Mattress shopping is worse than buying a car!

madoka

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2004
4,344
712
121
I hate mattress shopping. The entire industry colluded to make sure there are so many models and variations that you can't easily compare or price match. At least with car shopping, you have a general idea of what the dealer's invoice prices and incentives are. With mattress shopping, I feel like I was just throwing numbers out there into a void.

I went into the store and found an adjustable base that I liked ($1700) and an acceptable mattress ($5500), so $7200 total.

I asked the salesperson for his best deal for the two and he said $6800. I then countered with $6000 and he said, "You got it." No hesitation, no bargaining; he just accepted. And then on top of that, he threw in freebies without me even asking.

I left with the disconcerting feeling that maybe I paid too much with no way of knowing if I got a good deal or not. There's no truecar or edmunds for me to find out. The markups in that industry must be incredibly high. But again, I have no clue if they are. If anything, I'm glad it's over.
 

Jimzz

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2012
4,399
190
106
Go to http://www.us-mattress.com/ and shop there. They have all the major mattress and tell you the specs on them from size, coil gauge, number of coils, etc... take their price and specs if you want to shop local and compare that way.

And always buy a mattress a little firmer than you like. Most break in after a couple months and you can always add a topper to make if softer. But you can't make a soft mattress firmer.
 
Feb 4, 2009
35,784
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I whole hardheartedly agree, every single seller has their 'own" model, mattresses are way over priced for what they are because you'll only buy a few over your lifetime.

I will say our bob-o-pedic was priced reasonably.
 

WaTaGuMp

Lifer
May 10, 2001
21,207
2,506
126
I have said it before and I will say it again. Buy the cheapest mattress you find comfortable and call it a day. I don't sleep any better on my current mattress than I did on my cheaper one. My next one will most likely be a Novaform from $399 from Costco. People still feel they need to spend $4000 on a mattress, hence why they keep selling them. I know I will possibly take a beating here for saying this, so keep wasting money folks.
 

WaTaGuMp

Lifer
May 10, 2001
21,207
2,506
126
Matress shopping does suck, tire shopping's a close 2nd.

Tire shopping? I find that a cake walk. My worst was from Costco, not because of the shopping part per-say, its the fact it took 3 hours for them to finish. Thats with me being there and 6th in line when they opened. Now they do take appointments though. Americas Tire is great, I find them online then drive over, get them done and out in 30-45 min.
 

SKORPI0

Lifer
Jan 18, 2000
18,469
2,407
136
Mmmmmmm.

frHyAsM.gif

Largest human mattress dominoes with 1,200 participants . :awe:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE5RdFFgW0w
 

Carson Dyle

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2012
8,173
524
126
$6000? What a bargain. My last mattress set cost me about $900, but that was 12 years ago, so maybe costs have gone up slightly.
 

brianmanahan

Lifer
Sep 2, 2006
24,553
5,965
136
i bought a mattress for 200$ 15 years ago, then threw a memory foam on top for 150$

and my bed has treated me fine
 

freeskier93

Senior member
Apr 17, 2015
487
19
81
What the fuck kind of mattress are you buying that's 6 grand? Better be one of those fancy dual zone adjustable things. I think my current memory foam mattress cost $400 for a queen and I sleep like a baby. Also, buy a platform bed so you don't have to spend money on a stupid box spring.
 

Carson Dyle

Diamond Member
Jul 2, 2012
8,173
524
126
I asked the salesperson for his best deal for the two and he said $6800. I then countered with $6000 and he said, "You got it." No hesitation, no bargaining; he just accepted.

That was bargaining. You're just not very good at it. :D
 

WaTaGuMp

Lifer
May 10, 2001
21,207
2,506
126
What the fuck kind of mattress are you buying that's 6 grand? Better be one of those fancy dual zone adjustable things. I think my current memory foam mattress cost $400 for a queen and I sleep like a baby. Also, buy a platform bed so you don't have to spend money on a stupid box spring.

Hastens sells mattresses that cost as much as $50,000.
 

piasabird

Lifer
Feb 6, 2002
17,168
60
91
I paid $900 for a queen sized Mattress from www.Casper.com . Of course then I needed a foundation and I purchased a queen sized bunky bed and put it on my old bed. I like the Casper Mattress a lot.
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
49,996
6,302
136
I will say our bob-o-pedic was priced reasonably.

I love my Bob-o-Pedic! That memory foam bed, along with my New Balance shoes with foam inserts, have made my life so much more comfortable & pain-free. Worth every penny :thumbsup:
 
Feb 4, 2009
35,784
17,322
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I paid $900 for a queen sized Mattress from www.Casper.com . Of course then I needed a foundation and I purchased a queen sized bunky bed and put it on my old bed. I like the Casper Mattress a lot.

My bob-o-pedic was around $1200(?) with delivery & foundation, but even that is a ripoff its a cut piece of foam but it was alot more tolerable than the $3500 foam mattress we saw at Jordan's Furniture.
 

madoka

Diamond Member
Jun 22, 2004
4,344
712
121
What the fuck kind of mattress are you buying that's 6 grand?

It's this mattress:

https://www.sitnsleep.com/sealy-ideal-temp-firm

with this base:

https://www.sitnsleep.com/sealy-reflexion-4-adjustable-base

I think a ventilated mattress would be useful for hot nights.

That was bargaining. You're just not very good at it. :D

I thought I was asking for a substantial discount, but his response makes me rethink how high their margins must be.
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
71,929
32,031
136
A $6k mattress better come with hookers with the tags still attached. :awe:
 

Miramonti

Lifer
Aug 26, 2000
28,651
100
91
Mattress shopping is so hellish I'd rather grab a bale of hay and sleep in a manger.

-Jesus
 
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brianmanahan

Lifer
Sep 2, 2006
24,553
5,965
136
I thought I was asking for a substantial discount, but his response makes me rethink how high their margins must be.

i remember hearing, and now this could be hearsay

but i remember hearing that a local guy is able to support his mostly-mattress furniture store by selling one single, solitary mattress per week

and this guy has several employees
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
49,996
6,302
136
It's this mattress:

https://www.sitnsleep.com/sealy-ideal-temp-firm

with this base:

https://www.sitnsleep.com/sealy-reflexion-4-adjustable-base

I think a ventilated mattress would be useful for hot nights.



I thought I was asking for a substantial discount, but his response makes me rethink how high their margins must be.

Doesn't matter, your body will thank you for it. I recently slept on a pillowtop mattress (I used to have one), but after sleeping on a memory foam for the last 4+ years, I woke up every day for that week on the pillowtop with pain. Made me sore! I am not into fashion or clothing or anything, but it's the same with my shoes...my New Balance shoes are stupid expensive, along with the inserts, but I haven't had shoe-inflicted foot pain for years now, so they're worth every penny.

The adjustable bed bases are also really nice in a lot of situations, like if you have a cold & need to sit up a bit to drain, or have acid reflux, or your wife gives birth, or whatever.
 

Elixer

Lifer
May 7, 2002
10,371
762
126
I went to a "Sleep Doctor" mattress place, and I don't understand how they can be in business.
$4000-$10,000 for a mattress? Then add in the cost of the powered frame? :roll:
That and the high-pressure selling tactics "You wouldn't want to short change your body!" "It is a good insurance on your back!" and on and on they went.
It also is really creepy to have them hover over you when they tell you to lie down and try it, though, I am unsure why they think trying it for a few minutes will prove anything. I wasn't impressed at all.