1.06.2011

The Gift of Sleep: Lessons in Mattress Shopping

No, we didn't get a stocking full of Ambien, but we did decide to treat ourselves to a new mattress.  Our old mattress wasn't that old but after some research, I found that most mattresses should be replaced every 7-10 years.  We had a Simmons Beautyrest that we really liked until the last year when we started to notice that our bodies were making permanent indentations and that it just was not as firm as it had been.


So, we decided to start shopping around.  Now, when we bought our last mattress (when we upgraded from our apartment-sized full to a queen), we walked into a random store, laid on some mattresses, really liked one and bought it.  They delivered the same night (and it was a Sunday!).

This time, we thought we would spend some more time looking.  We were seriously considering a Tempur-Pedic (all foam) because I know several people who have them, love them, swear they will never buy another type of mattress.  But, I had never laid on one so we wanted to fully explore that option.  If we liked it, we probably would have gone to Ikea to try out their foam mattress because a lot of people love those as well.

Time to shop.  My brother had warned us over Christmas about the mattress scams and how the prices vary incredibly - particularly at the "mattress discount big box type" stores.  We went to one "big box" mattress store on New Years Eve.  I wanted to lay on one and see how it felt.  I laid on it.  I just didn't like it and could not imagine sleeping on it.  Really hard and just difficult to move around on.  So, now we were back to ground zero.  So, we started laying on others.  They were all fine until we laid on the Simmons Beautyrest NxG.  Wow.  We loved it.  And it has a 20 year warranty (of course I am wary of any 20 year warranty). But, we didn't love the price tag.  $3500?!  What???  Is it made of gold?  Um, no.  Of course, the sales guy comes over and tells us that he'll give us a good deal.  Here we go.  Suddenly the price is $2600 including delivery and tax.  Huh?  Is this a used car?  We left.

The next day (New Years Day), between Home Depot and a New Years Day party, we decide to head back to our original mattress place - MattressLand in Falls Church (for those who are local).  We walk in, tell the guy we bought our last mattress here and wanted to buy another.  He confirms that the NxG is a great choice (no surprise there).  So, then it comes time for the price.  The price on the label says $2500.   I say "What's the real price?"  He says he needs to call the store owner to see how low he can go.  Voila - $1800 and he'll throw in a mattress protector and remove the old mattress.  We probably could have haggled down a bit more, but at that point, I wanted the process to be done.  Done.  Sold.  New mattress arrived last night.  Heaven.   (Well, except for my horrible cough.)