Found a latex mattress we like

Hi, great site and a whole lotta help on finding a new latex mattress. Followed advice and found a local maker within the state who has a store in our area. Cost of the mattress is a little over $2400 and this is comparative to similar ones I’ve found on line and a “lowest price” in another local store. So the marked price is in line with others. My question is do I pay this price or do I hold out for a lower one? The salesman did offer 8% off if we took the floor model but I didn’t think that was worth it. So I guess we haggled a bit. I did mention some dealers give a free pillow and he said he’d give me one. The salesman said they never go on sale and “this is our price”. I know that you always negotiate in the bigger name stores but I’m not sure about a local manufacturer.

Hi markdouglas,

There are many different policies with local manufacturers and some are more likely to agree to a discount than others but in general they tend towards “best price” pricing without haggling and as he mentioned they usually don’t go on sale or give discounts unless it is for a legitimate reason (not a never ending sale) and the discount is usually much smaller. Unlike most of the mass market outlets … they don’t mark up their mattresses just to come down in price again so that consumers feel like they have “won” a negotiation when they are usually paying more than they would have with “flat” pricing. Negotiation usually benefits the retailer but of course they are trained to create the perception that it is the other way around which is the reason for the negotiation in the first place. In other words it increases their profit margins while at the same time the customer believes they got a good “deal” which keeps them happy.

Some have room for maybe a small discount or extra bonus of some type or if there is another mattress that is similar in the local area at a better price they may match it or at least come down a bit if you show them the evidence but most are more straightforward “what you see is what you get” because they don’t have time to play the “mattress games”.

If you are in doubt … you can always ask and they can always say no, especially if you have something similar to compare it to so they know there is a basis for your offer, but in general they are not looking to “negotiate” for it’s own sake. The better ones already know they have good value at the prices they list in any “apples to apples” comparisons and “holding out” won’t entice them to sell at a lower price.

Phoenix

OK Phoenix, thanks. If we purchase I’ll do a review and make an effort to come back every once in awhile to update it. I searched on the model we’re looking at and found nothing. Actually very little on any of the company’s mattresses. So if I can make an appeal to others to do a review of their mattress after they use the site and purchase, it would help others immensely!

Hi markdouglas,

I agree that this can certainly be one of the biggest things forum members can do to help others who will be looking down the road. I am also very grateful to those who have already provided some of the many excellent reviews that have already been posted which have added greatly to the value of the forum.

What mattress have you been looking at? I’d certainly be happy to give you some thoughts on it if I’m familiar with it or better yet if you know the layering and construction.

Phoenix

Phoenix, I am looking at the Jamestown Mattress Heavenly Cloud euro top latex. 6" of Dunlop, ILD 16-19, an inner panel, then a zippered top with 3" of soft Dunlop, IDL 16-19, and 2" of soft Talalay, IDL 14, and a quilted top. We have been on a waterbed for over 20 years (2nd mattress) and really lilked it but my wife did have some minor back pain. She is a side sleeper and I am a back sleeper and we both like the plush, or soft, top.
Because the waterbed (and liner) were so old it didn’t hold a leak so the foundation got wet and we threw the whole thing out.
I see a big advantage with the two top layers being accessable. If we want to change the firmness we can and if it sags over time we can replace it.

Hi markdouglas,

Just to clarify … the 6" Dunlop layer is a fair bit firmer than you listed (although still soft by support core standards). They list it here as 24 - 27 ILD.

This would be a very soft mattress indeed and I can see it’s attraction coming from a waterbed but with a mattress that uses thick soft comfort layers and also a softer support layer there is an increased risk of alignment issues (although latex with it’s higher sag factor is more forgiving with softer layering than other types of foam). What this means is that I would pay particular attention to your alignment when you are testing this mattress.

As you probably know from various posts around the forum … I think highly of Jamestown and the quality and value of their mattresses.

Phoenix

OK Phoenix, will do.
My wife’s favorite was Nature’s Rest Premium Natural Euro-Latex sleep set, soft model. The mattress is a single layer of latex 13" high. The salesman’s price is $2450, with the bed marked at $3800!! Can’t find much information on Nature’s Rest but a few reviews that say people are unhappy with sagging. There is zero information on this mattress on their website. I can’t see getting a single layer this big. If it did sag uncomfortably it would pretty much be junk.

Hi markdouglas,

The Natures Rest (made by Spring Air) actually uses multiple layers of latex (and possibly other foams as well). Before buying anything from a larger manufacturer especially … it’s essential to know what the layers inside really are. If someone is telling you that this is a “single layer” of latex … then you are being misled because they don’t make latex layers this thick.

If it is something like this, then it has 11" of latex in multiple layers with a 2" stabilization layer of polyfoam on the bottom which means that the materials in the upper layers are good. Other Nature’s Rest versions though may be made quite differently and have polyfoam in the comfort layers or the quilting. The reason for sagging in many of the Spring Air so called “latex” mattresses (and other latex mattresses made by many major manufacturers) is because of low quality/density soft polyfoam in the upper layers of the mattress. I would always make sure with any mattress that you know all the layers and that there isn’t more than around an inch or so of “unwanted” materials in the mix.

Phoenix