The Better Sleep Council conducted a survey that looked at the sleep routines of families with school-age children. Of 2,500 parents surveyed, 90% had children in grade school. Eighty-three percent of households were dual parent and among those, 40% of parents said they share responsibility for waking their children up for school. Parents said their children’s school start times have […]
Mattress retailers urged to attend Las Vegas seminar on complying with state mattress recycling laws
[sc:responsive-in-post] The Mattress Recycling Council, formed by mattress industry trade group the International Sleep Products Association, based in Alexandria, Virginia, will host a Las Vegas Market seminar, Tuesday, Aug. 4 at 1 p.m. (Building B, 16th floor), for retailers, manufacturers and other market attendees. The discussion will cover California, Connecticut and Rhode Island mattress-recycling laws and other […]
Why you should create customer profiles
Customer confidential: Creating buyer personas can help you draw specific shoppers to your store BY CARLOS ARNAVAT 4 Truly knowing and understanding the customers you want to serve play a major role in the success of any mattress retailer, whether you’re a furniture or department store, specialty sleep shop or online seller. Creating buyer personas—fictional representations […]
How retailers can make the most of online reviews
More than likely, people are critiquing and rating your store and sharing their opinions with countless consumers on the Internet. Here are ways to make those conversations work for you BY LIN GRENSING-POPHAL In a world where mobile devices, social networking sites and other means of connecting with the masses are now commonplace, how can mattress […]
Americans’ love-hate relationship with sleep
Sleep—wasted time or welcome rest? New BSC sleep research sheds light on Americans’ love-hate relationship with slumber Sleep research conducted by the Better Sleep Council shows Americans are conflicted about sleep: A majority of people understand sleep is necessary to recharge, restore and refresh, but their feelings toward sleep are split. The survey, conducted in […]
Bigger (bedding) is better
This year, the International Sleep Products Association, which publishes Sleep Savvy, is celebrating its centennial. In researching ISPA’s first 100 years for an anniversary series in our sister publication BedTimes, we’ve found plenty that is of interest to mattress retailers. Here we share some news and trends from the period 1941 to 1965. The era […]
Bedding Barometer: Mattress sales climb in April
[sc:responsive-in-post] Mattress and foundation sales rose 2.5% in April, compared with unit sales in the same month of 2014, according to the Bedding Barometer, a monthly statistical analysis of U.S. mattress sales published by the International Sleep Products Association. The wholesale dollar value of mattresses and foundations grew by 4.7% and the average unit selling […]
Rooms To Go creates mattress-buying guide
Furniture and mattress retailer Rooms To Go, based in Seffner, Florida, has created a mattress buying guide at www.roomstogo-mattress.com. The guide to choosing and buying a mattress provides information about mattress sizes, comfort levels, construction methods and more. It also includes information about sleep and a list of the retailer’s best-selling sleep sets. In addition, […]
Till Sleep Do Us Part
Why more couples are sleeping separately GUEST POST BY TERRY CRALLE Sometimes a good night’s sleep can be hard to come by—the neighbor’s barking dog, a car alarm, or a teething baby all seem to conspire to keep you awake. But add a restless bed partner who snores or steals the blankets, or who prefers […]
News release: Sleep, waste of time?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Mary Helen Uusimaki 571-482-5436 mhuusimaki@sleepproducts.org Polly Ryder 216-533-2006 pryder@marcusthomasllc.com SLEEP – WASTE OF TIME OR WELCOME RESPITE? Better Sleep Council Research Shows Americans Are Torn on Feelings about Sleep ALEXANDRIA, Virginia – May 12, 2015 – Sleep research recently conducted by the Better Sleep Council (BSC) shows Americans are conflicted about sleep. […]
Save the date: Mattress Recycling Council information session at Las Vegas Market
[sc:responsive-in-post] The Mattress Recycling Council is hosting an information session about state recycling programs during summer Las Vegas Market. Where: World Market Center B-16 When: Tuesday, Aug. 4, 1 p.m. Attendees will learn about the Bye Bye Mattress program, the proposed fee and plans for California and Rhode Island, and get an update on the progress of Connecticut’s implementation. […]
Punctuality pointers
Time not on your side? These nine solutions can help you beat the clock Are you one of those people who battle the clock every day? Being chronically late not only is annoying to and inconsiderate of others, but it’s also bad for business. Making co-workers—or even shoppers—wait because you couldn’t find your keys doesn’t […]
Sleep news for May
Picking sides Survey of bedside practices: Where Americans lie down affects sleep quality, relationships Could something as simple as picking the right side of the bed actually make a difference in how people sleep? It may, according to a new Pick Your Side survey that looks at the bedside practices of Americans and their impact […]
Better Sleep Month is born
This year, the International Sleep Products Association, which publishes Sleep Savvy, is celebrating its centennial. In researching ISPA’s first 100 years for an anniversary series in our sister publication BedTimes, we’ve found plenty that is of interest to mattress retailers. Here we share some news and trends from the period 1941 to 1965. Annual public-relations […]
Seven deadly sins of social media, part 2
