Mattress Buying Painful For Many Shoppers

February 18, 2007  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on February 2007 According to a recent consumer survey commissioned by the 440-store Select Comfort chain, 20 percent of shoppers say the mattress buying process is painful and 70 percent say it could be improved.

Based on a survey of 1,000 consumers last month, the results indicate that only 26 percent of consumers rated the experience as positive. In fact, consumers ranked buying a bed as slightly less painful than buying a new car and worse than visiting in-laws. Select Comfort officials said the results help explain why many shoppers are waiting too long to replace their mattresses, with 86 percent waiting until their mattress becomes uncomfortable.

Peter Bils, Select Comfort’s senior director of sleep innovation, said the company’s stores are focused on helping consumers understand the science of a good night’s sleep.

“Buying a mattress can be intimidating, confusing and painful for several reasons, including the sheer number of models and the nature of the in-store experience,” he said.