"Cheap" spring mattress + foam pad + down/pillow-top layer is the best mattress purchase decision you can make. My queen set is under $300 and more comfortable than ~20 other fancy mattresses I tried, some as high as $2500. And it's "upgradable" and adjustable without needed to toss the whole thing.
What happens to a mail-order mattress after you return it
171–180 of 320 posts
Re: What happens to a mail-order mattress after you return it
#172Earlier quoted context omitted.
Any thoughts on why markup stays so high if the industry is actually cutthroat? Competition should be driving margin way down.
I would chalk it up to the fact that no one has tried (in the US). A startup could easily jump in on the cheap memory foam mattress game, but most mattress sellers are not startup folk. It's just so low effort to buy from serta, casper, etc. with absurd markups since that's the market rate. The "competition" looks a lot like the used car racket, but you don't need to join the car dealership cartel to sell mattresses.…
A few thoughts here.
1) There are already lots of cheap memory foam mattresses that are relatively well reviewed on Amazon for example this one for $200 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00474X5DO/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_z... (not a recommendation, just looked it up).
2) The average markup isn't 2000%. You can look at Casper's COGS in their S-1. Also, the return rate is built into the cost, so that adds to it.
3) In general, a cheap mattress is going to be perceived as low quality. It's like how nobody wanted Warby Parker glasses when they were priced around $20. Then they changed the price to $99+ and they actually improved sales.
Re: What happens to a mail-order mattress after you return it
#173I'd thought I'd get around the madness of mattress shopping by using just the technique mentioned in the article here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22377160 At least, until I found something I liked. I purchased a Purple 3, thinking that if I loved it, I'd just stick with it. I did love it, but I couldn't justify spending $2k on a twin(!). I returned it, and purchased from another company for ~$700. I didn't…
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Re: What happens to a mail-order mattress after you return it
#174Earlier quoted context omitted.
I didn’t read the article but I’ve worked for one of these companies that was a startup and have a local mattress company as a client. So a little perspective. These companies are all marketing companies. There is no “science” they literally get rolls of foam from foam makers, throw them on in layers and try to find the right combo. I was there, I’ve done it myself. The companies that end up winning have fantastic ma…
How should people buy mattresses, or mattress-like products, to avoid this 2000% markup?
I've bought my last couple mattresses on Walmart.com. Good price, free shipping, and foam felt like any other foam I've laid on. And because the price is good, I don't mind replacing them more frequently.
Re: What happens to a mail-order mattress after you return it
#175Earlier quoted context omitted.
Testing cars you can't afford is awesome I can see the value in test driving a car a class above your level so you can see what you're missing. When I was looking for a car, I tried out a low-end Acura in addition to a high-end Honda, but those are $35K and $45K cars. I could probably justify the $10K jump in price if the Acura was spectacular, but no matter how much I love an $80K car, I could never justify buying o…
I was speaking at a company event at the BMW facility in SC. We did some driving on their track. My takeaway was: 1. I do get the attraction of some of these cars. 2. Nope. Not worth it to me even though I could afford them if I wanted to.
Sure but next try out a Porsche.
Re: What happens to a mail-order mattress after you return it
#176Earlier quoted context omitted.
Part of the crazy markup in the mattress industry might be in the non-returnability of them. Manufacturers need to price in the fact that some % of them will be returned (read: given away for free) because no one wants a used mattress that might have bed bugs or other unknown substances.
But I wonder how many people buy a mattress, never open it, "return it for refund" then just resell a "unused, unopened mattress"?
I am sure it's a thing and if it is not, it will be.
Re: What happens to a mail-order mattress after you return it
#177Earlier quoted context omitted.
1. Testing cars you can't afford is awesome. Knowing the full range of experience in a good can be very enlightening. How much better is a $10,000 camera from a $1,000 camera, or $400 wine from $4? I used to run a tasting group which is basically a way to pool money and try liquors that are vastly out of our individual price range and I highly recommend it. You can try expensive cars and mattresses for free, that's e…
Yes, but the parent commenter explicitly said the plan was to keep it if they loved it, and they loved it, but they didn't keep it because it was too expensive.
I am fascinated by the way that so many people have the misapprehension that "love it" is completely binary.
Re: What happens to a mail-order mattress after you return it
#178Earlier quoted context omitted.
You'd have to bulk order from China most likely or build your own mattress... or just order something cheap on Amazon where it is a race to the bottom. IKEA is also ok. I prefer Costco b/c of the return policy itself. Maybe you might find a hotel liquidator. The fact that we all sleep in hotels though shows you that the mattress resale laws are kind of weird or antiquated .. e.g. maybe last century. It seems like the…
The reason is surely bedbug infestations. It is just too risky to buy a mattress second hand, even from legitimate sources.
That can be handled, either store the mattress for a year or so, or heat it up enough to kill them.
Re: What happens to a mail-order mattress after you return it
#179Earlier quoted context omitted.
You'd have to bulk order from China most likely or build your own mattress... or just order something cheap on Amazon where it is a race to the bottom. IKEA is also ok. I prefer Costco b/c of the return policy itself. Maybe you might find a hotel liquidator. The fact that we all sleep in hotels though shows you that the mattress resale laws are kind of weird or antiquated .. e.g. maybe last century. It seems like the…
The reason is surely bedbug infestations. It is just too risky to buy a mattress second hand, even from legitimate sources.
That's enough for many of us to avoid it, it hardly needs regulation. GP's point is that we gladly share hotel mattresses. Bed bugs are consequently occasionally an inconvenience.
Re: What happens to a mail-order mattress after you return it
#180Earlier quoted context omitted.
There is I think a little bit of an ethical grey area in buying, trying, and returning a thing in the hope that it’s not worth their effort to ship it back. I can’t really say that taking a company up on a free trial counts as wardrobing.
Yeah, I bought an expensive umbrellas for my backyard. It came without a pin in the hinge so it wouldn't open/close properly. I told them, they said to throw it away and they would send me a new one. They sent me a new one but I repaired the other one - it seemed line a terrible waste to toss it. It crossed my mind that I could claim similar things for other objects even when they weren't broken. That said, they both…
I'm no ecowarrior, but perhaps I am a contradiction-warrior
... You started out saying throwing one away seemed a terrible waste, and now you, by plan and forethought, do so annually?