Consumers also looking for consumer reviews and promotions or sales.
More consumers are doing research before purchasing a mattress, according to a new round of consumer research conducted for the Better Sleep Council last year.
Eighty-four percent of consumers say they do that research, a gain of seven percentage points from a survey conducted in 2020.
And those consumers are most interested in comparing prices (64%), looking at consumer reviews (58%), and looking for promotions or sales (55%). Interest in those three types of information is on the rise. Interest in comparing prices is up by nine percentage points in the past two years, interest in consumer reviews is up by 14 percentage points, and interest in promotions or sales is up by 10 percentage points.
Consumers also expressed significant interest in comparing product features (48%), finding information on mattress features (46%), and finding information on different types of mattresses (41%).
Two in 10 consumers seek out information about the use of environmentally sustainable practices or materials.
“It’s encouraging that more consumers are doing research before buying mattresses, but it’s not really surprising, given that mattresses remain a major purchase for many consumers and the internet has made mattress research easier than ever,” says Mary Helen Rogers, vice president of marketing and communications for the International Sleep Products Association. The BSC is the consumer education arm of ISPA.
She notes the growing importance of mattress reviews, from both consumers (58%) and industry experts (25%).
“Consumer reviews now rank slightly behind price comparisons in terms of the type of information that consumers are seeking,” Rogers says. “Consumers are increasingly interested in what other consumers are saying about mattresses.”
Looking at purchase drivers, consumers report product fulfillment was the leading factor influencing decisions to purchase. It was cited by 87% of consumers, followed by reputation (56%), price (55%), choice (54%) and salespeople (47%).
“Consumer reviews now rank slightly behind price comparisons in terms of the type of information that consumers are seeking.”
In the fulfillment category, free delivery is the most important factor influencing the decision to purchase from a particular retailer, cited by 57% of consumers. Free pickup of discarded mattresses is cited by 36% of consumers, while 27% like easy returns and 22% appreciate the fact that the retailer sends discarded mattresses to a recycler.
Looking at price, the research found that 47% of consumers are influenced by low prices or discounts, while 19% by the availability of financing.
About one-third (35%) of consumers are seeking retailers with non-pushy sales people in the store, while 32% are looking for knowledgeable salespeople.
When it comes to the retail environment, one in three consumers is influenced by the cleanliness and appearance of the store, while 19% are influenced by displays that present the mattress the way it would look in the bedroom.
The research also breaks down the purchase drivers by age, finding that mattresses delivered in a box, attractive websites, online chat support and appointment-only shopping are more important to Gen Z consumers and millennials than they are to older consumers.
