This month marks two profound anniversaries in my life — one rewarding, the other horrific This month marks a personal milestone for which I am grateful and proud, and another that horrifically affected most, if not all, of us. First, the happy occasion. Ten years ago this month, I was offered an editorial position with […]
Summertime
Not only is the livin’ easy, but it just became more entertaining with a new video series Ah, summer. My favorite season. Weird, right? But I love hot, humid days. When I was a little girl, summer was a time of play, adventure and happy days. I grew up in the rolling hills of North […]
The Sleep Issue
For Better Sleep Month, we have assembled lively articles to help you sell more and better bedding In this issue, we celebrate the importance of rest and the mattress-sleep-health connection in honor of Better Sleep Month. Sponsored by the Better Sleep Council (the consumer education arm of the International Sleep Products Association), Better Sleep Month […]
Covid-19 and Commerce
The pandemic has accelerated shifts in the marketplace, particularly how we buy and sell At the risk of overstating the obvious, during the past 13 months, the coronavirus pandemic has ignited profound changes in our lives. I never could have imagined that in such a short period of time nearly every aspect of our lives […]
ISPA Welcomes Perry
The former executive editor of Furniture Today joins the Sleep Savvy team as editor at large We are kicking off the new year with exciting news! The International Sleep Products Association has hired Dave Perry to the newly created position of editor at large for Sleep Savvy and its sister publication BedTimes. In his new […]
Holiday Prep
The holiday shopping season is likely to look a little different this year — get ready “The only certainty is that nothing is certain.” — Pliny the Elder If there were ever a time that saying rang true, it has to be 2020. All the hopes and dreams of this year turned on a dime […]
Time for a Change?
Standard time returns Nov. 1, and so does the debate about moving the clock twice a year One of the days of the year I dread most is the first Sunday of November when I have to reset my clocks from daylight saving time to standard time. While moving clocks back an hour may not […]
Uncharted Waters
Bedding retailers discuss how their stores and policies have changed in the wake of COVID-19 In the first week of August, in what felt like the 8 millionth month of the COVID-19 pandemic, I went rogue, threw caution to the sultry summer wind and took my dog, Guilford, for a drive purely for a change […]
Under Pressure
Sleep is one of the casualties of myriad issues facing the U.S. We have the latest numbers Dear July, I don’t want any trouble from you. Just come in, sit down, don’t touch anything and keep your mouth shut. — Unknown Summer always has been my favorite season, and July my favorite month. I love […]
The “New Normal”
The COVID-19 pandemic will remake mattress making for years to come I am a planner. Every year about this time, I start sketching in next year’s production schedules for both Sleep Savvy and our sister publication BedTimes. A few months from now, I and the magazines’ staff will create the editorial calendars, deciding what the […]
Full Speed Ahead
Tech advancements are driving changes in mattress retailing. Are you keeping pace? About a year ago, I decided it was time for a new car. My sedan, which had served me well for many years, began to have mechanical problems, and the factory paint job — once a rich, shiny black— had faded badly and […]
2020: What’s Ahead?
