Mattress Buying Guide - Where To Shop For Mattresses In Your Area!

Mattress Buying GuideHow and Where to Shop In Your Area

How to buy locallyLooking for a new mattress? This mattress buying guide will help you to determine where to shop in your area. Buy Locally! Deciding where to shop can be a big time saver. If you are looking for a mattress, you should determine what store in your area has the largest selection of mattresses and Mattress Categories. A couple of phone calls before you hop into your car should determine the best place to shop.

Mattress Buying Guide: InnerSpring-Mattress

Too often, I find customers will “spend the day” shopping.They go from one store to another. They are determined to buy a mattress. Most customers initially are overwhelmed with what seems like a lot of choices. There are "Mattress Promotions and Sales" everywhere. There are a lot of “opinions” as to what is the best mattress or deal.

Shopping Store to Store Can Be Frustrating!

Trying to compare a mattress from one store to another is usually frustrating. There can be 5 retailers in your area that all carry same mattress (Serta, Sealy, Simmons or Spring Air), but each store has their own model name, and a slightly different outside color fabric! But these mattresses are the same or nearly the same on the inside. There is a natural fear, by consumers, of being taken advantage of. I have seen a lot of frustration, confusion and often enough, open hostility! Usually, everyone is shopping price! Again, what you really need is information!

Mattress Guide- Mattress PricingMattress Buying Guide

Choose A Store With the Most Mattress Categories

There are many more choices today when shopping for mattress besides Inner Springs. A local retailer to look for in your area should reflect a variety of Mattress Categories. A good store should have at the least the following Mattress Categories:

InnerSpring Mattress

Within this class of mattress, you would like to have at least 2 different Manufacturer’s lineup. There should be 2 types of coil systems represented:

A BackSupporter Coil System
Individual Spring Coil System

Visco Memory Foam Mattress

Again, there should be at least 2 Manufacturers’ in the lineup.

TempurPedic Memory Foam
Alternative Memory Foam Manufacture

Note: TempurPedic and Alternative Memory Foam beds will have completely different feels and one is not necessarily better than the other.

Latex Foam Mattress

One Manufacturer is fine as long as there is a choice of at least 3 firmness's.

Adjustable Bed Systems (Electric Bases)

Adjustable bases are used in conjunction with a foam mattress of your choice.

Optional Specialty Categories

Waterbed Systems (Optional)Airbeds Systems (Optional)

These Sleep Systems usually require more maintenance, but can be quite comfortable.

Mattress Guide: Adjustable bedsMattress Buying Guide

Finally - Where Is The Best Place To Shop?

Bedroom Haven- Mattress Buying Guide - Where to shop In Your AreaThe following list is of places to shop for mattresses in order of preference:

1. Sleep Shops/Bedroom Stores

Your local sleep shops usually more selection (more mattresses) and a wider range of pricing. Sales associates are more experienced. Their specialty and knowledge are in mattresses. Sleep Shop sales associates benefit from your satisfaction and hopefully your customer referrals. They have more customer service accountability than a full line furniture store, department store or a large wholesale box store.

You’ll also find very competitive pricing and promotions. Promotions are usually buying options such as: 6 months to 36 months interest free financing. Sometimes, you’ll a find “No Sales Tax” promotion for customers who choose not to finance. Many sleep stores offer free delivery, setup and free mattress removal. For mattress shopping, this is your best choice!

2. Full Line Furniture Stores

A full line furniture store will sell TVs, sofas, kitchen tables, etc…they will usually have a good selection of mattress also. In many cases,the sales representative in these stores will work in many departments and will be less specialized in the sleep department. They advertise “hot mattress deals” and usually direct you to what that store wants to push that week. Of course this is somewhat of a generalization and not always true. However, you can still shop successfully in these stores if their selection has the three main classifications of mattresses:

Innerspring
Latex
2 Categories of memory foam.

Types of Memory Foam Mattresses

3. Discount Warehouses

Sam’s Club, Price Club and large box stores usually will have a very good price on Innerspring Mattresses, but a very small selection. If you want a reasonably good mattress and don’t have any sleep issues, their pricing is the most competitive. I would recommend this for young married couples or young adults maybe buying their first mattress. If you are shopping price more than a specific comfort level, this can be the way to go.

4. Department Stores

Mattress Buying Guide:
I am going to again make some very general statements. Shopping in a department store is not the way to go! Sales person here have very little if any mattress knowledge. Mattresses on sale in their advertising may look attractive, but MSRP’s are raised very high which makes the sales prices look good. (See Mattress Pricing) There selection is slim! Shop for sheets, bedding and pillows here! This is generally not a place to buy your mattress.

Mattress Guide: Children's Mattresses

Online Mattress Shopping?

Bedroom Haven- Mattress Buying Guide - Where to shop In Your AreaHow to buy locally

As I have stressed over and over, you must lie on mattresses before purchasing and I recommend buying your mattress from a local retailer! However, an exception I can understand would be on the purchase of a foam mattress, either Latex or Memory Foam. But before you do this, you still need to do your research first! That is to say, you have already followed the shopping guide I have presented (Master Bedroom Buying Guide) and narrowed your choice to a specific mattress style (i.e. say you like a mattress built with latex and memory foam). You know this mattress is comfortable for you.

There are online dealers that have been around a long time, specialize in foam mattresses and are reputable. You can find very competitive pricing with a good sleep trial and very excellent products. Online companies can operate with lower overhead than brick & mortar stores. Just be sure you know what you want and you are purchasing from a reputable company.

Mattress Guide: Benefits of Foam Mattresses

Bottom Line:

Shop locally at a store in your area that has the largest selection of mattresses first! This will save you time and energy. You can concentrate on finding your perfect mattress with one stop shopping! Prices from store to are generally much the same (although well disguised).

Mattress Buying Guide