SOCIAL GRACES | Sponsored by Restonic Thou shalt not do that again! BY JULIA ROSIEN Got a social-media strategy or are you winging it and praying it all works out? We’re all guilty of cutting corners once in a while, but if you’re engaging in the deadly sins of social media, you’re on a crash course […]
10 ways to transform your store’s culture
I ♥ my job! Google Inc. is known for fostering a work environment where creativity and productivity thrive. In his recent book “Work Rules! Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead,” Laszlo Bock, Google’s senior vice president of people operations, reveals secrets about how one of the world’s most successful companies has achieved this enviable […]
Connecticut debuts nation’s first statewide mattress-recycling program
Plan requires those who produce, sell or renovate mattresses to collect a recycling fee on each mattress and box springs sold On May 1, Connecticut’s Mattress Stewardship Plan took effect, making it the first state in the nation to launch a statewide recycling program for used mattresses and box springs. The program is administered by […]
2015-16 mattress forecast
International Sleep Products Association predicts continued gains in U.S. bedding sales, dollar values The U.S. mattress industry is expected to see continued gains in both the dollar value and number of units shipped in 2015 and 2016, according to the latest forecast from the International Sleep Products Association. The forecast, released in April, expects the […]
Celebrating mattress industry history
This year, the International Sleep Products Association, which publishes Sleep Savvy, is celebrating its 100th anniversary The research team poring over old documents for a series of articles in our sister publication BedTimes has come across a trove of trivia and trends about mattress retailing that we know you’ll enjoy, too. Like the stories we […]
Hollywood Bed hosts congresswoman
U.S. Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard paid a visit to the Commerce, California, headquarters of Hollywood Bed Frame Co., which in the previous 12 months has doubled the size of its workforce. The congresswoman toured the bed-frame, base and hardware supplier’s plant and learned more about the company’s recent growth from Hollywood Bed Chief Executive Officer Larry […]
Seven deadly sins of social media, Part 1
SOCIAL GRACES | Sponsored by Restonic Thou shalt not do that again! BY JULIA ROSIEN I try to live a good life, free from temptation and sin. I try to do what’s right online, too, but that’s tricky some days. Why can’t there be a shortcut to some of this social collateral we’re working so hard […]
Sleep 411, your sleep-information directory
GUEST POST BY TERRY CRALLE Sleep comprises a substantial part of our lives and is an integral component of our overall functioning. The hours we spend sleeping impacts virtually every aspect of our 16 waking hours—everything from health to mood, outlook, weight, decision-making, memory and relationships. You name it, sleep impacts it. Sleep is a […]
Bedding Barometer: Mattress sales, values spike in December
Unit sales of mattresses and foundations increased 15.1% in December, compared with bed sales in the same month of 2013, according to the Bedding Barometer, a monthly sales report published by mattress-industry trade group the International Sleep Products Association. The wholesale dollar value of mattresses and foundations sold in December grew 25.1%, compared with December 2013, and […]
News from the Better Sleep Council
BSC, Diabetes Influencers team up BSC spokeswomen, health educators to participate in podcast, Twitter chat party to promote Better Sleep Month To help promote its annual “May Is Better Sleep Month” campaign, the Better Sleep Council is partnering with Diabetes Influencers to raise awareness about the relationship between sleep and health. The BSC is the […]
The power of internal innovation
Keynote speaker tells ISPA Industry Conference attendees the keys to business success are in their own backyard Inspired by his business book of the same name, John Spence’s “Awesomely Simple” keynote at the International Sleep Products Association’s 2015 Industry Conference March 4-5 in St. Petersburg, Florida, offered this important takeaway—for business success, companies must focus […]
Marketing workshop: Content really is king
From educating to storytelling, today’s successful creative marketing strategies are all about winning the hearts of consumers BY CARLOS ARNAVAT 4 The days of advertising exclusively on billboards and in newspapers are coming to an end. While it was commonplace back in the 1970s for consumers to be exposed to 500 ads a day, today […]
Sleep news for March
Shifting to daylight saving time Five tips from the Better Sleep Council for springing forward On Sunday, March 8, most Americans will move an hour from the morning to the evening, adding an extra 60 minutes of sunlight to the end of the day—and wreaking havoc on their sleep habits. To help ease the transition, […]
Understanding luxury shoppers
How can you keep this misidentified demographic coming back? Every year, luxury brands experience something no retailer wants to confront—a loss of more than half of their top customers. New research from Epsilon and the Luxury Institute shows this loss comes from not understanding who those top customers really are and failing to give them […]
Mattress sales climb in January
The Bedding Barometer, a monthly statistical analysis of U.S. mattress sales (paywall) published by the International Sleep Products Association, shows that mattress sales climbed a healthy 7.8% in January, as compared with January 2014. ISPA says the wholesale dollar value of mattresses and foundations sold in the U.S. in January grew 12%. The average unit selling […]
U.S. mattress sales see modest increase in November