Financial analysts, retail experts and members of the bedding community share their views To help prepare for the new year, Sleep Savvy offers a pair of articles that analyze the retail environment in 2020. Business writer Phillip M. Perry provides insight into the current and looming economic challenges facing the nation. He calls factors such […]
Dream Team
Sleep Savvy’s staff is talented and diligent — and I’m thankful its members have become my friends Every couple of years, I think it’s important — and well-deserved — to recognize the people who bring you Sleep Savvy. There are six women, along with me, who manage the editorial, advertising and circulation functions of our […]
Prime Time
The winter holiday sales season is just around the corner. Are you ready? About 15 years ago, I learned the power of online shopping when I worked as an editor for a regional book publishing company. To promote the books, I relied on traditional marketing tactics, working directly with bookstores. In addition to taking out […]
Back to School
As we plan our editorial lineup for 2020, we are soliciting your ideas to help with our “homework” Although I’ve been out of school for more years than I care to think about, I still feel the excitement of a new school year. Each year, when the dog days of late summer returned, I began […]
Shining A Light
Feature articles in this month’s issue illuminate the importance of being open to change For most of us, there comes a time when we know we need a change, when we realize our current situation is not working and we’re dissatisfied. For me, the feeling builds, just a glimmer at first that something is not […]
Better Sleep Month
Better Sleep Council campaign takes a lighthearted look at sleep through a child’s perspective Hands down, May is my favorite month. The world seems to come alive again, with green springing up in gardens and flower beds. It seems appropriate, then, that the fifth month of the year is named for the Roman goddess Maia, […]
Poppin’ Success
California retailer experiments with a temporary retail space and finds long-term opportunities This issue’s cover story, “Why Pop-up Shops Keep Popping Up” by Julie A. Palm, examines short-term sales spaces, which are “here today, gone tomorrow” retail events. These temporary sales spaces range from showcasing new products to serving as a community ambassador to introducing […]
Buying In-Person
A recent experience buying a new car exemplifies the value of excellent customer service Well, I finally did it. After months of research and discussion, I decided to buy a new car. My old car, a Honda Civic, was showing its age: It had traveled nearly 200,000 miles, its shiny black paint had dulled and was […]
New Year’s Resolution: We kick off 2019 with a hearty lineup of articles designed to help your business. Here’s a preview
Welcome to 2019! For me, the start of a new year is full of anticipation and hopefulness, and it affords me the opportunity for self-reflection and resolutions for the 364 days ahead. At Sleep Savvy, our ongoing resolution — and, in fact, mission — is to provide you with articles that focus on understanding consumer […]
Online vs. In-Store
New consumer research by the BSC reveals reasoning behind different shopping paths In September, The Better Sleep Council, the Consumer-education arm of the International Sleep Products Association, conducted a national survey of more than 600 consumers who had purchased a mattress within the past two years. The purpose of the study was to examine how […]
A Good Read
BY MARY BEST A recent article in National Geographic sheds light on the science — and mysteries — of sleep. “Nearly every night of our lives, we undergo a startLing metamorphosis,” writes Michael Finkel about sleep in the August issue of National Geographic. The article, “Want to Fall Asleep? Read This Story,” explains “what a […]
ABCs of Accessories
BY MARY BEST Sleep Savvy explores how you can get protectors and sheets off the shelves and into shoppers’ homes “The most luxurious item is a beautiful bed and beautiful, simple sheets.” — Andre Leon Talley This month’s cover story, “Finishing Touches” by Julie A. Palm, addresses the issue of the well-dressed bed, which besides […]
Digital natives
BY MARY BEST What you need to know about millennials and Gen Z to attract them as shoppers and employees As you know, one of the most critical aspects of retail is to ensure the profitability of your store by understanding changing demographics and emerging markets. The July issue of BedTimes, Sleep Savvy’s sister publication, […]
What’s new at EXPO?
BY MARY BEST At ISPA’s biennial trade show, exhibitors showcased products that soon may be on your sales floor Mattress manufacturers were busy shopping for product innovations during ISPA EXPO 2018 March 14-16 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Sponsored by the International Sleep Products Association, the biennial show is the largest industrial trade event in the […]
‘Better in bed’
BY MARY BEST The Better Sleep Council has a provocative PR campaign planned for May’s Better Sleep Month There’s good news about how consumers think about sleep. That’s why the Better Sleep Council, the consumer-education arm of the International Sleep Products Association, plans to leverage its annual “May Is Better Sleep Month” public awareness campaign […]
