JUNE 16, 2016 – “The new mattress in my bedroom felt nothing like the sample in the showroom.”
Uh oh. It can be troubling to hear what mattress shoppers have to say. Thankfully, it’s not all negative.
Whether good, bad or ugly, there is no better information for mattress retailers to keep a “finger on the pulse” than actual up-to-date comments from real mattress shoppers and buyers.
This month I want to encourage retailers to consider their products and practices from the shopper’s perspective and to make adjustments accordingly.
So where does one go to find that kind of information? Goodbed.com is a great place to start. It reaches about two million shoppers per year, has more than 25,000 stores listed on its site and has collected more than 50,000 mattress ratings.
One of the most helpful features is the consumer input found through forums, questions to experts and for this article, actual customer reviews and ratings, of brands, products, stores, and shopping experiences.
Here are some GoodBed quotes along with my comments and suggestions. I deleted store and brand names because they are irrelevant. (Translation: I don’t want anyone mad at me.)
Pricing
“Some retailers like to lie to their customers by making up the starting price of $3,500. 75% off then less $500 and another 20% off. Really what they mean is $300 is the regular price that they try for every day.”
It’s no secret that consumers think mattress retailers inflate prices so they can come back and discount. That’s because many do. It’s a circular process, consumers expect discounts, retailers offer them, consumers expect them. But it’s vital that retailers protect their credibility, reputations and, of course, margins. The problem is when “difficult” shoppers get huge discounts and “nice” ones don’t.
Make sure pricing is realistic, competitive and fair. Consider creating and adopting a pricing policy with parameters on discounting. Many shoppers do not like to negotiate, but often feel it’s an expected part of the process. The good news is that people who know the rules up front are usually fine with them. I’ve also worked with successful retailers who don’t negotiate at all.
“Expectations were met…they provided the expertise regarding latex mattresses…provided a good price, but still expensive. No regrets though.”
Price will always be an important factor for shoppers, but retailers don’t have to have the lowest price. Many people willingly pay more for the same product if they like and trust the salesperson and the company they buy from. Price is important, quality goods, service and most of all trust are essential.
Remember what the great mattress retailer Ben Franklin once said: “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” OK, he wasn’t a retailer, but he would have been a good one.
Return polices
“The store sells you on a 60-day comfort guarantee but there’s a catch they won’t tell you about until you try to exchange the bed they sold you. This is where they get you; they charged me a $350 restocking fee.”
What a shame, for customers and retailers to have an Us vs. Them dynamic. Experiences like this make shoppers suspicious of all retailers. So-called comfort guarantees are meant to be a safety net and should be mentioned only after the sales associate and shopper have gone through the complete process of selecting a model that is most satisfactory.
Just as with pricing, if people know the rules ahead of time, they are typically OK with them. Spring it on them after there’s a problem…well, you get the disgruntled customer above. Make sure salespeople go over all pertinent policies and procedures at the time of purchase.
“The problem is they pushed their “Worry No More” warranty that turned out to be completely useless. They also said mattress manufacturers will deny warranty if we use a competitor’s box spring (this turned out to be completely false).”
Most states have their own laws governing such things, but as a general rule, manufacturers can’t deny a warranty if the customer puts the mattress on a box spring they already own or on another brand’s foundation. They can, however void a warranty if the foundation is inadequate, broken down, and/or contributes to the breakdown of the mattress. Either way, this can all be avoided by knowing and giving proper information and more importantly using a proactive approach. Sales associates should recommend buying the foundation that goes with the mattress for the benefit of the customer to get the proper support and the maximum usage from the set.
Delivery
“I ran outside to the delivery guys before they left and showed them that they delivered the wrong bed. We spent hours on the phone with customer service and no one seems to care enough to actually change the delivery or get us the correct mattress, much less offer any consolation for our troubles.”
But wait. Here’s another:
“The delivery crew unloaded them (the set) by dropping them off the truck to the ground. The wood in the box springs does not like that. Management did not seem to care or look into their delivery process or people who did this.”
Even worse than these two incidents themselves, is the uncaring attitude of the management. Most people understand that things happen and when management responds quickly to rectify situations. Customers feel validated by their complaints being heard and addressed and often have a better opinion of the retailer than they otherwise would.
“Bought the mattress, got it the next day. No delivery fees, no problems. Couldn’t be happier.”
Not much to say here. It’s pretty simple and obvious what makes customers happy. The only issue is that nothing is free. Each retailer has to decide which best serves their customers though. Many have delivery fees so as not to penalize people picking them up.
Retailers need to provide an excellent experience to all their shoppers from the moment they enter the store until after they take delivery on their goods.
Body impressions and sagging
“It started sagging where we slept. The store would not take it back and allow us to exchange for something more firm.”
And…
“It’s so soft, just not for me. I need extra firm.”
These are just two of thousands of quotes based upon body impressions. Almost all of these issues can be avoided by sales associates addressing experience and expectations. Your sales staff should be asking what type of mattress the shopper is accustomed to sleeping on. They should also be asking what they expect from their new set.
Sales associates
“Jason helped me find the perfect mattress for my toddler. Most importantly, he helped me measure the exact height the bed would be and gave me all kinds of different height options so that my toddler could easily climb in and out of the bed and transition from her crib seamlessly.”
Professional sales associates like Jason take the time to discover and address needs, large and small, while bringing up issues shoppers may not have considered
“I was impressed by our sales associate Kim. She knew her product and wasn’t pushy like some of the other stores. We ended up buying a whole house full of furniture there.”
Too often, mattress sales associates get a bad rap. There are far more caring, competent and conscientious ones like Jason and Kim serving customers well on a daily basis.
“Assuming they work on commission. I was surprised that no one approached us. One lady even asked us if we ‘were having fun.’ I thought that was a bit condescending.”
This speaks for itself. We’re all familiar with stories like this. Hence the stereotypical used-car salesman references.
Expectations
“I liked how the mattress in the showroom felt but the one they delivered felt nothing like it.”
Retailers should check the condition of their floor models daily. A great way to keep them fresh and feeling more like the inventory models is to put on the law tag, the date they are put on the sales floor and replace them on a regular interval. Also it can make for a great promotion: “Our floor models are on sale, we replace them while they still feel like the models in inventory.”
Brands and trust
“There really wasn’t any reason to shop anywhere else. They have most of the major brands and they really specialize in adjustable bases. Their prices were the best we had seen, even when we compared them to internet prices.”
Good selection at competitive prices—what a concept! But the real lesson in this comment is the exponential growth in sales that retailers are experiencing from displaying adjustable bases. They have gone from being associated with hip surgery to just being hip. Better jump on the bandwagon, but be careful!
“This bed is amazing, but I had no idea about this brand. We were a little concerned but the salesman explained it had the thickest springs for the most support and that it was made in Southern CA. We love it!”
No doubt, brand is important to most shoppers because there is familiarity and an implied credibility. But studies show that many shoppers willingly switch to brands they may have never heard of if they like and trust the retailer and the sales associate.
See for yourself
Mattress retailers can go to GoodBed.com, “claim” their business profile for free, enabling direct control over the information listed about their store, such as product selection and services. Here is the best part, it also allows for easy monitoring of your online reputation and the ability to respond to consumer reviews.
What are consumers saying about your store?
Gerry Morris has more than 20 years of experience in the mattress industry. In partnership with The Furniture Training Co., he offers a premium online training course, “Sell More Mattresses with Gerry Morris.” To view the course, visit furnituretrainingcopany.com