Unit sales of mattresses and foundations in the United States increased by 0.5% in November 2014, compared with unit sales in the same month of 2013, according to the International Sleep Products Association’s Bedding Barometer (paywall). The wholesale dollar value of those units also grew 2.5%, compared with November 2013, and the average unit selling price […]
Mattress retailing, the early years
A look back at bedding sales trivia and trends from 1915 to 1940 This year, the International Sleep Products Association, which publishes Sleep Savvy, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. The research team poring over old documents for a series of articles in our sister publication BedTimes has come across a trove of trivia and trends […]
March mattress-recycling updates
Connecticut approves recycling plan Mattress Recycling Council program to begin May 1 The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has approved the Connecticut Mattress Stewardship Plan developed by the Mattress Recycling Council, a nonprofit organization created by the mattress industry to develop and manage mandated statewide mattress-recycling programs. The approval Dec. 31 makes Connecticut […]
Seeing red
Color of the year is red and it reflects more confident U.S. consumer sentiment According to the nation’s top color forecasters, the color red will take center stage in home décor this year. The Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Journal Sentinel recently noted the nation’s three major color predictors selected red—or a related pigment—as the hot hue of 2015: […]
Park Place names new president, VP
Mattress producer Park Place Corp. has named Jason Kelley as president and promoted Jerry Burgess to vice president of sales. The Greenville, South Carolina-based company was founded in 1931 and is the King Koil licensee for the south and mid-Atlantic regions. Kelley, who joined Park Place in 2012, is responsible for providing “a strategic plan […]
Retailers, the ISPA Industry Conference is for YOU
You’ve earned it. Get away from the cold and snow to the magnificent Vinoy Renaissance Resort and Golf Club in St. Petersburg to the ISPA Industry Conference AND … Sharpen your store’s competitive edge. Our keynoter, bestselling author, publisher and entrepreneur Rich Karlgaard will give you a roadmap to gaining a leg up on the competition. […]
PFA clarifies proposed EPA ruling on flexible polyurethane foam safety
The Polyurethane Foam Association, based in Loudon, Tennessee, announced today it has prepared the position paper “What Regulators Need to Know” to clarify the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recently proposed Significant New Use Rule pertaining to toluene diisocyanate use in consumer goods. TDI is a raw material used in the manufacture of flexible polyurethane foam. […]
At Pinterest, check out some Las Vegas Market introductions
Here is a Pinterest board of some of the new products on display at this week’s Las Vegas Market. Our full report from the show will be in your hands with the next issue of Sleep Savvy and BedTimes magazines.
Sleep Savvy tours mattress showrooms at Las Vegas Market Jan. 18-22
This week the editors of BedTimes and Sleep Savvy magazines are at the Las Vegas Market Jan. 18-22 touring bedding showrooms. Follow our progress on Twitter (@bedtimesmag, @sleepsavvymag)–we’ll be posting photos and commentary as we go–and check out our Vine videos. A complete report on all the news and trends in mattresses and sleep accessories is coming […]
A centennial celebration to remember
Retailers are invited to celebrate ISPA’s 100th anniversary at its 2015 Industry Conference The International Sleep Products Association turns 100 this year, and retailers are encouraged to attend a one-of-a-kind centennial celebration at the 2015 ISPA Industry Conference March 4-5 at the Vinoy Renaissance Resort and Golf Club in St. Petersburg, Florida. ISPA will honor the […]
Content & social media—a winning marketing formula
SOCIAL GRACES | Sponsored by Restonic I’ve been using social media for business for more than 10 years. I think a sustainable social media strategy always will be about relationship building, but the foundation always has been about content. And once that content is created, repurposing it can give it longer life—and reduce your workload. ✔ […]
Connecticut statewide mattress-recycling plan approved
BedTimes magazine reported today that the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has approved the Connecticut Mattress Stewardship Plan developed by the Mattress Recycling Council. The plan goes into effect May 1. MRC is a non-profit created by the mattress-industry trade group, the International Sleep Products Association, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. Connecticut is the first state to […]
Sleep news round-up
Nightmares, demystified What’s the difference between a nightmare and a bad dream and what can you do about them? Antonio Zadra, a professor of psychology at Université de Montréal and director of the school’s Dream Laboratory, answered a few questions about nightmares in the October issue of Real Simple. O What exactly qualifies as a nightmare? […]
U.S. mattress sales rise 5.8% in October
Unit sales of mattresses and foundations increased by 5.8% in October, compared with unit sales in the same month of 2013, according to the International Sleep Products Association’s Bedding Barometer. The wholesale dollar value of those units grew 9.3%, compared with October 2013, and the average unit selling price increased 3.3%. Year-to-date unit sales and […]
Generation Z—coming to a store near you
A recent national survey from Boston’s Northeastern University reveals that members of Generation Z—those born in the mid-1990s or later—are highly self-directed, demonstrated by a strong desire to work for themselves, study entrepreneurship and design their own programs of study in college. According to the survey, 63% of the respondents—all between the ages of 16 and […]