Make that call
BY MARY BEST When something goes awry at your store while you’re on the clock, take action. You won’t regret it A few Sundays ago, I drove to my favorite gas station to fill up my car. As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed only two of the 10 pumps were working and a […]
Planning for 2018
BY MARY BEST Want to improve your business this year? Let Sleep Savvy help with these resources It’s a new year, and like you, the Sleep Savvy team has myriad exciting new programs, plans and enhancements in the works for 2018. Here’s a quick rundown of a few of the endeavors we’ll be working on in […]
A talented team
BY MARY BEST How grateful am I for the Sleep Savvy staff? Let me count the ways… Like operating a sleep shop, producing a magazine is a complex process with dozens of moving parts that must be coordinated. I can say with confidence that Sleep Savvy would never reach your hands if it weren’t for […]
The bedding industry aids flood victims after Hurricane Harvey drenches the Houston area
In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, many bedding retailers, manufacturers and suppliers have offered monetary aid and bedding donations to those left devastated by the record-breaking flood that hit the U.S. Gulf Coast at the end of August. Here’s a quick look at the generosity a few stores and companies have shown: Gallery Furniture: While Hurricane […]
Sleep Savvy increases its social media presence with the launch of a new Facebook page
BY MARY BEST Like more than 1 billion people, I am a member of the Facebook community. For several years now, I have reconnected with high school friends I haven’t seen in, well, a long time; lived vicariously through photos of vacations to exotic places; gotten to know fellow Facebookers with whom I share interests; […]
Sign up for Sleep Savvy’s new E-Newsletter Shop Talk
BY MARY BEST Boy, do we have an exciting new digital tool for you! Sleep Savvy launches an e-newsletter to help retailers boost sales and have a blast doing it The editors of Sleep Savvy are delighted to introduce Shop Talk, a twice-monthly email newsletter for mattress retailers who want ideas to improve sales in […]
BSC Celebrates Better Sleep Month with Sleep Myths Survey
BY MARY BEST Think quick: What’s the most important piece of furniture in your house? If you answered your mattress, score! As bedding retailers and retail sales associates, you understand that most people spend about a third of their life in bed, which means they spend more time with their mattress than any other object in […]
Retailers Share Experiences, Insights and Perspectives at ISPA’s Industry Conference
Three retailers took the stage at the International Sleep Products Association’s Industry Conference to give their thoughts on the mattress industry, offer advice to manufacturers and suppliers on how to improve partnerships, and share experiences being on the front lines of bedding sales. The biennial conference was held March 8-9 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Moderated by […]
A Mixed Review: Consumer Reports on Sleep, Mattresses and Mattress Shopping
When consumer reports talks, people listen. So, while I usually don’t write about other magazine stories in this column, I felt the publication’s February cover story, “Secrets to a Great Night’s Sleep,” warrants review. The 14-page feature, which includes ratings of 74 mattresses, opens with the results of a survey of 62,000 Consumer Reports subscribers, […]
Exclusive 2016 research from the BSC sheds new light on today’s mattress shopper
A gold mine of insights for bedding retailers Do you want to know what motivates today’s shoppers to buy? What role does research play in a consumer’s buying decisions? How much do consumers expect to pay for a new bed? These are just a few of the insights revealed in new research conducted by New […]
Giving Thanks This Holiday Season
This holiday season — and every day — I am grateful for our talented publications team. Like editors before me, I periodically like to use this column to acknowledge and thank the members of the publications staff of the International Sleep Products Association. What better time than the holidays—a time of remembering the blessings in […]
Subscribers to Sleep Savvy Share Questions, Thoughts and Even Poetry
BY MARY BEST Sleep Savvy FREQUENTLY receives emails from readers who want to comment on a story, ask a few questions or share an idea. Here are a few recent ones: Question: “I have been reading Sleep Savvy for many years and quite often I see articles that I would like to run for advertising […]
Get A Real Job
BY MARY BEST On the anniversary of my entry into publishing, I’m reminded of the difficulties of hiring staff. This month marks an important milestone for me because 30 years ago, I began my career in publishing. Fresh out of graduate school with a master’s degree in American history, I landed a position as assistant editor […]
Watch These Twitter Videos from Las Vegas Market Mattress Showrooms
BY BARBARA T. NELLES As we walked the Summer Las Vegas Market last week, the editors of BedTimes and Sleep Savvy persuaded and cajoled some bedding and mattress showroom exhibitors to describe their product introductions and updates–in 30 seconds or less–for a Twitter video! Thanks to all who consented 🙂 In no particular order and for […]
