Hi Nefertiti,
Your lighter weight and preference (and need) for a firmer mattress suggests that you may do well on a thinner mattress and even just a 6" latex mattress either quilted with a fairly thin comfort layer or wool.
This is not good to hear because it can be the sign of buying a used mattress and in most states it’s illegal as well. I would think they would be smarter than making any issues about a refund (including delivery charges) in these circumstances.
Memory foam is generally in the softer range unless it is a relatively thin layer over firmer base foam where the firmness of the foam below it comes through before you sink too far into the memory foam so I’m not surprised it didn’t fit your needs or preferences. There are also many others who are concerned with electromagnetic issues as well although this is a more controversial subject and is not something that most people are generally aware of or concerned about (cell phones for example would be much riskier). It’s certainly a legitimate issue though for those who are more aware of and concerned about electromagnetic fields and “pollution” in modern society.
You may have seen this already but some of the better value online options I’m aware of are in post #21 here. While they have differences in design and price ranges … all of them are members of this site which means I consider them to be among the best quality/value in the country and all of them are very knowledgeable and helpful. In some cases their sites may not show everything they have available so they are well worth talking to to see what they have available. Most of them would carry firm or extra firm latex though and some would also carry organic Dunlop latex (although I would question the benefits of “organic” latex over 100% natural Dunlop latex unless it is a strong personal preference. You would basically be paying extra for a certification rather than any really meaningful difference in the material itself. There is more about this in post #6 here. There is no organic Talalay latex currently made although like Dunlop it also comes in a 100% natural version which uses no synthetic latex in its manufacturing.
Yes … there are certainly others who are allergic or at least sensitive to wool that may have some issues even with mattress covers but in most cases the allergy is triggered by direct contact rather than in a quilting layer that is covered by the mattress ticking. It would also depend on the type of wool used (there are finer and courser types of wool) and also on the lanolin content which along with the scratchy nature of some wool and any chemicals used in processing is the reason for most wool allergies or sensitivities. Unless you are unusually sensitive though it probably wouldn’t be an issue for most people in a mattress (because it’s covered) but I would use your own discretion in combination with your conversations with each manufacturer about the thickness of their ticking material and whether any of their customers have had any “wool” issues. If you do decide not to use wool … then a cover without wool quilting (or using some other type of quilting) is usually an option although wool does have some good benefits including humidity control and temperature regulation which would make it well worth considering as long as you are comfortable with the idea. Some may even be able to send you a piece of the quilting/ticking material they use so you could test it for allergies beforehand.
Hope this helps.
Phoenix