Buying a mattress can become quite the detailed process when looking specifically for what you both want and need. And if you have a partner, then your choices may become even more narrow in scope. It also may become harder to find exactly what you are looking for within your budget with fewer choices available.
There are a few tips to consider to help get you what you need without creating a financial strain. The best time to buy a mattress is when you need one, but that isn’t always the most feasible. If you can hold off for just a little bit and take the time to do some legwork surrounding your needs, you can often find yourself a pretty decent deal and save a lot of money in the process.
When to Start Your Search
There are many reasons why you might want to begin your search for a new mattress. Perhaps you moved recently and left behind anything heavy and awkward to move, or maybe you are finally buying your first new mattress as an adult and are finally leaving hand-me-downs behind.
Mattress age and your personal comfort may also be pushing you to begin researching a better sleeping surface, and for good cause since a poor night’s rest can result in a myriad of health issues down the road.
Mattress Age
Over time mattress materials begin to wear down and compress under your applied weight, causing issues with your sleep comfort. Foams may no longer spring back to life and create indentations in the areas you lay; coils may no longer be able to support your weight and sag, and cover fabrics may begin to fray or even tear. If this sounds familiar, your mattress is nearing the end of its useful life and a replacement should be considered.
Comfort
Another reason to replace your mattress surrounds sleep comfort. Obviously if your mattress is aging, then it isn’t going to be as comfortable as it once was and you probably have begun to experience some discomfort. However even newer mattress can begin to be a source of your pain.
If you wake with aches and pains, or toss and turn all night and struggle to sleep well , then you may have a poor fit for your sleeping position. Many people are unaware of how much of their individual sleep preferences play into the overall comfort of their mattress. If this sounds like you, taking a look at a new option may be in order.
Best Times to Buy
Once you’ve started your search you most likely will begin to narrow your preferences down according to what fits within your budget, but what if I told you that you may be able to score your perfect pick for much less than expected? The best month, or even day, may be worth the wait if your sleep needs aren’t immediately pressing.
– Brick and Mortar vs Factory Direct
To begin, hopefully you’ve already discovered the difference between a brick and mortar storefront and a company that offers their product factory direct. Brick and mortar stores often include the cost of their mattresses stocking fees, commision, and shipping, which translates into a higher price tag for you. Factory direct online stores cut out the middleman to offer you a much lower price right to your door. This doesn’t mean you should completely negate the storefront shopping experience as they often offer many deep discounts depending on the time of year.
This is especially true of popular brand names such as Sleep Number or Tempurpedic. These mattresses can only be purchased through their online stores or storefront dealers, so watching both showrooms and online for pricing may help you snag the deal of a lifetime using the following tips.
1. Major National Holidays
Most National holidays in the US include a three day weekend and businesses like to take advantage of your being home to offer discounts and sales leading up to, and through, the holiday. Thanksgiving, Memorial and Labor Day, as well as the 4th of July are popular times of the year for shoppers to watch for special offers.
Thanksgiving in particular often offers huge discounts around Black Friday sales, and the sleep industry is generally overlooked at these time for more electronic based purchases. However, mattresses are a fairly large investment and you should consider checking out local and online prices at this time.
If you are in need of a mattress, find which stores are offering your choices and begin to watch for their advertising. A few months wait may be worth it!
2. Spring
Mattress companies roll out new models each year just like any other product, and these are usually slated to hit storeroom floors between May and September. This makes the spring months, and May in particular, the time to watch for inventory clearout sales to make room for newer mattresses. Sales often begin in early spring with discounts continuing through May until room is made. Watching these sales can be tricky though because what you want may not be well stocked and if you wait too long you might miss it!
You won’t often see these types of deep discounts online however, unless a popular brand name is replacing an old model with an entirely new one. You will need to watch your brick and mortar stores to see what kinds of deals you can bring home for a fraction of retail cost.
3. Autumn
Like the spring sales mentioned above, by September anything from the previous year’s inventory that hasn’t sold will often be let go for heavily discounted prices. Occasionally these may be lesser known brand names that were overlooked by consumers for the more familiar logos.
This is when it pays to do your homework in advance to recognize relatable products to what you are looking for. Many times lesser known brands are of just as high of quality, or even better, and if you know the differences (or lack of) then you might be able to score an awesome deal.
4. January
You’ve all probably seen advertisements for ‘white sales’ in January. The late winter months are often slow for businesses since they follow the high spending months following the winter holidays. Enticement sales to spend your holiday cash (if you have any left) often begin to pop up shortly after New Year’s, and this is especially true surrounding the sleep industry. Although a mattress investment may seem like a lot during this time of year, saving up to it might be worth the time.
As stores begin to prepare for new shipments in spring, they need to begin to move products from the prior year’s inventory- resulting in flash sales of what is left over. Often you need to move fast concerning these products since there may be only a few (or less) in stock.
5. New Store Openings or Store Closings
New store opening specials, store closings, or moving sales can happen at just about any time of year and there is often many incentives for you to take advantage of. This is true of both physical showrooms as well as online companies as mattress startups and merging often occurs in the business world.
These types of sales usually have short lived, flashy advertising on television, online, and in newspaper circulars. In the digital age of social media, following stores online is worthwhile as you can be notified almost immediately of upcoming or ongoing sales.
What to Keep in Mind
Although many businesses now offer delivery and sleep trial periods, be aware that with sales some of these perks may no longer be available. Sometimes a sleep trial is a must, especially for online choices, so be sure to communicate your needs to customer service.
Unless your mattress need is an immediate one, researching your needs and having a few differing go to is definitely worth your while if you are willing to wait for a sale. Even if you cannot wait for a sale, it is worth speaking with salespeople and customer service about your options. Many times you may be able to knock off tax, delivery, or even be pointed in the direction of an alternative you may have missed while browsing. Remember- companies want your business and should try to get you what you need if possible.
Conclusion
When you have determined that you need a mattress, don’t rush straight out and get one. First, make sure to take the time to determine your needs and comfort preferences for both yourself and your partner if you have one. Researching the differences between mattress brands, and having the knowledge to know what each can do for you, can give you the edge you need to get the best deal possible.
Remember, there are often many sales throughout the years, with deeper discounts available as old model are replaced with newer ones. Also, be sure to discuss your needs with sales representatives to get what you need at the price you want.