Friday, February 1, 2013

How to Shop for a Mattress III

Or how do you know the store your in is a good one?


First, let me say there are a great many very good stores out there.  Most of those store owners and managers take a particular slant in what they do.  There are a few bad apples, please don't be discouraged if you find one.

What should you expect from the representative?  That's not to hard to guess, but the primary thing you should get is empathy.  Empathy will indicate post sale customer service.  A number of years ago, I purchased a new car.  I did my research, and finally decided on the vehicle.  We went to the showroom and a sales guy approached me.  We told him what we were looking for and he took us to the model.  He asked appropriate questions to suggest the car we might like in that model line.  So far so good, he was doing a great job.  When we finally settled on the car we talked price, when we agreed, he closed the sale.  He was very efficient, and we were done pretty quick.  At this point we had a very good visit.  As we were leaving, he said, "It's Friday, and our porter has gone home.  I really would like to detail that car for you, can you bring it back early next week?"  That impressed us, and we scheduled a time.  Wow what an experience.  However, when I took it in at the agreed time, he saw me and asked:  "what are you doing back so soon?"  The balloon deflated... If you are offered something, expect to get it. (And sales pros, if you promise something, make sure you remember!)

Same is true of the mattress shopping experience.  The representative you meet in the store should listen to your wants.  As you have an initial discussion, they should be mentally looking at their inventory.  And they should make suggestions.  You should lay on those suggestions, and make sure you let them know if it meets your needs, or if you have additional needs.  You do need to respect their knowledge, but make them earn your trust.  If you watch carefully, to where they lead, you can judge if they are trying to help you or just maximize their sales.  Do they try to stick to one brand?  Are they showing you models that you told them you did not like?  These are key signs they are not working for you.

Do not hold back.  At times, I have talked to people that think they need to minimize the information they share, but then how can I help them find a model that best suits their needs?  Instead, at that point, we just wander all over the store.  And here's why that is bad:  If you lay on more than about 4 beds in a store, you will not remember all of them, it is sensory overload.  By telling the rep what you want, or desire, or what you are trying to accomplish, the rep can lead you to a minimal number of beds.  That means you can have less mental clutter and make a better decision.

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If you are not sure what you want or need, it is OK.  Then talk about what your current bed is doing.  Are you waking with pain?  Do you toss and turn?  Does it sag?  Set expectations on how often you replace beds.  Remember most spring beds are designed to last no more than 10 years.  If you require a longer lasting bed, the rep should show you alternatives to springs that are designed to last longer.  I had a customer once, who was intent on finding a 2-sided mattress.  They lamented that most don't make them any more, but those lasted longer.  And you know what?  They were right when talking springs.  Flipping a spring bed can almost double its lifespan, but rare is the manufacturer that makes them double sided any more.  Why you might ask?  Because they are more expensive to make, and surveys have shown customers do not flip any way.  All mattress organizations are conscious of price, especially springs.  That is why ads always feature a lead item that can be had cheap.  Ever seen the ads that say Queen Mattresses $199 each piece when bought in a set?  (By the way, if you need a cheap mattress fine, but try to avoid these, they are a bad economic choice).  The stores that throw up the lowest price believe they will get the most visitors.  Their hope is that you will want things like a pillow top, and up sell you to a better model.

I was on a Chinese manufacturers site the other day.  He had queen mattresses at $65 cost.  Of course you had to buy 1000 of them, but that gives you some idea of how cheap the product can be.  With normal markups, these are the $199 mattresses.  Two things, I believe it is important to shop for quality, which these are not, and all things being even look first to mattresses produced as close to your location as possible.  We call it being econcentric.  Buying close to home helps your community thrive, and possibly keeps a neighbor employed.

Spend time on each of 2 to 4 beds that match your needs.  At least 15 minutes.  Test all of your normal sleep positions.  While the only way to know for sure is to sleep on it a couple weeks, 15 minutes or more will help you compare better.  Do you feel better after laying on it?  Then it is a good bed.  Feel the same or worse, look at another model.  Not happy on any in a store?  Be kind, explain that to the rep, they may not want to hear that, but it is murder waiting on the return visit that will never come, be honest.

By being honest, perhaps there is another model you have not tried that might suit you better, do you really want to spend a third of your life for the next 10 years on a bed that isn't perfect?  This also tests the rep's knowledge of sleep and beds in general.  A good rep is there to help you, and to make a living doing that.  I know that nothing is more satisfying than to have a past customer tell a family member or friend to visit me when they are looking for a bed, and I am not alone.

So let's end by saying good luck on your mission to find great sleep!  There are a great many good brands and stores that can help you along the way, take advantage of the good ones.  And as always...

Sleep Well!

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