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How Mattresses Moved Online: A Brief History of Virtual Mattress Sales
For decades, methods of purchasing mattresses remained stagnant. You go into a mattress store, try out several products, listen to the salesperson, and ultimately choose something and hope it works. In the last decade, however, things have begun to change.
Recently, a renaissance of mattress options has occurred. Today, you can find a mattress in any number of materials and for any specific needs. Most importantly, you can buy online and skip the showroom altogether.
The Start of Mattresses
Of course, mattresses in some form have been around since humans settled down and became farmers rather than hunter-gatherers. They haven’t always been particularly comfortable, though. The modern mattress has seen many rapid changes in the last 30 to 40 years.Mattresses of the 1980s and earlier all used a damask, woven type of covering over springs. Most had layers of cotton for comfort and padding. These materials were not ideal. If you remember that time, you know you had to flip your mattress over every once in a while to get out the lumps and areas of compressed material.Today, mattresses have evolved and are made from new materials that provide more support, greater comfort, less compression, and even cooling effects. You can still get an old-fashioned spring mattress today, but you also have many other options made with advanced materials and technology.
The Mattress Store Era
Even just 20 years ago, the only way to get a new mattress was to go to the mattress store. In the showroom, you see hundreds of different products with a lot of confusing names and terms. A salesperson, sometimes pushy, would follow you around the store, urging you to try out the mattresses.After lying down on several mattresses, you would make a choice. The store delivered the mattress, and you had to lug the huge, heavy thing up to your bedroom and get it onto the bed frame.You can still buy a mattress this way, and there are some benefits of visiting the showroom. You actually get to feel the mattresses before you buy. And, it can be helpful to talk to a sales associate in person if you have questions. However, many people find the newer options to be much easier.
The Dawn of Online Mattress Sales
Only recently have mattresses been available to buy online, but the shift is no surprise, considering how many sectors are going digital. The main draw, of course, is convenience. Instead of spending a day visiting mattress showrooms to make a selection, you can shop online whenever you want.Online sales for mattresses work because sellers began to make it easier to understand the technical details of the products. You can now go online and read all about the materials, the specifications, and the pros and cons of each mattress. This makes it possible to buy online with confidence.Also crucial to the online revolution is the fact that most companies offer a trial period. You can buy the mattress, try it out for about 100 days, and get your money back if you don’t like it. This mitigates the “sight unseen” risk of buying online.
The Delivery Renaissance
The introduction of the mattress in a box was another significant shift for mattress sales. Even with online sales, delivery still required delivery workers who could bring you the mattress, and involved lugging it into the bedroom. If you bought a mattress to be delivered, you had to wait all day for it to arrive.The big change came when companies began compressing foam mattresses into boxes. With a mattress in a box, you can have it delivered like any other purchase. It will be there when you get home from work. The size of the box makes it easy enough for most people to carry. Once you open it up, it quickly grows to full size.
The Future of Mattresses
Despite the mattress Renaissance and the revolution in delivery methods, statistics indicate that the mattress store is still the most popular way to buy. Even so, trends have been shifting. More people are buying mattresses online, and that is expected to continue.It’s just too hard to beat the ease and convenience of purchasing online and getting a mattress delivered to your door in a box. The industry will undoubtedly keep following consumer demand for quality and convenience.
Will the Online Mattress Trend Fizzle out?
Sleep is a priority, and bedding sales are on the rise. People are likely to continue looking for better products and easier ways to buy them. Online, foam, mattress-in-a-box companies are plentiful; nearly 200 exist in the United States. These businesses represent a growing trend in consumer demand for better mattresses and a better way to purchase and take delivery.
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