Originally an appliance chain, this Denver-based retailer expanded its offerings to include mattresses and has crafted a top-of-the-line department BY GARY JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLICIA MORSE The move into mattresses started with a small step in 2010. That’s when Appliance Factory, a Denver-based appliance chain, first installed a bedding department in its stores, adding a […]
Shifting focus revitalizes Mattress Depot USA
BY GARY JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY BY JULES FRAZIER/SUGAR SHOOTS AND MATTRESS DEPOT USA A move away from deep discounts and closeouts boosts average tickets, increases sales and spurs store openings for this Bellevue, Washington-based sleep chain Mattress Depot USA Once known primarily as a destination for hot deals on factory closeouts and other deeply discounted beds, […]
Tradition meets technology at Rotmans
BY GARY JAMES This family-owned retailer in Worcester, Massachusetts, elevates customer service the old—and new—way with a well-trained sales team, extensive product offerings in a set of historic buildings and a sophisticated digital strategy Photography courtesy of Rotmans What’s the one word you never hear in Rotmans’ bedding department—or anywhere in the store, for that […]
Nest Bedding Finds Success with a ‘Brick or Click’ Approach
BY GARY JAMES Photography by Jack Hutch Mattress industry veteran Joe Alexander is conquering the online bedding world with an Albany, California-based retail chain, Nest Bedding, that blends physical stores with internet sales. Joe Alexander always has marched to the beat of his own drummer. While other friends growing up in his neighborhood set up […]
Talking Tech in Bedding Retail
From web-based sales tools to texting apps to video chat services, new offerings help retailers capture consumers’ attention and get them to buy BY GARY JAMES Think the mattress industry is changing rapidly when it comes to product development and model changes? The retail technology arena is even more frenetic, with new platforms, enhancements and […]
Is the Boxed-Bed Craze Turning the Mattress Business Upside Down?
The brave new world of boxed-bed retailing and delivery How can retailers meet the rising demand for easily shippable mattresses? Sleep Savvy offers insights into how to expand your offerings in-store and online BY GARY JAMES From Casper, Leesa and Helix to Saatva, Tuft & Needle and Yogabed, the list of direct-to-consumer mattress specialists seems to […]
Relax, there’s an app for that. Improve your sales with these high-tech tools
BY GARY JAMES Sleep Savvy examines the latest technologies and systems available to aid and refine the mattress-selling process The National Retail Federation’s 2015 Big Show expo Jan. 11-14 in New York provided a glimpse at how technology is changing brick-and-mortar retail. From viewing screens that enable shoppers to “try on” virtual clothing to sophisticated […]
Platform beds, the space savers
The no man’s land under platform bed frames offers consumers a way to reclaim room once the sole territory of dust bunnies BY GARY JAMES With space at a premium in so many of today’s homes, platform bed frames that provide room for storage are growing more popular. “Consumers like having room under the bed […]
Framed! Updates make bed frames and foundations an easier sell
BY GARY JAMES * All prices are suggested retail for queen size unless otherwise noted. Often an overlooked or undersold element in a typical sleep system sale, bed frames and foundations are gaining more attention lately due to enhancements in construction, styling and functionality. “I’m beginning to see many more conversations on sales floors about […]