Hiring for the long haul
Smart hiring managers use a variety of methods to find employees who will stick around. Tom Gimbel, founder of LaSalle Network, a nationally recognized staffing firm based in Chicago, shares these strategies at Fastcompany.com: 1. Always be interviewing. The right time to be interviewing is before you are in need of a new employee, Gimbel […]
MRC staff grows with two hires
The Mattress Recycling Council has hired a program coordinator and a marketing and communications coordinator. Mark Patti has been named MRC’s Southern California program coordinator. He will work with municipalities, retailers and other generators of mattresses, as well as transporters and recyclers, as the MRC develops and implements its mattress-recycling program in the state. “We […]
Poll: Millennials less invested in recycling
Conventional wisdom that Millennials are more eco-conscious than their parents and grandparents may not be accurate—at least when it comes to recycling, according to a Harris Poll conducted in November for the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries. The online survey found that younger adults (ages 18 to 34) are significantly less likely to always recycle—just […]
Gov. Brown signs bill to tweak California mattress law
California Gov. Jerry Brown recently signed a bill that adds specificity and assurances that preserve regulatory oversight to mattress-recycling legislation that was originally signed in 2013. The International Sleep Products Association supported the changes to the law, which were introduced through legislation in August and signed by Brown in September. The Mattress Recycling Council, a […]
Three lessons from the Apple Store
Some furniture stores are segregating or creating entirely different sleep shops solely focused on sleep. Many specialty-sleep stores use multimedia to educate consumers while they are in store. Other retailers help prequalify a shopper’s desired comfort/firmness by having her try preselected mattresses in different firmness levels to further reduce confusion and streamline her shopping experience. […]
Mattress store by day, dance studio by night
Discount Mattress Outlet outside of Columbia, Missouri, has something of a secret identity. “It’s a mattress store by day, dance studio by night,” Linda Vorce told KBIA Mid-Missouri Public Radio. She co-owns the store with her husband Steve. During the day, mattresses occupy the central floor space. But every Tuesday and Thursday, mattresses are moved […]
Spring design trend
From chandeliers to garden gates, in “Reduce, reuse, redecorate,” BedTimes reports on the myriad ways old bed springs and metal frames are being reused–and reimagined–into stylish products for the home: At a time when mattress-recycling legislation is making headlines and states begin addressing the problem of keeping old beds from clogging local landfills and entangling heavy […]
California says new furniture flammability labeling doesn’t apply to mattresses
The California Bureau of Electronics & Appliance Repair, Home Furnishings & Thermal Insulation, which regulates mattress safety in California, has issued a new document, “Senate Bill (SB) 1019 Frequently Asked Questions, which reiterates that mattresses are not subject to the state’s new FR chemicals labeling requirements for furniture, enacted this year in SB 1019. The […]
ISPA expects gains in bedding unit shipments, wholesale values in next two years
The U.S. mattress industry is projected to enjoy healthy increases in both units shipped and the value of those shipments for the next two years, according to a new forecast from the International Sleep Products Association. The forecast, released in October, projects that the number of mattresses and foundations shipped will rise by 2% and the […]
Mattress news from High Point Market
Excerpt from BedTimes magazine, “Mattress showrooms mellow, upbeat at High Point Market“: The fall weather at High Point Market Oct. 18-23 was gloriously sunny and warm, perfect for leisurely strolling. “Leisurely” also is a good way to describe the tenor of the fourth major mattress market of 2014. This was a minor show in terms […]
Social PR—the medium is the message
Ten years ago when a manufacturer or retailer had something newsworthy to share, it hired a public relations agency that then got the information into the hands of a senior writer or editor. Successful PR agencies understood how to get honest, helpful product or service reviews without crossing the line into advertorial. It was almost […]
Retailers invited to ISPA Industry Conference
Forbes publisher will serve as keynote speaker Bedding retailers are encouraged to attend the 2015 ISPA Industry Conference March 4-5 at the Vinoy Renaissance Resort and Golf Club in St. Petersburg, Florida. The conference is sponsored by the International Sleep Products Association. The Better Sleep Council is the consumer-education arm of ISPA. Entrepreneur-turned-publisher, columnist, author, […]
Real Simple offers on-point, mattress-shopping advice
Article has useful tips for buying new bed When consumer magazines advise their readers on buying a new mattress, the editors at Sleep Savvy often hold our breath as we read along: We’ve encountered too many articles that tell consumers foundations are a rip-off and that there’s little difference between mattress brands or technologies. A […]
Shifman Mattress to launch retooled Masters Collection at High Point Market
Luxury mattress manufacturer Shifman Mattress Co. is adding drama to its bedding floor at High Point Market Oct. 18-23. The Newark, New Jersey-based company will launch the “next-generation” Masters Collection, which combines signature damask panels with contemporary, upholstery-style, quilted borders, and lots of elegant trim. Many of the mattress set’s design innovations are based on an […]
Stand up straight—and smile!
