1800mattress.com Survey of 4,700 Callers Reveals Buying Trend

Furniture World Magazine

A survey of 4,700 callers who called the 1800mattress.com call center in late July and have school-age children who sleep at home or in dormitories revealed that a staggering 72-percent were buying bedding products for their offspring as part of their Back-to-School shopping. The significance of the news is that the Back-to-School period could now match the late summer “moving” market as the most popular shopping season for bedding products. “The idea of letting my daughter sleep on one of those grimy dorm mattresses that who knows who slept on was repulsive to me,” said one caller from Long Island. Another caller from the Upper Westside of Manhattan said, “I pay almost $40,000 a year to send my son to one of the finest elementary schools in the country and to think he is sleeping on a hand-me-down bed just didn’t seem right. His new backpack probably cost more than his mattress did?” “I think we are seeing the trickle down effect of consumer acceptance that a good night’s sleep improves performance and overall health. Parents bought into the concept years ago, and now want to share a better night’s sleep with their children,” said 1800mattress.com Senior Vice President of Merchandising and Retail John O’Connell. O’Connell said that “affordability” also made it attractive for parents to upgrade a child’s sleep environment. “For less than $150 you can add things like a mattress topper or a good quality mattress protector. For $250 to $300 you can get a quality futon, and for $299 or $399 a nice quality twin mattress. The modest pricing is helpful to parents looking to help their kids,” he added. This Back-To-School season, 1800mattress.com’s 104 showrooms, call center and internet operations will focus on helping parents make the right selection to assure their children get a comfortable and restorative night’s sleep. Some tips consumers can follow: - Make sure you are choosing a mattress that has good back support as well as your desired surface feel, or level of comfort. - Remember that the higher the number of coils and the thicker the padding, the better the mattress quality. - Keep height and weight in mind. If your child is taller or heavier, pick a mattress that will have support features in the right parts of the bed for their body specifications. - If your child suffers from back pain or posture issues, consider models with visco-elastic memory foam to reduce pressure points. The memory foam allows the neck and spine to be aligned by responding to body temperature and weight for optimal support. When you research mattress purchases, be sure to have the person sleeping on the product wear comfortable clothing and use a pillow similar to one at home. - Test the new bed at home for several nights. A reputable dealer will have a comfort exchange policy allowing you to try your bed at home for several weeks, or allow you to exchange it for another model. Founded in 1976, 1800mattress.com is a leading national multi-channel (internet, call center and showrooms) retailer of mattresses, box springs and bedding products. It features products by Sealy, Serta, Simmons, Tempurpedic, and King Koil among others from its 30 beds and mattress menu, including custom sizes, futons, and adjustable and organic beds. Its award winning customer service is well chronicled in thousands of media articles and books. The company was also the first mattress retailer to introduce a two-hour delivery window, and fast national and international delivery of its products. Its business-to-business sales division supplies schools, hospitals, hotels and other institutions. For more information, please visit www.1800mattress.com.