Few people actually want to spend a day visiting store after store, slipping off their shoes and trying to get comfy on a mattress in full view of the sales people and other customers. Here are some tips to save time and money when buying your new mattress:
Don’t Compare Serta to Simmons
Brands vary widely in the size, shape and placement of the coils in their different mattresses, so it’s important to compare models of the same brand as you shop. As you do your homework, find a few models that seem like a good fit and then try them out at the store. Many stores’ websites, like Macy’s, offer comprehensive overviews of the products that they carry.
Whip Out Your Negotiation Skills
Americans are ready and willing to bargain when it comes to cars and homes, but not when it comes to less expensive household goods. Be bold and ask if they can give you a better price or what they can throw in to sweeten the deal. Depending on the store, you may be able to get a discount, a free set of sheets or an upgrade on the frame.
Don’t Take Someone’s Word for It
When it comes to things like refrigerators, washing machines and baby gear, people are quick to tap in to their social networks and ask for recommendations. However, those things are less about personal preference than a mattress. You’re going to spend approximately 3,000 hours sleeping in it every year so, just like Baby Bear said, it needs to be “just right.” Do ask around and find what people do and don’t like, but don’t regard it as fact. What Aunt Josie thinks is intolerable may be just what you’re looking for. If you have trouble with your sleeping position, Mayo Clinic has tips to help you sleep better.
If the Price Is Too Good to be True, It Probably Is
A store that offers a deal that seems out-of-this-world probably is just that. Closeouts and clearance sales are one thing, but a store that routinely offers rock bottom prices may be giving you mattresses that might as well be rocks themselves. This is especially true for stores that haven’t been in business for long; if you have a problem a few months down the road, you may find that they’ve jumped ship and you’re stuck with a hefty piece of trash.
Know the Refund Policy in Full
Better yet, get a copy of it in writing. All too often you’ll go into the store, talk get the details from one salesperson, return a week later to buy from another person and then when you have issues with it, you’re dealing with a third person. Chances are the person who sold you it doesn’t deal with returns, so make sure you find out before cutting off the tags (a huge no-no) and sleeping on it for a week. Find out what restrictions are in place and if any fees will be assessed if you aren’t satisfied with your purchase.
This is a guest post by Ginger Willis
Ginger is a mom and avid reader from the Northwest. She runs a small consulting business from her home and enjoys writing about parenting and social media trends.