When it comes to selling mattresses, your body language matters as much as your well-rehearsed sales pitch Depending on which research you believe, somewhere between half and virtually all communication between two people is nonverbal. We’ll let the experts quibble about the particulars, but it’s clear that things like how you stand, the expression on […]
Social media crisis management
Imagine being in a room with your best friends and idols, and you have all the time in the world to kibitz, share and ask questions. Welcome to the social media cocktail hour where anything goes. Social media enables companies to connect with customers (and potential customers) in fantastic ways—outside of the traditional selling environment. […]
Six tips for furniture stores to increase mattress sales
The ‘96 percenters’: For furniture stores to increase their share of the bedding market, they need to become mattress destinations. Here are six ways to do just that BY GORDON HECHT Editor’s note: This article is designed for owners and managers of furniture stores that sell mattresses. Mattress specialty retailers, even though you already know […]
Simmons 30-second videos give the SIMple Facts
For retail sales associates, it can be tough keeping up with the new technologies constantly appearing in mattresses, the latest sleep research and other advancements. As one piece of a three-part tech package to educate RSAs and consumers, Atlanta-based Simmons Bedding Co. has created a series of short, fast-paced videos it calls SIMple Facts. Each […]
North Carolina honors mattress maker Kingsdown
Local dignitaries, community leaders and employees of Kingsdown Inc. gathered Friday at the company’s Oakwood plant in Mebane, North Carolina, to celebrate 110 years in the mattress-manufacturing business. “Kingsdown remains the only home-grown, home-bred industry we have left,” said Mebane Mayor Glendel Stephenson, who, along with North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, proclaimed Sept. 12, 2014, […]
Mattress Firm acquires Sleep Train
Houston-based retailer Mattress Firm announced it is acquiring employee-owned Sleep Train Inc., with headquarters in Sacramento, California, the parent of sleep shop chains Got Sleep?, Mattress Discounters, Sleep Country USA and Sleep Train, for $425 million. Sleep Train operates 312 storefronts in California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington state. “This unique and transformational opportunity […]
MRC releases educational videos on mattress recycling
The Mattress Recycling Council, a nonprofit organization formed by the International Sleep Products Association, has released three videos that provide retailers in Connecticut, California and Rhode Island the basic information they need about new recycling laws as preparations for launching mattress-recycling programs in those states move ahead. Connecticut is the first state to implement its […]
Experts to tackle guidelines for optimal sleep
How much sleep is too much or too little? A panel of medical specialists and researchers, funded in part by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hopes to find a more definitive answer to that question, according to a story published Monday in The Wall Street Journal. Experts tapped by the CDC, the American Academy […]
The right bed for your BMI
GUEST POST BY TERRY CRALLE No matter what your weight or body type, a comfortable mattress is a key component in healthy weight management. Traditionally, weight management has been equated exclusively with diet and exercise, yet, recent research demonstrates that sleep quality and sleep duration are equally important. With more than one-third of U.S. adults, […]
Mattress and sleep tips for managing arthritis pain
BY TERRY CRALLE The term arthritis can refer to many different rheumatic diseases and conditions, the most common being osteoarthritis. Arthritis is characterized by joint stiffness, swelling, pain and inflammation and affects approximately 52.5 million Americans. According to the CDC, it is the most common cause of disability. People who suffer from arthritis tend to […]
How to deal with angry mattress shoppers
Kill ’em with kindness. What to do when an irate customer stomps into your store? Here are seven ways to defuse angry people IN RETAIL, IRATE CUSTOMERS are a fact of life and dealing well with them takes planning and practice. It also is important to understand that a mattress purchase is a stress-inducing task for […]
Consumers share mattress-shopping concerns
BSC research reveals confusion, hesitation about buying a new bed set The Better Sleep Council’s latest research uncovered reasons why consumers hesitate to shop for and purchase a new mattress. Understanding the consumer mindset can help retailers sell the value of better sleep that comes with a new quality mattress set, says Mary Helen Uusimaki, vice […]
Mattress recyclers to the rescue
The International Sleep Products Association maintains a mattress recyclers locator for the United States and Canada. To find a recycler in your area, visit the Bye Bye Mattress Recycling Locator. Recyc-Mattresses Corp. Headquarters: Montreal Founded: 2007 Principals: Eric Castro and Pascal Cohen Mission statement: “Recyc-Mattresses’ commitment is to help protect the environment.” Fees: Fees vary depending on the […]
Retail Road Trip: Mattress Gallery in Lafayette, LA
F. Mark Hubbard makes mattress buying fun Like singer Pharrell Williams, the owner of Mattress Gallery in Lafayette, Louisiana, is a happy guy, and his ‘cruise director’ approach to bedding is downright contagious—business has more than tripled in the past five years BY DOROTHY WHITCOMB PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK HUBBARD There are people who would giggle […]
Bedding Barometer: Revenues up in April
According to the International Sleep Products Association’s Bedding Barometer (pay wall), a monthly sales report on the U.S. mattress industry, unit sales of mattresses and foundations decreased 1.2% in April, as compared with the same month in 2013. The wholesale dollar value of those units grew 3%, as compared with April 2013. The average unit selling […]
‘Socialnomics’ 2014
Erik Qualman video presents 19 social media facts every retailer should know By now, most retailers realize that social media isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, Erik Qualman, author of the best-selling book Socialnomics and the creator of a series of videos by the same name, recently released a new clip that highlights staggering […]
Internet-only Casper offers solution to ‘terrors’ of mattress shopping
What happens when today’s connected Millennials have bad experiences at mattress retailers? Sure, they vent in social media, but some—like the founders of new mattress brand Casper Sleep—take things a step further. They attract $1.6 million in venture capital and start their own e-commerce mattress brand, targeting dissatisfied Gen Y-ers. Watch New York-based Casper Sleep’s […]
Mattress sales up 2013-2015
ISPA report and forecast show moderate growth; now available to retailers According to the “2013 Mattress Industry Report of Sales and Trends,” published by the International Sleep Products Association, the mattress industry continued its upward trend in 2013 in unit shipments and wholesale dollar values. U.S. mattress producers shipped nearly 35.9 million units, and wholesale revenues grew […]
BSC consumer research: They like you–they really do!
