Better Sleep Council research reveals what motivates higher-priced mattress purchases and how accessories complete the sale.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Grabbing the attention of shoppers who are willing to pay $2,500 or more for a mattress has never been more important than it is today. A soft consumer market makes every sale count.
But what do these shoppers want? What will encourage them to splurge on a mattress?
The latest research from the Better Sleep Council, which leads consumer research for the International Sleep Products Association, takes a deep dive into the topic. It compiled answers from an online survey of 500 U.S. adults who had either recently purchased or planned to purchase a mattress that costs $2,500 or more.
In the last issue, Sleep Savvy shared demographics — who was likely to buy higher-priced mattresses, how much they spent or expected to spend, why they sought beds priced at $2,500 or more, and what price point was considered too much. If you missed that article, you can read “New Research Shows Higher Consumer Spending Trends” at SleepSavvyMagazine.com.
In this issue, we’ll look at triggers for mattress replacement, consumer shopping preferences, information sources and accessory shopping while buying a mattress at a higher price point.
Key Triggers for Luxury Mattress Replacement
A majority of respondents (75%) said issues with their current bed drove them to start mattress shopping, followed by a desire for something new (size, materials or features). Previous BSC research shows this to be true for all consumers.
Respondents also cited health and medical reasons (33%), sales or an ad (29%), a life event or household change (21%), and a recommendation or experience with another mattress.
And where do people most often experience other mattresses? In a hotel or resort.
When asked if they learned about a mattress brand from a hotel or resort nearly four in 10 purchasers agreed. Of those who strongly agreed, 53% purchased a mattress priced at $7,500 or more.
The survey also asked those who are planning to purchase a higher-priced mattress in the next few years about whether they were considering a mattress brand they had tried at a hotel or resort and nearly half agreed. Like their purchasing counterparts, 41% expected to buy a mattress that costs $7,500 or more.
Those who shopped or are planning to shop for a higher-priced mattress sometimes use or plan to use an interior designer. The higher the price of the mattress, the more likely an interior designer is involved in the decision. For example, 19% of those who purchased a $2,500-plus priced mattress used an interior designer. Almost half of them purchased a bed that cost $7,500 or more. Another interesting tidbit — men are more likely than women to report using an interior designer (25% of men vs. 12% of women). If you’re in the luxury arena, it’s a good idea to partner with designers — they sway brand selection and are influential in purchasing decisions.
Today’s luxury mattress shoppers aren’t just buying a bed — they’re investing in an experience.
How High-End Mattress Buyers Research Their Purchase
How do consumers learn about the brands they purchase?
Those planning to buy a higher-priced mattress thought they would rely on customer or user reviews the most (46%), followed by in-store displays of mattresses (44%) and web searches (42%). Respondents were asked to choose up to seven responses from a list of 20 options. But those who recently purchased a higher-priced mattress cited in-store displays of mattresses as the most helpful, along with customer and user reviews, and family or friend recommendations.
Once again, the price point made a difference in how the question was answered. Those who planned to purchase or purchased a mattress for at least $5,000 were more likely to say social media and online videos were helpful sources of information.
Luxury Mattress Shopping: Channels and Delivery Trends
With a plethora of places to purchase a mattress — both in-person and online — where do people shop?
Of those who recently bought a higher-priced mattress, 66% said they purchased it in a brick-and-mortar store and 34% said online. The most popular in-person shopping experience was a mattress specialty chain store, like Mattress Firm (29%). The second most common was a furniture store (19%). For the online shoppers, 20% bought their mattress at a general online retailer like Amazon or Overstock and 17% purchased from a mattress retailer that sells mostly online, like Casper.
More than half of all higher-priced mattress purchasers chose white-glove delivery service, with those spending from $2,500 to $3,499 being the most likely to choose this option (63%). Purchasers in the $5,000 and above range also preferred white-glove delivery (44%), but a higher percentage also chose to have it delivered by carrier (32%) or brought it home themselves (23%) than those who spent less.
Do you have a guess as to how many had their mattresses delivered flat versus rolled and compressed? The answer might surprise you.
First, the less surprising statistic: 62% of all higher-priced purchasers received their mattresses flat while 38% got their bed compressed in a box.
When broken down by price, the numbers are interesting. The majority of those who bought beds that cost from $2,500 to $4,999 received them flat (69% vs. 31%). But those who spent $5,000 or more were almost equally divided. A slight majority (51%) purchased a boxed bed, while 49% received a flat mattress.
Boosting Ticket Size with Accessories
After spending a significant amount of money on a mattress, these shoppers also invested in bedding accessories.
A new foundation was at the top of many consumers’ lists. Of those who recently purchased a higher-priced mattress, 33% bought an adjustable base. The percentage is higher for those who spent more than $5,000 — 44%. And 33% bought a new box spring or foundation.
Of those planning to buy a new mattress in the next few years, 37% said they were planning to buy a new box spring or foundation and 20% expect to buy an adjustable base.
Top-of-bed items also made the list. Half of purchasers took home a mattress pad or protector along with their mattress. They also bought new pillows (46%), sheets (37%) and mattress toppers (37%). Only 18% did not purchase anything extra.
Based on the BSC survey, manufacturers can glean that having a variety of options is important to these consumers.
“Today’s luxury mattress shoppers aren’t just buying a bed — they’re investing in an experience,” said Mary Helen Rogers, ISPA vice president of marketing and communications. “From discovering brands in upscale hotels to layering on adjustable bases and premium bedding, these consumers are thoughtful, discerning and willing to spend more for better sleep.”
Actionable Strategies for Selling Luxury Mattresses
- Continue with health and wellness messaging. More than 75% of consumers start mattress shopping because they’re having problems with their current mattress. Position yourself as an expert who can provide solutions for a better night’s sleep.
- Capitalize on the power of hotel experiences. Nearly 40% of consumers who are in the market for higher-priced mattresses discovered brands at a hotel or resort. Consider hotel partnerships, promote “hotel-quality sleep” at home and even replicate the luxury hotel feel in your store.
- Optimize digital and in-store experiences. Shoppers rely heavily on reviews, web searches and in-store displays. Make sure your store is set up to deliver good information to consumers and that your online presence includes videos, reviews, virtual tours and more to help shoppers make informed decisions.
- Social media matters more for those buying mattresses in the $5,000-plus price range. Use visual storytelling and lifestyle content to attract this type of shopper.
- In-store shopping remains dominant — make it count. Two-thirds of consumers who spend $2,500 or more shop in-person. Make your store a place they want to visit.
- Don’t overlook online growth. A full 34% of shoppers spending $2,500 or more buy online. Retailers need to offer seamless e-commerce and detailed product pages on their websites.
- Offer flexible delivery options. While white-glove delivery is still preferred at mid to high price points, many who spend $5,000 or more also choose delivery by carrier or opt to take it home themselves. Retailers should provide tiered delivery options.
- Highlight both boxed and flat delivery formats. Even luxury shoppers are receptive to boxed beds (51% of $5,000-plus buyers).
- Don’t forget accessories. Only 18% of shoppers left with just a mattress. Retailers can increase ticket size by recommending adjustable bases (especially at higher tiers), as well as protectors, pillows, toppers and sheets as part of a complete sleep system.
