Beautyrest Phenom - sleepy

Hello - we purchased Beautyrest Phenom Crossover Firm from Sleepy. Why is it that I cannot find this model at any other retailer except sleepys. Sleepys claims to match the price on this model if I find it else where. Is this a model made just for sleepy’s by Simmons?

Also- we got the firm, my wife does not love it. Would you opt for exchanging it paying almost 400-500 more for restockingfee + difference for a new mattress from same line, or get a great Latex Topper to soften this bed? Also since it is made from foam in the upper layers will it eventually djust and become softer?

Hi scharp,

Most of the larger retailers such as Sleepys that sell the major brands insist on some very slight and mostly cosmetic differences in their mattresses (perhaps in the cover or with a very thin layer inside it or a slight variance in the number of coils … all of which are mostly meaningless) and then use a different name for the mattress so that there aren’t any mattresses that are “exactly the same” sold in their same area that a consumer can use to make comparisons or to “price match”. Each similar mattress in the same area or that is sold by other larger retailers (with very minor changes) can all have different names in different stores.

There is more about the different ways that one mattress can “match” another one in post #9 here but the only way to know whether another mattress would be the same (or very close) is by comparing the specifics of the layers and components inside the mattress and the major manufacturers and larger chain stores usually either can’t or won’t provide this information to their customers.

Their lack of transparency and misleading marketing tactics they use like these along with the lower quality/density and less durable materials the major manufacturers generally use in their mattresses are just one of many reasons that I suggest completely avoiding the major brands (such as Sealy, Simmons, and Serta) and the chain stores that tend to promote them (see the guidelines here) along with any mattress where you aren’t able to find out the information you need to make an informed choice about the quality and durability of the materials and the mattress as a whole (see this article).

There will be a break in and adjustment period over the first few weeks as your mattress softens a little and you adjust to the “feel” of a new sleeping surface that is different from what you are used to (see post #3 here) but I don’t know if it will be “enough” to make your mattress comfortable for you. If you are experiencing any discomfort or “symptoms” after a few weeks (Sleepy’s exchange policy is 21 days I believe) then it’s likely that your mattress just isn’t a good match for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences).

Like many of the members that have come here with a similar situation you are in a somewhat unfortunate position where you need to exchange or “fine tune” a mattress and are “locked in” to a store that sells lower quality/value mattresses that I would normally suggest avoiding in the first place and where there may not be any particularly good quality/value options available to you. There are some suggestions and ideas in post #2 here about the two main strategies that you can use that can help you make the best of a difficult situation.

Since you already have a firm mattress and since if you exchange for an even firmer mattress with less of the lower quality materials and that would probably have a lower price you won’t receive the difference back and if you exchange for a softer mattress you would not only need to pay more but it would probably also use even more of the lower quality and less durable materials that would be best to avoid than the mattress you already have … I would probably lean towards keeping your firmer mattress and adding a topper (if you still need to after a few weeks) to make the best of an unfortunate situation.

If after a few weeks the mattress is still too firm for you then a topper can certainly be a good solution and to some degree it can also help extend the life of the lower quality foams that are in the top layers of your mattress as well because it will absorb some of the compression forces that would soften and break down the upper layers in your mattress more rapidly. If you do decide to go in this direction then there is also more information about how to choose a topper in post #2 here and the topper guidelines it links to that can help you use your sleeping experience as a reference point and guideline to help you choose the type, thickness, and firmness for a topper that has the least possible risk and the best chance for success. It also includes a link to a list of some of the better online sources for toppers I’m aware of as well.

Phoenix