In recent qualitative research, the Better Sleep Council studied the thoughts, feelings and behaviors of a group of sleep-deprived mattress shoppers. In the process, the BSC uncovered this myth-buster—most study participants thoroughly enjoyed their interactions with retail sales associates. Despite feeling overwhelmed by store choice and massive selection, despite anxiety about high prices and trepidation […]
BedMart assists Portland’s homeless
Pacific Northwest sleep-shop chain BedMart Mattress Superstores, with headquarters in Portland, Oregon, has partnered with Tempur Sealy in the donation of 206 new Tempur-Pedic beds to a network of eight homeless shelters in the Portland area. The eight nonprofits—Central City Concern, Janus Youth Programs, Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest, Luke-Dorf, Macdonald Center, New Avenues for Youth, […]
L&P’s Cornell among American Furniture Hall of Fame 2014 nominees
The American Furniture Hall of Fame Foundation Inc., based in High Point, North Carolina, has announced its 2014 nominees. On the list is Harry Cornell Jr., chairman emeritus of Carthage, Missouri-based mattress industry supplier Leggett & Platt, as well as five other furniture industry notables—Hershel Alpert (Alpert’s), Bernard Castro (Castro Convertibles), Donald Dreher (DMI Furniture), […]
Restonic Facebook contest salutes dad’s changing role
Just in time for Father’s Day, mattress-licensing group Restonic, with headquarters in Buffalo, New York, is hosting a dad-themed contest on its popular Facebook page, www.facebook.com/restonicbeds. Restonic friends and fans are invited to share a picture of dad and “tell us why you love him,” for a chance to win (do we know how many?) […]
True colors: What is your logo saying?
Before they set foot in your store, consumers have formed an impression of your company based on your logo or, more specifically, your logo’s colors, according to an article posted March 31 on FastCompany.com. For logos, many mattress retailers favor blue or red—or a combination of both. Blue makes sense: It’s traditionally associated with peacefulness, […]
The well-dressed RSA
To rework a phrase, it’s the clothes—plus a few other things—that make the retail sales associate It takes people just seconds to form an impression about someone they’ve just met. In fact, a set of Princeton University psychologists found in 2006 that it takes less than one-tenth of a second! For retail sales associates wanting […]
Better Sleep Month targets consumer confidence, purchasing indecision
Join the push to ‘Get on Top’ this Memorial Day A NEW awareness campaign to encourage Americans to “Get on Top of a New Mattress” kicked off May 1 as part of the Better Sleep Council’s annual Better Sleep Month. The BSC is the consumer education arm of the International Sleep Products Association. Get on […]
Bedding Barometer: Mattress sales slide in February
U.S. mattress sales declined in February, as compared with the same month of the previous year, according to the Bedding Barometer (pay wall), a monthly sales report published by the International Sleep Products Association. Unit sales decreased by 3.4% , while the wholesale dollar value of those units decreased by 0.9%. The average unit selling price […]
Industry leaders give specifics on recycling programs
Fees, education, legislative outlook top ISPA EXPO session The International Sleep Products Association announced several important updates regarding recent mattress-recycling laws at ISPA EXPO, March 26-29 in New Orleans. Legislation was passed in 2013 in Connecticut, California and Rhode Island. The session included the following information for bedding retailers: Point-of-purchase recycling fee According to Mike […]
$175,000 mattress honors the royal bedchamber
London-based luxury mattress manufacturer Savoir Beds has launched a limited-edition mattress retailing for $175,000 in conjunction with its sponsorship of “Secrets of the Royal Bedchamber” exhibition at Hampton Court Palace March 27 to Nov. 3. The exhibit explores the bedchamber of the 17th- and 18th-century royal court. The mattress takes more than 600 hours to […]
Pillow Talk: Social media and your intern
Bringing interns into your company is a smart move for you, your staff and the interns. They can free up resources, deliver serious return on investment on social media and even train other staff how to engage in this medium. But you might want to think twice before you hand over your social media strategy […]
‘Get on top of a new mattress’
BSC launches new Better Sleep Month Campaign “Get on top of a new mattress and get to the bottom of making the right purchase” is the theme of this year’s Better Sleep Month, which begins May 1 and is sponsored by the Better Sleep Council, the consumer education arm of the International Sleep Products Association. […]
Bedding Barometer: U.S. mattress sales increase slightly in January
U.S. mattress sales increased in January, as compared with the same month in 2013, according to the latest Bedding Barometer (pay wall), a monthly sales report published by the International Sleep Products Association. Unit sales rose 1.2%, while the wholesale dollar value of those units remained flat. The average unit selling price decreased 1.2%, compared with the […]
What’s in a product label?
