Have the springs of your old mattress worn out? Do you feel uncomfortable while lying on your bed? Is your mattress not providing your body enough support while sleeping?
If yes, it is time for you to welcome a new mattress to your home.
You might be confused about the best place to buy a mattress. We understand your trouble.
In this guide, you will read about mattress stores, department stores, and furniture stores. You will also read how people have adapted to buying mattresses online.
We will help you figure out the best place to get a mattress through the help of our mattress buying guide.
Which Are the Best Places to Buy a Mattress?
There are several places you can consider buying a mattress. You can get the mattress of your dreams from a mattress showroom, furniture store, department store, or online. The best place to buy a new mattress for you will depend on your requirements, budget, and expectations.
Mattress Showrooms
Mattress showrooms are shopping places that specialize in selling a variety of mattresses. These displays are usually from the collection of a brand. Mattress showrooms are also popularly located in shopping arcades. Hence you get a greater variety to select.
Mattress showrooms are ideal for you if you like to touch and feel the mattresses before buying. You can roam around, touch, and lie down on these mattresses in these showrooms. Such a trial ensures that you are free of any apprehensions before buying. This openness to feel and sleep on the mattresses attracts many sales.
These showrooms have salesmen with high knowledge about the built, structure, foam of the mattresses. Hence, they will guide you in selecting based on your sleeping position. You can ask them any number of questions you may have. It is most likely that they will have much better knowledge than you as a layman.
However, you need to be mindful and take the decision at your discretion. It is the task of the salesman to sell. They might insist on splurging. To avoid buying an unnecessarily high-priced mattress, you must analyze it per your budget.
The best part about purchasing from mattress showrooms is the ongoing range of discounts, schemes, and offers. Mattresses are a heavy investment. Overhead costs of running these showrooms add up to the cost of the mattresses. Therefore you may want to invest in one during the sale to get the best deal.
Some mattress showrooms also provide white glove delivery services. This service helps in the easy disposal and replacement of your mattress. The delivery service drops the mattress purchased at your place, sets it up, and removes the old one. You can check with the salesman if the policy offers a free white glove delivery service.
Pros:
- Ample discounts and schemes on mattresses
- The knowledgeable salesman who can assist you in making the right choice
- A variety of mattresses to select from
Cons:
- Inflated prices due to high overhead costs
- Customers may have to suffer from unnecessary pressure to buy from a salesman
- Limited range of choices in a store
Question to Ask at Mattress Showrooms Before Buying a New Mattress?
If you are going to a mattress store, you must be ready with a list of questions in your mind. These questions will help you make an informed decision. Asking these questions will also ensure that you do not miss out on any important detail. These questions can be related to the warranty, return policy, mattress structure, or delivery services. Following are some questions that you can ask for a better shopping experience:
- What is the warranty of the mattress? On average, mattresses must have an assurance of around ten years.
- Is there any return policy or sleep trial period? Are there any exceptions to this policy?
- How will the mattress be delivered to your house? Is the delivery chargeable or included in the price?
- How dense is the foam of the mattress? How many layers of support are there?
- What is the best selling piece amongst the lot? What are its features?
- Does the store offer a complimentary white glove delivery service?
- Which mattress suits your sleeping position the best?
Furniture Stores
Furniture stores are a one-stop destination for all the furniture and interior requirements nowadays. Hence you could find a range of mattresses at your nearby furniture stores. The reason furniture stores have started selling mattresses is that they aim to be all-inclusive.
But the variety of mattresses available may be limited in this case. Furniture stores are shopping complexes that focus on providing a diverse range of furniture. Since mattresses are not their primary business, they hold only limited pieces in stock.
The salesman at furniture stores also will not be experts in mattresses. Their knowledge will be more generalized rather than specialized. Hence you may want to read the catalog or surf the net for detailed information.
It is to note that different manufacturers tie-up with furniture stores to reach a larger audience. Hence the quality of mattresses at furniture stores will be variable.
The quality and design of mattresses may not be top-notch. Hence, you must enquire about the mattress filling, materials, and structure before making a purchase.
The reason people prefer buying mattresses from furniture stores is the ease of availability of these stores. Specialty mattress showrooms are less likely to be available at all places.
The furniture stores may not offer a full sleep trial on mattresses. If you don't like the product, you will get stuck with it.
These stores may also not be too convenient in providing exchange. Possibilities are that they offer an exchange only if the mattress is defective. So if you develop discomfort issues after usage, there is no way to return the mattress. Therefore you must inquire about the return terms carefully.
If you are planning to renovate the interiors of your entire house, you can consider buying mattresses from furniture stores. It will help you get a better deal if you purchase several items together.
Furniture stores are also less likely to hold sales or discounts on mattresses. It is because mattresses are not their primary product. Hence you may not find mattresses on sale frequently.
Hence you must usually avoid buying mattresses from furniture stores. These stores would have some mattresses on display. But it is of no use to buy without a sleep trial or exchange guarantee.