One Happy Camper
I recently went mattress shopping — and, frankly, I had a blast. Here’s why: BY MARY BEST It’s a story you’ve heard many times: I realized earlier this year that I wasn’t sleeping well and finally admitted that I needed a new mattress set. Even though I am well-versed in the process—assess my preferences, rest-test […]
How To Train Your Brain to Improve Concentration
As a retailer, you have a lot on your mind. Follow these 3 tips to improve concentration and productivity: During the workday, distractions run rampant—phone calls, emails, interactions with vendors, employees and shoppers. To counteract these productivity speed bumps, try these three tips, offered by David Rock and reported by Nadia Goodman in Entrepreneur.com. Rock […]
ISPA EXPO 2016: the Largest of Its Kind
ISPA’s biennial trade show was the largest in its history—and here’s why it matters to you. While many readers of Sleep Savvy didn’t attend, the three-day event did include elements of relevance to retailers. Attendance was strong, orders were being written, and a spirit of energy and enthusiasm was palpable. For producers to be buying, […]
Big Plans For The Better Sleep Council
The Better Sleep Council launches ambitious campaigns to elevate industry image, increase sales The Better Sleep Council has big, big plans for 2016. Did I say big? As the consumer-education arm of the International Sleep Products Association, the BSC has developed programs to generate more selling opportunities for mattress retailers by addressing the anxiety shoppers […]
Selling to Millennials
An 18-year-old shares perspectives on her generation and the retail world with Sleep Savvy As I prepared for this issue’s cover story on selling to millennials—that huge, diverse generation of 80 million people born at the end of the last century and introducing its own ways of shopping—I sat down with a millennial I know well […]
A healthy winter’s sleep
Cold weather, shorter days are on their way—and frankly, I’m not leading their welcome wagon And Clover guarded well its rest, Till Autumn’s leaves were sere, Till all her sister flowers were gone, And her winter sleep drew near. —Louisa May Alcott I have a confession: While I love colorful falling leaves, football games (my […]
Mattress Recycling Council goes to Vegas
Session updates retailers on mattress-recycling laws, new customer communication materials With Connecticut’s mattress-recycling program having been launched in May, and less than six months until programs in California and Rhode Island are anticipated to begin, MRC’s leadership shared highlights of the program plans that the organization submitted to California and Rhode Island state authorities in July, […]
Welcome to our online home
Learn, share, play and subscribe to Sleep Savvy at SleepSavvyMagazine.com Nearly a year and a half ago, we redesigned the Sleep Savvy website—www.sleepsavvymagazine.com. The intention was for the site to better reflect the publication’s role as “the magazine for sleep products professionals.” Under the direction of digital editor Barbara Nelles, the revamped site is colorful, image-filled and easy […]
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 […]
May is Better Sleep Month
As Better Sleep Month kicks off the summer selling season, we offer ideas for add-on sales, ambience As I’m sure you know, May is better sleep month, an annual industrywide public-relations campaign sponsored by the Better Sleep Council (the consumer-education arm of the International Sleep Products Association) that raises awareness about the importance of sleeping on […]
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 […]
Better Sleep Month
The Better Sleep Council’s annual campaign kicks off next month. How do you plan to celebrate? May is prime time to turn up the volume on sleep and sleep products, thanks to the annual “May Is Better Sleep Month” public relations campaign sponsored by the Better Sleep Council, the consumer-education arm of the International Sleep Products […]
Learning by example
Sleep Savvy’s Retail Road Trip shines the spotlight on successful bedding retailers. Are you one? My mom and dad were teachers—both in the traditional sense of serving in the classroom and as the parents of five rowdy, curious and roaming children. A cornerstone of their successful pedagogical practices at school and home was recognizing that everyone […]
Six seconds at Las Vegas Market
BY BARBARA T. NELLES Might social media be reaching a tipping point among mattress folk? At this week’s Las Vegas Market, more members of the sleep-products industry than ever appeared to be on Twitter. I tweeted and shot six-second Vine videos during our travels from showroom to showroom, creating posts labeled with #mattress and #lvmkt hashtags. […]
ISPA turns 100
The longevity of the industry’s trade association has meant high-quality public relations for retailers This year marks a milestone in the history of the bedding industry—the International Sleep Products Association celebrates its centennial. Comprised of manufacturers and suppliers, ISPA has served the industry as advocate, communicator and marketer. Why should this matter to bedding retailers today? […]