A lot, thanks to the marketing efforts of mattress makers Mattress manufacturers are sharing more information—and making it easier to present and sell their products—via the creative use of tags and printed labels. It’s a trend Sleep Savvy has noticed while reporting on new products at recent bedding shows. Labeling is a way for individual […]
Managing employee rivalries
Dueling staff members are disruptive in the workplace and corrupt the attitudes of other employees. Consider these 5 steps to eliminate or lessen their negative impact BY BARBARA JAUREQUI Child psychiatrist David Levy introduced the term “sibling rivalry” in 1941. Self-explanatory in its terminology, the concept of sibling rivalry is easy to grasp. The mechanism of […]
Today’s Bed envisions tomorrow
Twin Cities area sleep shop chain, owned and operated by two industry veterans, sets a new course for mattress retailing BY DOROTHY WHITCOMB PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN WAGNER When Scott Michelsen and Tim Sommer met for the first time seven years ago, there almost was an air of inevitability about the whole encounter. Both men were […]
Tip Sheet: Rev up your RSAs
YOU’VE HIRED THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND TRAINED THEM WELL, but in a showroom filled with mattresses where traffic may ebb more than it flows, how do you prevent that urge to “lie down on the job”? Is it possible to keep retail sales associates energized and performing at their peak, ready for the next customer […]
Mattress recycling facilities in the United States and Canada
Use this Mattress Recycling Facilities Locator to find a recycler in the United States or Canada.
Go to jail
Notorious slammers turned into luxurious hotels If a night in jail is on your bucket list, well, that’s just weird, but thanks to a trend of converting old jails and prisons into upscale boutique-like hotels, you can still have a good story about a night behind bars—with no inconvenient criminal activity required. The Charles Street […]
New beds blend technology and better sleep
Some mattress manufacturers have jumped on board the “quantified-self movement,” offering consumers tech-filled beds and mobile apps that allow you to measure, monitor and — hopefully — improve your sleep. It was a trend that the editors of Sleep Savvy spotted at the winter Las Vegas Market Jan. 26-20. The goal is to offer just […]
Pillow Talk: Measuring social media
How do you measure your social media marketing efforts? How did you measure that billboard you paid someone to put up at the local hockey arena? How did you measure your last radio spot? At a time when the average person faces more than 400 advertisements daily, the modern marketer’s ultimate challenge is making a message […]
Retailer happily loses big in Super Bowl wager
Family-owned Harkness Furniture in Tacoma, Wash., is reimbursing customers close to $70,000 after the Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl. Prior to the game, the retailer ran a special promotion promising to refund all furniture and mattress purchases made Thursday through Sunday before the big game—if the Seahawks managed to return their opening kickoff for a […]
Magazine issues bedding review
Consumer Reports’ analysis delivers mixed bag In its annual review of mattresses, the March issue of Consumer Reports provides a four-page package of mattress scores, retail store ratings, purchasing advice, mattress myths and insights into better sleep. The magazine evaluates 12 innerspring and 12 memory foam models through a series of comprehensive testing, yielding its […]
The right hook–How to create advertising that works
BY CAMA MCNAMARA It’s 2014, and if you’re still selling mattresses like you did a decade ago, your sales are suffering. Just as the technology in mattress components has advanced over the years, so have opportunities for advertising and marketing. Today’s ever-evolving media mix offers a plethora of opportunities to reach consumers. From seniors to […]
Bedding Barometer: U.S. Mattress sales see modest gains in December
U.S. mattress sales rose in December, compared with the same month in 2012, according to the Bedding Barometer (pay wall), a monthly sales report published by the International Sleep Products Association. Unit sales (mattresses and foundations) increased 4.8%, and the wholesale value of those units rose 7%, compared with the same month in 2012. For the same […]
Mattress-recycling levels reach 1 million pounds for West Virginia retailer
Mattress retailer Innovative Mattress Solutions recycled more than 1 million pounds of mattress material in 2013. The Winfield, W. Va.-based company does business as Mattress Warehouse, Sleep Outfitters and Mattress King in West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee and Alabama. According to Spring Back Mattress Recycling, an award-winning mattress recycler based in Nashville, Tenn., IMS […]
6 tips for a more creative retail business
The 21st-century workplace faces many challenges, including a diverse and multigenerational workforce, limited resources and ineffective leadership. Employees want leaders who recognize their abilities and make them feel valued and respected. They also want a challenging workplace that encourages experimentation. Glenn Llopis, in an article recently posted on Forbes online, offers these six tips for […]
Her Bed Post: Selling to women
Motivating factors While purchasing decisions ostensibly may seem straightforward, those made by women often are driven by profound psychological factors and behaviors. To understand those subconscious drivers, Insights in Marketing, a Chicago-based marketing research firm, developed five female behavioral insight profiles to help retailers comprehend the motivations behind women’s buying habits. The FBI profiles were […]
5 ways to get comfortable being uncomfortable
The rewards of risk taking BY WALT GRASSL Early in Karl’s career, he had no problem accepting a promotion from retail sales associate to the mattress store’s sales manager. But a few years later, when asked to be store manager, self-doubt became his constant companion. He agonized over the decision for days. He had trouble […]
5 tips for skillful succession planning
BY LOIS LANG When it comes to family business succession planning, one of these three things is certain: Most family business leaders don’t do it, they don’t do it well or they wait to do it until it’s too late. While the longevity of chief executive officers in nonfamily businesses is an average of six […]
New words hitting your sales floor?
