bed if you are not fully satisfied with it. Shipping and returns are also something to consider particularly if you are buying online as you want to make receiving (and returning) your mattress an easy process.

Brick and Mortar Retailers vs. Online Retailers

There are two types of shopping options when it comes to buying a new mattress: brick and mortar retailers and online retailers. Each has their own benefits and understanding what those benefits are will only help you moving forward.

Online Mattress Companies

More consumers than ever are now buying their mattresses online. While a few years ago, buying a mattress online may have seemed a little outside the box—but it has never been so easy or so common to buy mattresses online. Take a look at some of the top online mattress companies out there to start your shopping experience.

• Walmart

• US-Mattress.com

• Costco.com

• Wayfair

• Overstock

• Casper

• Leesa

• Purple

• Nectar

• Avocado

These are all retailers that not only have a large selection of mattresses, but that can provide you with some valuable information on their products, including extensive customers reviews. Another perk of these online mattress retailers is that they all come with different in-home sleep trial options, so that you can test them out right in your own home and see for yourself how much you like these mattresses before committing. Having the option to try the mattress in-home and then return it if it doesn’t work will help put a lot of online shoppers at ease when buying from these retailers.

Online Direct

There are two main types of online mattress shopping options: online direct from a company and through online retailer. Direct from the company, or direct to consumer shopping has become increasingly popular over the past few years and for good reason. With this shopping option you can buy your mattress right from the company, not through a third-party store that sells a multitude of brands. When you cut out the middleman (and when the company cuts out extras like showrooms) you can often get mattresses at much lower prices than you would elsewhere.

Also, when you are buying directly from the company, you are often able to get much more information about the product you are purchasing from the retailer. Many of these brands also offer free or discounted shipping to their customers across the country. The only negative of purchasing online direct is that you can’t try the mattress before buying it and most of these company’s don’t have any showrooms available for you to try the mattress out in person, so you will have to shop based on the product’s online information and reviews.

Online Retailer 

When buying from an online retailer, you are buying from one large store, such as Costco, that sells a number of different mattresses form a number of different companies. Just like with direct to consumer retailers, you probably won’t be able to try out the mattress in person first. And many times, these online retailers aren’t able to offer extended warranties or the really long sleep trails like online direct brands can. 

However, that are some distinct benefits of shopping with an online retailers. You can comparison shop different products from different brands all in one place, and many times, these larger stores are able to offer better shipping and customer service because they are so large.

Buying a Mattress Online: Pros

If you are debating on whether or not you want to buy a mattress online, take a look at some of the pros of this type of shopping:

• You don’t have to travel to the store and can make your mattress purchase right at home—saving you a lot of time.

• You can read the reviews of past verified customers and see what others have to say about the mattress you are considering.

• Buying online often opens you up to more coupons and saving opportunities.

• When buying a mattress online, you can shop at your own pace and at your own time, and you don’t have to worry about pushy sales men and women trying to get you to make a purchase.

• Most online brands want to make up for any uncertainties their customers may have about buying online and will offer long sleep trials, free shipping and free returns on all of their mattresses.

If these “pros” sound appealing to you—then buying a mattress online may be the right choice for you.

Buying a Mattress Online: Cons

 While there are many pros of buying a mattress online, it doesn’t mean there aren’t some drawbacks as well. Here are a few thing to think about first before buying online.

• The biggest drawback of course is that you can’t test out the mattress in person before you buy. This can be concerning for anyone making this type of purchase as a mattress is a big investment.

• While reading reviews can be a great way to get better insight into a mattress before buying, there are some brands that have become experts at displaying positive reviews only and blocking easy access to the negative ones—which may not give you the clear picture of the mattress that you are looking for.

• While some mattress companies make shipping and returns easy—this isn’t always the case with every company, so you want to be clear on their return and shipping policies before it costs you an arm and a leg.

If you find that these “cons” of online mattress shopping may be too much of a turn off for you—then you may want to buy at a brick and mortar store instead.

Brick and Mortar Mattress Companies

Buying from a brick and mortar location is probably more familiar to most shoppers. There are many people who like to shop for their mattresses in person at a physical or local location. Here are some of the most prominent brick and mortar mattress companies that many people shop from.

• American Mattress

• Denver Mattress

• Bob’s Discount Furniture

• Ashley

• Costco

• Haverty’s

• Ikea

• Mattress Firm

• Rooms to Go

• Mattress Warehouse

• Sleep Number

There are many shoppers who prefer the opportunity to shop for their mattresses in person and prefer the convenience of being able to see the product in person and talk to someone about this purchase face-to-face.

Local Mattress Retailer

There are many local mattress retailers out there—including companies that only sell mattresses, pillows and box springs, such as Mattress Firm or Mattress Warehouse and there are also furniture stores that also have their own mattress section in them such as Haverty’s or Ashley.

There are also still some smaller local chains or independently owned mattress stores out there that can help you find the mattress you are looking for. Many of these brands will carry similar or some of the same mattress brands but likely won’t be selling any of the mattress brands that mainly offer direct to consumer buying options (unless they have a special deal).  

Buying a Mattress at a Brick-and-Mortar Store: Pros

For many years, buying a mattress at a brick and mortar store was the only way to purchase a mattress. With this in mind, there are many different benefits that come with buying mattresses in person.

• You can actually test out a mattress before buying. This means sitting on, laying on and curling up on any mattress you may be considering.

• When you buy from a larger retail chain, you can compare multiple mattresses and multiple mattress brands side by side right in the same place.

• Brick and mortar stores offer you the opportunity to negotiate on price, delivery and other incentives. While online stores may have coupon codes, there are many brick and mortar stores that offer in-store only sales and discounts for their customers.

• Shoppers can speak with a sales representative in person. There are many people who prefer talking to ra real person and being able to ask questions in-person.

These pros are what have been keeping people buying their mattresses at these stores, and that continues to make this buying option a popular one.

Buying a Mattress at a Brick-and-Mortar Store: Cons

There are some cons when it comes to buying a mattress from a brick and mortar store. This includes some of the following:

• Unfortunately, since there is more overhead costs for store owners to keep a physical building up and running—it often makes mattresses more expensive as well.

• When you aren’t buying direct from the company, there is more markup as you work with the middleman.

• Many shoppers don’t like working with pushy salespeople that can be too overbearing.

• Shopping in person means needing to travel to a show room to shop—instead of getting to browse from the comfort of your own home.  

If you feel as though these “cons” would get in the way of your shopping experience—then it may be time to try online mattress shopping instead. While there are some mattress brands that sell direct to consumers and have their own showroom, they are pretty rate.

Feel Great When You Buy Your Next Natural Mattress At The Right Mattress Stores

Finding the right mattress is very important. You want to find something that offers you with what you need to get the support and the comfort necessary to sleep through the night. There are so many great mattresses and mattress stores out there in today’s market—both online and at brick and mortar stores that will sell you the quality, comfortable mattress you have been looking for. Hopefully, this guide helps steer you in the right direction to finding a mattress that works for you.

Jessica Lauren is Founder, contributing Author and Owner of Citrus Sleep. Citrus Sleep is an online publication that highlights brands, sleep products, women’s fashion, subscription services and ideas creating positive social change and promoting a healthy lifestyle. After spending nearly a decade working in PR and marketing for several brands and startups, Jessica knows what truly drives conversions, sold-out launches and guest posts.

Follow Jessica at @jessicalaurencs | Jessica Lauren

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