Bedding retailers can make holiday shopping happier, less stressful
With less than a week till Hanukkah and just 15 days until Christmas, gift-givers are getting anxious, if not losing sleep, about their unfinished shopping, and your store can help! The time is ripe for attracting all of those gift-givers into your store. In fact, this week while browsing the sleep accessories aisle at a […]
A grateful editor
This year, I give thanks for Sleep Savvy’s talented publications team—and our newest member Like most people, during the holiday season, I often think about how thankful I am for the blessings in my life. This year, I am especially appreciative of the publications team with the International Sleep Products Association. I have been a magazine editor […]
A nearsighted tour of mattress showrooms at High Point Market
Special from the BedTimes Blog BY BARBARA T. NELLES I lost my prescription eyewear at High Point Market this week–they must’ve fallen off my head as I bent down to fumble for my camera in a showroom. My eyeglasses are for distance and, without them, I couldn’t see where I was going at the show–let alone […]
Greensboro News & Record reports ‘bedding industry couldn’t be hotter’
This morning, I walked outside to pick up the morning newspaper and what to my half-opened eyes should appear? A substantial front-page story about the mattress industry—with the headline, “Mattress sales a dream come true,” followed by the subhead, “The industry hits $14 billion for 2013, and its sales are expected to rise 16 percent […]
Sleep Savvy welcomes veteran journalist Betsi Robinson as its new associate editor
I am tickled pink to introduce to you the newest member of our staff. Betsi Robinson has joined the publications team of the International Sleep Products Association in the newly created position of associate editor for Sleep Savvy and sister magazine BedTimes. In her new role, Betsi is responsible for editing and writing articles, coordinating […]
Some of the hottest mattress and sleep product trends at Las Vegas Market were under the bed
Last week, the editors of Sleep Savvy and BedTimes magazines traveled to the summer Las Vegas Market. Outside, temperatures rose to convection-oven levels, but, inside—at a relatively slow show—we saw some cool new products and technologies in mattress showrooms. Look for our Las Vegas Market wrap-up report in the September issues of both publications. But, in the meantime, check […]
Las Vegas Market, here we come!
The editors of Sleep Savvy, and of our sister publication BedTimes, are readying to attend the Las Vegas Market, which starts this Sunday. We’re excited! At last count, there were more than 100 mattress and sleep accessories companies on the exhibitor list. We’ll provide a complete report from the show in the September issue of […]
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 retailers can take stronger role in educating about sleep and health
My friend Emily called me yesterday with a troubling situation. She explained that her husband Richard, in his mid-50s, recently began wheezing in his sleep. The problem had become so acute that they visited their family doctor, who diagnosed Richard with asthma, prescribed an inhaler and suggested they elevate the head of their mattress to help […]
The Better Sleep Council, a friend indeed
The Better Sleep Council helps you convey to consumers the benefits of a quality mattress Since 1979, the Better Sleep Council has been spreading the good word to consumers—through national, local and social media—about the relationship between restorative sleep, the quality of their mattress, and a healthy, productive and fulfilling life. As the consumer education […]
We regret the error, Waldo
Remember that fun children’s book series, *Where’s Waldo? You scoured the action- and people-filled pages to find Waldo in his striped sweater and cap? Well, the editors of Sleep Savvy have a new game for you this month in the pages of our magazine. Without any advance planning on our part ☺ we allowed a […]
At last… New content-rich Sleep Savvy website has style, substance
It’s been a long time coming and for good reason—we wanted to get it right. Now, Sleep Savvy is pleased to announce the launch of a completely revamped, information-packed website, www.sleepsavvymagazine.com. Yes, it’s colorful, image-filled and easy to navigate, but most important, the new site brings an archive of helpful information to your fingertips. A […]
Attention retailers: Fire sprinkler rule for new furniture retailers does not apply to mattress stores
A case recently decided in Michigan could help new mattress stores persuade building code officials to exempt them from costly fire sprinkler requirements that apply to retailers of upholstered furniture. In early April, the Michigan Construction Code Commission overruled a decision by the city of Lansing that a new Sleep Doctor mattress store selling only […]
Extreme Makeover: Sleep Savvy unveils new look, organization
This is a historic month for Sleep Savvy. As you can see, the print publication is debuting an updated design. When Sleep Savvy was introduced 12 years ago this month, it was designed with you in mind. Its mission: provide bedding retailers with concrete, “how-to” ideas and strategies that can be implemented directly. Since then, […]