“Selfie,” “bitcoin,” “twerk” and “phablet.” No, they’re not misspelled words. These odd-looking letter combinations are among the most recent Internet-speak additions to the Oxford Dictionaries Online, which focuses on modern meanings of English words. If someone wants to show you the selfie he took with his phablet on one of your beds, he’s not a […]
Profiling your customers
Nielsen survey says… Word-of-mouth is most credible source of advertising Eighty-four percent of consumers around the world say they trust word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family—known as earned media—above all other sources of advertising, according to a new study from Nielsen, a New York-based provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy. Trust […]
Selfless listening: The value of hearing customers with ‘inner ears’
BY MICHAEL PENNY True listening is selfless. Selfless listening calls for hitting “pause” on your inner monologues and agendas. There is no other way to truly focus your attention on the customer. The good news: It’s that simple. The bad news: It’s not easy. When a customer comes into your store, that person brings a […]
Retail Road Trip: Abt Electronics
Major destination store for consumer electronics in Chicagoland expands reach with new bedding department BY DOROTHY WHITCOMB An electronics store might be the last place most consumers would consider visiting when shopping for a mattress. But in the Chicagoland area, Abt Electronics is often the first place people head when home-related products are on their […]
Half of Americans are sleep deprived
Are you feeling sluggish this morning? You’re not alone. The latest Better Sleep Council survey conducted this spring reveals that more than half of Americans are don’t get enough sleep, which can have dire physical and mental consequences. According to the BSC, which is the consumer arm of the International Sleep Products Association, it’s a […]
Latinos set shopping trends
Latinos view shopping differently than their non-Latino counterparts, a study finds. For the fastest-growing demographic in the United States today, shopping is a social experience that involves many sources of information, their senses, multiple generations and trendsetting. The survey, conducted by Lapiz, a marketing agency for emerging cultures based in Chicago and an affiliate of […]
Sleep is key to wellness
The staff of Self magazine recently selected 55 things that contribute to good health and asked experts to rank them. The results were published in the December issue, and, not surprisingly, sleep was considered “really important.” The article noted that losing even a half-hour of sleep can affect your mood and weaken the motivation to […]
Sleeping pills linked to pneumonia
Researchers at the University of Nottingham in England have discovered that patients taking a class of commonly prescribed sleeping pills called benzodiazepines are at an increased risk of contracting and dying from pneumonia. Scientists studied about 5,000 patients who had been diagnosed with pneumonia. They were each compared with six similar people, matched by age […]
Diet can affect sleep duration
“You are what you eat,” the saying goes, but is what you eat playing a role in how much you sleep? According to a study by the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, diet may influence sleep duration. People who report eating a large variety of foods—an indicator of an overall healthy […]
Two-thirds of Americans don’t get a restful night’s sleep
If you’re counting sheep at night, chances are you’re doing it on your side, in your pajamas and between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. on a Sunday, according to a national sleep survey conducted by Costa Mesa, Calif.-based home furnishings retailer Anna’s Linens. The study reveals that 74% of Americans wear pajamas to bed (8% […]
Chicago named worst metro area for bedbugs
The dubious honor of being deemed the most bedbug-infested city in the United States goes to Chicago, according to pest control giant Orkin’s ranking of the top 50 bedbug cities for 2012. Last year, Orkin’s parent company, Rollins, which operates eight pest control brands nationwide, saw a 33% increase in its bedbug business over 2011. […]
Sleep news roundup
Research: Belly fat disrupts sleep quality Dropping extra pounds enhances the quality of sleep among people who are overweight, according to a new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. “We found that improvement in sleep quality was significantly associated with overall weight loss, especially belly fat,” says Dr. Kerry Stewart, professor of […]
ISPA expects more state-level bills in 2013
The International Sleep Products Association and the mattress industry have long supported the need for mattress recycling. As a result, last year ISPA sought a cost-effective, efficient national solution to waste problems associated with used mattresses. At the same time, the entire industry faced costly legislation in 2012 in three states that would have forced […]
Don’t go there: Phrases that get on customers’ nerves
We’ve heard them over and over again—tired phrases that are repeated ad nauseam on TV, in the workplace and, yes, at retail. On the website FirstToKnow, Rick Andreoli took the liberty of tallying the most annoying cliches currently in circulation. Sleep Savvy offers this abbreviated ranking. Retailers can post the list to encourage sales associates […]
Selling to women
Brought to you by restonic® Increasingly, retailers around the country—from Best Buy to Lowe’s—are implementing significant design changes to make their stores more female friendly. Another one followed suit last fall when home and garden retailer Orchard Supply Hardware, a chain based in San Jose, Calif., rebranded its shops to create a more welcoming environment […]