Pros:
- Ease of availability of furniture stores
- A one-stop shopping destination for all the home interior needs
Cons:
- Fewer periods of sale and discount
- Limited variety of mattresses and variable quality
- Lack of knowledgeable salesman
- Limited or no trial period, the possibility of no return
Department Stores
Department stores aim to be inclusive of all the needs of people by providing them everything from groceries to food to beddings. Hence department stores are also one of the stops where you can find your ideal mattress.
Department stores will not have a large variety of mattresses. But the most common ones are most likely to be available.
It will enable you to look at the mattresses/beddings during your regular grocery shopping visits.
The salesman at department stores might not be the best equipped to recommend mattresses. Hence you will have to do your research before making a purchase.
The departmental store may or may not charge delivery charges. You must check their return or refund policy, and if they provide a sleep trial. Department stores can also have a white glove delivery option.
Pros:
- You can enquire about the mattresses during regular visits
- Many department stores can be available near you
Cons:
- Lack of specialized expertise among salesman
- Limited variety of mattresses
- Every departmental store may or may not sell mattresses
- The overall trial experience will not be the same as in a mattress store
- Less number of sales or discounts throughout the year
Hence it is not preferable to buy mattresses from department stores.
Department stores are the best to purchase grocery items and clothing at most.
For a specialized purchase like a mattress, you must buy from a store that offers a sleep trial, exchange, and has helpful salesmen.
It will help you make a good investment and prevent you from getting stuck with a mattress you don't like.
Does the New Mattress Feel the Same as In-Store?
Usually, a new mattress will not feel the same at your home as it will in-store. Various factors contribute to making the showroom display more comfortable and cozy.
Mainly three factors decide the comfort levels of a new mattress:
- The temperature at the showroom: The classic memory foam used in mattresses tends to become softer in warm temperatures. If your room has a cool temperature, the mattress will feel more firm.
- Duration of usage of the mattress at the showroom: A mattress put for display and trial at the showroom has already been tested out by several people before you. The usage makes it softer and more adaptive to your body when you first try it at the shop. However, a new mattress freshly delivered to your house will not have achieved this level of softness. As the mattress is in use for a prolonged time, it gets softer and more comfortable. It might take a few months for your mattress to reach the level of comfort that the showroom display model had.
- Slight difference in the individual model of the mattress: Even the mattresses of the best companies may have slight variations within their exact composition, layers, comfort, and softness. Two models of the same line may have a few differences due to manufacturing. You could feel a difference between the showroom model and a fresh piece. In general, it will take some time for you to adjust to your new mattress. Similarly, we take time to adapt to a new pair of spectacles.
As per research, a wrong mattress can lead to orthopedic problems and long-term health issues. Hence it is paramount to change your beddings if worn out.
If you have been sleeping on a worn-out bed, likely, your body has now become accustomed to that. Hence, it is natural for your body to take some time to adapt to a newly built mattress.
Ideally, a month is a correct approximation to become habitual to your new beddings.
Do Sales People Really Help You Make the Right Choice?
Are you somebody who gets easily swayed by the persuasion of a salesman? If yes, consulting a salesperson at a mattress store may not be the best decision for you.
The salesman should be a helper in the store who provides you with knowledge about a product. This knowledge will enable you to make a better buying decision. However, the salesman may not work so ideally in all the circumstances.
As the word suggests, a salesman means somebody who gets sales. Hence they may push you to buy an expensive mattress. The reason is that these salesmen get a commission on sales.
The best approach is to do your research before going to a store. You can then consult a salesperson to assist you with precise knowledge about the mattress. The salesman should also tell you about the return or exchange policy of the store.
If you get swayed by a salesman, you should have somebody else to accompany you. They will help you in better decision-making. If you feel influenced to buy a mattress, you should exit at that time. It will prevent you from making a rushed decision.
You ought to take your own time before making the final decision because buying a mattress is an expensive and long-term investment.
Online vs. In-Store
The advent of technology has made online shopping possible, from the smallest groceries to the heaviest beddings. Many marketplaces have started selling mattresses and other bedding items like pillows, duvets, cushions, and more. The online arcade has solved your confusion about where to buy a mattress.
Some established brands have also taken their product line online. They offer a wide variety of standard company discounts, warranties, and sale periods. The best place to buy a mattress online is specific mattress brands rather than marketplaces. They provide brand warranty and discounts.
As per research, 61% of people prefer to shop online due to the spread of coronavirus. It is also due to other secondary benefits.
Shopping mattresses online has the following benefits-
- Availability of a large variety of mattresses
- The best affordable prices of mattresses
- Speedy delivery at your doorsteps
Online shopping stores have comparatively lesser overhead costs to bear, so they do not have to raise the prices of the products to meet their expenses. Because of this reason, you get mattresses at much more affordable prices.
On the contrary, buying mattresses at walk-in stores means paying more. The mattress cost includes a part of their rent, salaries, and fixed expenses.
Another benefit of buying from online stores is a large variety of mattresses across different brands. Buying online allows you to compare and contrast the prices and qualities of mattresses.
