Dream Big

January 12, 2016  by in Business Strategy, Industry   

By Sheila Long O’Mara

No other home furnishings item gets more use in the home than a mattress. Even if, as studies show, consumers are woefully sleep deprived, people spend more time in their beds than on any other piece of furniture.

Consumers are continually peppered with messages about the fact that they’re not getting enough sleep. Think drug companies, medical studies and more.

More than two-thirds of the consumers in the latest Home Furnishings Business survey said they get between six and eight hours of sleep a night. The latest research from the National Sleep Foundation recommends adults between the ages of 26 and 64 years od should get between seven and nine hours of shuteye nightly.

For that age group—prime mattress buying segment, by the way—the recommendations did not change. Our survey group is almost hitting the mark, however missing an hour consecutively over time can lead to sleep depravation.

Home furnishings and mattress retailers have a prime selling proposition of preaching a better night’s sleep through a new mattress.

About half of the consumers in the survey said they are not at all satisfied or dissatisfied with the amount of sleep they get daily. What a great conversation starter with a bedding consumer. How are you sleeping? Most are likely on the hunt for a new mattress to improve their sleep quality.

Most of our consumers bought mattresses for the master bedroom (84.1 percent) with guest bedrooms placing a distant second with 13.6 percent. Bedding consumers remain price conscious with more than 86 percent spending less than $2,000 for their mattress purchase.

The time spent with a mattress increases the importance to a consumer that they rest test the bed. Somewhat shockingly, 15.9 percent said they didn’t rest the mattress in the store.  More than 36 percent spent 15 minutes or more testing out the bed. The same number that never tested the bed—15.9 percent—spent five minutes or less relaxing on the bed.

Perhaps consumers are uncomfortable in stretching out on a mattress in a retail store with a sales person hovering near by. Key things to keep in mind when designing mattress departments and in training sales associates on what to do and not to do when consumers are relaxing on a mattress. More than 75 percent said when they did try out the bed they curled into their regular sleeping position for a test drive.

Consumers are consistently turning to bedding specialty stores for their mattress purchases. According to the survey, 33.3 percent shopped a specialty store and 36.4 percent bought their mattress from a mattress specialty store. Slightly more than 21 percent shopped traditional furniture store for their new mattress. Other channels included the Internet and mass merchants (15.2 percent each), department store (9.1 percent) and a wholesale club (6.1 percent).

Overall, the surveyed consumers were pleased with their mattress shopping experience. On a five-point scale with one being not at all enjoyable and five being very enjoyable, 79.6 percent reported a four or a five. Drilling down to retail sales associates and their knowledge, consumers were pleased with what they encountered.

On a five-point scale with one being not at all satisfied and five being very satisfied, 75 percent said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the associate’s product knowledge.

 

Want More?

A more in-depth report on the bedding category is available for purchase via e-mail to LauraMcHan@ImpactConsultingServices.com or by calling (404) 961-3734.

$10.45 Billion

2015 mattress sales through 3Q

15.2%

Bedding’s percent of furniture sales through 3Q 2015

 

6.8%

Sales increase through 3Q 2015 over same period previous year

 

Retailers Say

Serta iSeries Merit Super Pillowtop

"Customers love the combination of specialty foam while still having the innerspring support system." Retail is  $1,999 with two free specialty pillows.
Kyle Johansen
HOM Furniture
Coon Rapids, Minn.

 

Sleep to Live 600 Series

 

“It provides the ultimate comfort and more importantly — support comfort — that most other brands don’t have. Under the good, better, best categories, it’s in the better category offering the consumer a great night sleep without completely killing the budget.”

Retail is $2,399.
George Bruni
Art Van Pure Sleep
Warren, Mich.

 

Serta's iSeries Vantage

“Number one, it's made right here in Detroit. Second, Serta's done a great job providing two operations with iComfort and the iSeries.” Queen mattress retails for $1,074.
Jeff Selik
Hillside Furniture
Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

 

 

Vendors Say

 

Tommy Bahama Long Weekend from Therapedic

Part of Therapedic’s Tommy Bahama hybrid collection, Long Weekend offers a luxurious look and plush feel that are enhanced by floating foam. Using domestic materials, the mattress offers a relaxed, island-inspired look and feel. Suggested retail is $2,499 for a queen.

 

Serta’s iComfort Savant

Serta’s Savant from the iComfort lineup features the company’s premium dual action gel memory foam. The bed consistently receives positive consumer reviews and is a top-rated mattress with a leading consumer publication. Suggested retail is $1,799 for a standard queen.

 

EarthTerrene by OrganicPedic

The OrganicPedic EarthTerrene is made with certified organic cotton fabric, certified organic wool, and natural organic latex core to create a plush bed. The bed’s construction speaks to consumers looking for a toxin-free sleep surface. Suggested retail is $6,799.

 

Aireloom’s Preferred 

The Aireloom Preferred combines zone support foam with ventilated latex for temperature control for a cooler sleep surface. The mattress is covered in Tencel multi-stretch knit panel combined with a mini-plaid pattern on the border. Suggested retail is $2,500-$4,500 for queen.

 

Gold Bond’s Smart Series

Part of the company’s first hybrid collection, Gold Bond’s Smart Series 3000 offers the support of an innerspring with the added comfort of a top layer of gel. The mattress is a winner because it provides the benefits of a hybrid at an affordable price. Suggested retail is $1,399 for queen.

 

Passions by Kingsdown

Kingsdown’s Passions mattress offers a gel-infused performance fabric and proprietary cushioning layer to support from wrapped innerspring coils, Passions mattresses combine technologies for healthy sleep. Suggested retail is $1,599-$4,999 for queen.