Buying a Mattress Online vs. In-Store: Pros and Cons
The decision to buy a new mattress can be one of the biggest decisions you will make in your life. We spend 30 per cent of our lives asleep. And yet, a staggering 40 per cent of Australians do not sleep well. When it comes to good sleep, the right mattress makes a huge difference.
We’re here today to answer the very first question you need to ask yourself when buying a new mattress: Should you buy it online or in-store?
Find out which option is the best by reading on.
Buy a Mattress in a Physical Store
Before the Internet, the only way to buy a mattress was in person. It’s a method that has been tried and tested. In Australia, popular retail sellers such as Beds n Dreams Fourwinds and Harvey Norman prove that buying a mattress is still a ritual. There are pros and cons that you should consider before buying from your local retailer.
The Pros of Buying a Bed in a Store
- Test it out before you buy it – The biggest advantage of buying your mattress from a local retailer is that you can “test drive” it. There’s also something unique about being able to take a nap in the middle of a store. You may want to try out the texture, softness and firmness of the mattress before you buy it. If you want to test the firmness, texture, etc.
- Fewer options make it easier to decide. The “decision fatigue”, which can occur when shopping online, can be avoided by having a limited number of choices at a store. This can make it easier to narrow down the options and make a purchase decision.
- Delivery and removal are also included as benefits when buying from a retailer. These include fast home delivery (usually within a few days) and the free removal of an old mattress. Mattress stores often send out a team of movers who will take care of every step, right down to putting your new mattress on your bed frame. It can be a big factor in deciding whether or not to buy a mattress for someone who is physically unable to move it themselves. This benefit is also extended to the return of the mattress (if that happens), as retailers will send a team to remove your unwanted mattress.
- In-person customer service If you prefer to speak to someone in person before making a major purchase, purchasing a mattress in person gives you immediate access to support from a salesperson or team.
- Help your local economy– A nice side benefit to buying a mattress locally is that you will be supporting the local economy.
Cons of Purchasing a Mattress From a Retail Outlet
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- Dealing With Salespeople– Buying a bed at a store has its pros and cons. For example, you will be at the mercy of the salesperson who is there to sell you the mattress. You won’t be able to read customer reviews and will instead have to rely on the advice of the sales staff. Do some research before you go to the store to familiarize yourself with the mattresses that you will be testing. You’ll have the information you need to avoid being convinced into buying the mattress that is most expensive over the one that you want.
- The risks of testing a mattress While purchasing in person has the advantage of letting you test the mattress, it is important to remember that simply lying on the mattress for a couple of minutes does not guarantee a good sleep. It’s only after you spend a night in your new bed that you will know for sure. In the age of Covid-19 testing a mattress is not as beneficial as it used to be. According to research, purchasing a mattress on-site can pose a serious health risk. For those with compromised immune systems, it may be best to avoid in-person shopping for now.
- There are no risk-free trials of sleep. Even though some brick-and-mortar retailers now offer these trials, many still don’t. Some even charge steep returns fees.
Online Mattress Shopping
In today’s world, we do so much of our life online. The Internet is a great way to do everything from work to school and even grocery shopping. Buying a mattress can be done through the screen as well. There are many online mattress retailers in Australia including Emma, Koala and Ecosa. But buying online can have its advantages as well as disadvantages.
We will now discuss the pros of purchasing a mattress online.
The Benefits of Purchasing a Mattress Online
- Convenience. The biggest advantage of purchasing a mattress online comes from the ease it offers. You can save time by shopping from home and browsing as many options as you like.
- Sleep trials without risk– This is a great way to make sure that the mattress you choose will work with your sleeping needs. Some sleep trials last as long as 120 nights. This will ensure that you know for sure if your mattress is the right one for you.
- Customized options– Another great benefit to buying a mattress on the internet is that many brands offer multiple mattresses and some of them are even customizable. You can select the firmness of your mattress, its responsiveness, temperature regulation and other features to suit your needs.
- Good Customer Support– When you buy a mattress on the internet, you have access to a convenient customer service service that is more readily available. Chat features are available online to contact support representatives at all hours.
- Lower prices One of the most important factors in buying a mattress is price. You can find high-quality mattresses at lower prices online. Online sleep resource ‘Sleep Like The Dead claims that you can save up to 15 per cent by purchasing online.
- Higher quality Believe it or Not, Sleep Like The Dead has also found that brands of mattresses sold primarily online are often better in quality overall than brands exclusively sold in stores.
- Free Shipping and Returns– Online mattress retailers offer free shipping and returns as a standard practice.
- Quiet and quiet shopping– If you prefer to shop without salespeople interfering, buying online will be a great option for you. You won’t need to worry about anyone trying to upsell or influence you.
Cons of Purchasing a Mattress Online
- Is there such a thing as too many options? While having so many choices is a great benefit, it can also lead to decision fatigue when you are shopping online for a new mattress. There are so many options that you may feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices.
- Assembly Required– When you buy online, you also miss out on the convenience of having your mattress assembled upon delivery. You’ll have to set up your mattress yourself when you receive it from an online seller. This usually involves assembling a “bed in a box.” Although this method is easier to ship, it can be difficult to unpack. Some online retailers may offer free set-up, but most do not.
- Returns are a pain. Speaking of difficult mattress handling, returning an online mattress can also be a problem. Return policies may require that you repackage and ship your mattress yourself because of the way it is shipped. This could be a hassle, and make it seem like the return was not worth it.
- Buying without seeing is the biggest downside to buying a mattress online. You won’t have a chance to test it before purchasing. You might want to avoid buying online if you like the idea of trying out your bed before you buy it. While most mattress brands sell exclusively online, some brands like Peacelily sell both online and offline. It may be possible to test a mattress before purchasing it online.
The conclusion of the article is:
You can see that there are many things to consider before deciding where and how to purchase your mattress. Both buying in-store or online have pros and cons. It all depends on your preferences. In-store buying is best if you want to touch and feel the mattress before paying, speak to someone in the store, and have your bed delivered and assembled by someone else. If you want to be sure that you are getting the best price and can choose from the largest selection of mattresses, shopping online is the way to do it. There are ways to combine the advantages of both, such as testing out brands that sell online and in-person.