When you buy in-store, you can only explore a limited number of mattresses that the store can accommodate.
While shopping online, you must be able to do your research. Since online shopping stores do not have salesmen, you will have to read through product descriptions of different mattresses and put them in the comparison.
Although websites have a chat-bot feature, they cannot compensate for the sales techniques of a salesman.
To shop online wisely, you must read the customer reviews before purchasing. You will understand the drawbacks and benefits of mattresses. Be sure to read the negative ratings that get buried below the best feedback to get a correct picture.
Established online mattress stores also provide a sleep trial varying from a month to 100 days. You can sleep and decide if purchasing this mattress was the best decision for you.
On the contrary, lying on the mattress for about 20 mins in the store will not give you the best idea about comfort.
Online stores also provide an exchange after 100 days which many offline stores don't. Usually, the online stores donate or recycle these returned mattresses.
Many of these online shopping websites also provide free delivery options. Some online websites may also give a free white glove delivery option for customer satisfaction.
However, white glove delivery is usually a chargeable service for in-store shopping.
If you are apprehensive about buying a mattress before touching it, you should know that you are equally likely to make a wrong decision even when you buy in-store.
Purchasing mattresses online is more comforting because of the availability of long sleep trials. You do not have pressure from any salesman, and you can explore a number of mattresses before finally purchasing one.
What to Look for In a New Mattress?
After thinking about the best place to purchase a mattress, you must be sure about the qualities you want in mattresses. Every mattress does not suit everybody. The reason is simple; everybody has different sleeping positions. So "how to choose a mattress?"
Here are some factors that can help you make the best buying decision for mattresses. Before making the final choice, you must determine -
- What is your budget for this mattress?
- How much area will this mattress take up in your room?
- How many people will use this mattress?
Once you are sure about your answers to these questions, you are ready to proceed ahead.
A mattress can have many variations based on size and firmness levels.
Based on firmness, mattresses can be firm, medium, and soft. The firmness levels will determine how well the mattress cushions your body.
- The people who sleep on their sides must opt for soft to medium beds.
Such beds will provide extra cushioning and support to your hips and shoulders. It enables you to sleep comfortably in a side position.
The people who sleep on their backs must go for a mattress that supports the curve of their spine. A medium-firm to firm mattress does this job the best.
Those who sleep on their stomachs should go for firm mattresses. Stomach sleepers need a mattress that provides lump-sum support to their body to prevent misalignment.
These mattresses will prevent your body from drowning in, maintaining the natural alignment of your spine.
Those who toss from left to right and have two to three sleeping positions should go for medium feel mattresses. Such mattresses are perfect for those who have a combination of sleeping positions.
Based on the size, the mattresses can also be classified further as twin mattresses, twin XL, full mattress, queen mattress, king mattress, and California king mattresses. Different mattresses suit different people. Your sleeping preferences, if you sleep with a partner, if you are very tall, or if you are a kid, will determine which mattress suits you the best. Following is a table that indicates mattress sizes, and their suitability as per your usage.
| Mattress Size | Dimensions (Inches) | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Twin | 38 X 75 | Twin size mattresses are best for kids room/bunk beds |
| Twin XL | 38 X 80 | Narrow beds with larger leg space for tall people |
| Full/Double | 54 X 74 | Best for young couples on a budget and growing children |
| Queen | 60 X 80 | Most sold size, ideal for couples |
| King | 76 X 80 | Best for people with children or pets who want luxurious sleep space |
| California King | 72 X 84 | Perfect for tall people |
Where is The Best Place to Buy a Mattress?
So did you find the best place to buy a new mattress? Should you go to a mattress shop or a furniture store? Should you buy online or buy one from a department store?
If you ask us, the best place to buy a mattress is dependent on your requirements. Based on your budget, health conditions, bedroom size, and usage, the decision varies from person to person.
Let us elaborate on how.
You Should Buy Online If:
- You can do your research before buying a mattress
- Price is a consideration for you, or if you want the most affordable mattress
- You do not want to get under the pressure of a store salesman
- You want delivery to your doorstep without any hassle
- You have ample time and can wait until the online order gets delivered
- You want to explore a variety of mattresses
You Should Buy In-Store If:
- If you need the mattress urgently
- You like to be guided by the salesman at stores
- You do not like surfing on the web and doing research
- You do not mind spending some more on buying a mattress
- You are sure about the brand of mattress you want to buy from based on previous experience
- You prefer to feel the mattress before buying it.
So if you are still thinking, "what is the best way to buy a mattress?" It is by doing your research. You must ascertain your sleeping position and the size you require. Once sure, you must think about the best way to buy a mattress.
You can either buy mattresses from mattress showrooms or furniture or department stores. But you can also go buying mattresses online if you want long trial periods and the best price.
One of the good places to buy a mattress is our website. We give you a trial period of 365 days to ensure you are 100% satisfied with our mattresses. In the end, you must take the final decision on considering your sleeping position, your budget, size requirement, and expected warranty periods.
