I’ve been searching for a firm to extra-firm inner spring mattress for several months. After reducing my search list to 11 mattresses, 9 from US-MATTRESS.COM, 1 from WALMART (the Wolf Corp Dual-Rest $559) , and 1 from (the Wolf Corp Brolynn $900) THEMATTRESSEXPERT.COM. My first sort by customer rank and price had the top 3 from US-MATTRESS, then WALMART, then THEMATTRESSEXPERT. After weighing each sites descriptions THEMATTRESSEXPERT move to #4 in the list and WALMART moved to #11. I ordered a King Restonic ($1179) from US-MATTRESS, but my order was canceled because of technical difficulties with their site. Problems that knocked out my 2nd and 3rd choices too. So I had to order from THEMATTRESSEXPERT.COM. Imagine my surprise when I got the WALMART mattress.
How does one avoid deceitful resellers? The site’s description led me to believe it really was a better mattress than the Dual-Rest.
[quote]I’ve been searching for a firm to extra-firm inner spring mattress for several months. After reducing my search list to 11 mattresses, 9 from US-MATTRESS.COM, 1 from WALMART (the Wolf Corp Dual-Rest $559) , and 1 from (the Wolf Corp Brolynn $900) THEMATTRESSEXPERT.COM. My first sort by customer rank and price had the top 3 from US-MATTRESS, then WALMART, then THEMATTRESSEXPERT. After weighing each sites descriptions THEMATTRESSEXPERT move to #4 in the list and WALMART moved to #11. I ordered a King Restonic ($1179) from US-MATTRESS, but my order was canceled because of technical difficulties with their site. Problems that knocked out my 2nd and 3rd choices too. So I had to order from THEMATTRESSEXPERT.COM. Imagine my surprise when I got the WALMART mattress.
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Congrats on your new mattress shopping journey, Starks ! From the table you have shared, looks like you’ve done quite a bit of research on potential choices, good job on your hard work. I’m curious about your process: are you basing your top choices solely on the criteria mentioned above of “customer rank, price and product description”? Where do your personal preferences, component specs/ durability, a preference for materials, etc. weigh in with your candidates? You may have addressed those separately as I see the spread sheet is only partially viewable from the leftmost side.
Not sure what you’re getting at here. What in these images suggest this is a “WalMart” mattress? And should it be a concern that WalMart may be a reseller of a given manufacturers’ line? As you likely know, WalMart recently has made strides towards taking a share of e-tailer Amazon.com’s mammoth online shopping business and third party relationships are key to both company’s resources. To my knowledge, the Wolf Company is a well-respected U.S based mattress manufacturer, perhaps providing product to WalMart for resell, as they would any other retailer they have relationships with. Could you be more specific as to what your meaning is here?
No. If I’d have done that, I would not have had this problem. After loosing out at US-MATTRESS.COM, if I’d have stuck strictly to the ranking/#user/cost criteria I’d have gone straight to WALMART after my problem with US-MATTRESS, because by this criteria WALMART ranked above THEMATTRESSEXPERT. Instead, I looked at the type of springs, the coverings, the additional foam supports, warranty, appearance in website photos, and so forth. Turned out the fraudster was adding adjectives to describe the foam support. Adjectives not used on other websites to describe the support. So the fraudster’s false name and misdirecting description sucked me into his trap.
Also, I would not have ordered the King Restonic just using ranking/#user/cost criteria.
What I’m getting at,“Is there anyway to detect fraudulent mattress sites?” Sites that say one thing, but deliver another. I know I’m never buying from any site that just has a PO Box address from now on, or sites that hide their true ownership, but even these things are not easily discovered or considered.
While we don’t have a database of suspected fraudulent mattress sites (that would be impossible to track and maintain for many reasons, including the continual opening/ closing of e-commerce sites, lack of resources for management of that process, etc.), the TMU forum does offer in the experienced voice of our consumer subscribers those who report their experiences to alert others of potential risks, as long as reporting is in a respectful, fact-based comment as per our Consumer Forum Rules. Generally speaking Starks, when your shopping process includes consumer reviews as part of the results-generating criteria, you risk being gamed by fake product reviews created by affiliate marketing programs and unfortunately, 3rd party resellers such as WalMart, Amazon and Ebay are congested with such products being artificially driven higher by false claims of product durability/ integrity. It is unfortunate that your “fraudster” used another manufacturer’s product descriptions and images to gain your trust; this is a situation that has long plagued the luxury brand market in similar spaces.
When at all possible, develop a relationship with a local manufacturer/ retailer for gaining knowledge of the mattress materials and construction of interest. Phoenix’s article, “Mattress Shopping Guidelines: Finding the Best Quality and Value” will walk you carefully through this thought process. “Finding a Great Mattress Outlet” offers tips and questions for discussion with manufacturers as well for narrowing down choices. You may also consider reviewing TMU’s “trusted member directory”, featuring all participating trusted member’s websites and offering examples of what you should expect from online mattress shopping: clear, concise product descriptions; multiple views of product images; product specifications; FAQs/ product return and exchange policies; contact email/ phone number and headquarters address and so on. One other flag of interest may simply be in the third party sellers web address; for example, instead of “.com”, a web domain of another country hosting fraudulent reseller sites. Hope this helps.
Sensei,
Before these times, your recommendations were my mattress shopping bible. Despite the danger I did gone out to the mattress store where I made my last 4 purchases, a reliable and trustworthy store. But that store has no been shutdown for months. Worse, others nearby are also closed. Plus I’m an old, disabled combat veteran on the short list of those threatened by the virus. So I’m stuck trying to find a place on-line to do what I’d rather be doing locally. I even browsed this site three times and took it’s quiz to help me choose, despite knowing what I liked.
Incidentally, thanks for this site. It’s quite useful. And thanks for your guidance. I will look through your trusted member directory. I didn’t see it before.
Indeed Starks; these pandemic times make for some trying mattress shopping “work-arounds”, especially for folks with special health considerations. I’m happy to hear you did have a mattress store relationship nearby who earned your trust over your past four purchases. What type/ brand mattresses have you used in the past and which ones best suited your comfort preferences? Can you talk a little about what you do like in a mattress? You have come to the right place for guidance and suggestions; we are here to help with thought starters .
Thanks for your kind words on the forum, they are appreciated and mean a lot. Also, feel free to use the “Ask An Expert” forum should you like advice or suggestions directly from the TMU expert trusted member panel. And on a side note: Thank you for your years of service and sacrifice to our country, Starks; we appreciate you!
! Thanks for your question.
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