GhostBed ~ The Mattress Underground (TMU) Trusted Member

I read the article that you have sent, all it talks about benefits of keeping feet up, it misses a very important point, from what I have experienced for side sleeper zero gravity is just bad , it pushes down lot of pressure on lower back, I actually woke up with bad lower back ache in zero gravity position so did my wife , we both are side sleepers. I wish you had mentioned this, it wasn’t even mentioned in the article. For back sleeper it might be helpful.

Thank you for your feedback! We definitely apologize for any misunderstanding our article may have caused. I can understand how as a side sleeper the Zero Gravity position caused you some discomfort. You are correct - it is perhaps best as a back sleeper. As a side sleeper, for sleep time (vs. rest time) slightly elevating the legs about 5 degrees should help alleviate your lower back aches!

What is up with the terrible BBB reports for GhostBed? A majority of them are complaining about not getting refunds during the 101 day trial. It appears the company doesn’t refund the purchase until a complaint is filed and in some cases, the refunds are short a few dollars. Most of the cases are closed but there are quite a bit of them and very recent (several just this month and the last). Are you sure they should be a TMU Trusted Member? Your thoughts are appreciated?

Hi SuzyCool,

I see TMU recommended checking out GhostBed’s amazing split king adjustable base to you.

GhostBed is proud to have earned over 35,000 positive 5-star reviews to reflect the company in a better light.

We do respond to all BBB reviews in a timely and professional manner. Just like we do for customers that reach out to use directly.

We strive to deliver on our promise to provide a better mattress at an affordable price. Which is backed by an industry-leading 20+ year warranty beyond the 101-night sleep trial guarantee.

Details on the 101-night sleep trial guarantee is listed on the website

I hope we can address your concerns to restore your future business consideration to welcome you to the GhostBed family.

  • Brian

Thank you, Brian. Your reply is appreciated. I’ll be checking out your website today and will let you know if I have any questions.

Hi: I’m seeking the coolest bed possible, as I live in an extremely hot, humid climate, but also need a decently firm mattress. Hate the feel of sinking into the bed. I have an innerspring mattress now, but it’s very old. How firm is your luxe model? If not firm, do you carry an equally cool option that’s firmer? Looking forward to your reply. Thank you

HI SeekingCoolerSleep

Thanks for thinking of GhostBed. It’s our signature feature across our entire product line from our founder Marc Werner. Which he was on stage with Venus Williams that actually called him cool for real.

So if your a hot sleeper we have two options

  1. GhostBed Luxe

its tag line is the coolest mattress in the world

However we do have a cooling feature with Venus Williams collection for a mattress with a infra-red technology

Overall a cooling mattress works best with a cooling protector and sheets to make sure your mattress can breath. So we do have our cooling GhostBedProtector and GhostSheets

As your mattress needs to breath. Plus our Memory foam GhostPillow has a patent on air flow for cooling.

So lots of options to keep you cool.

First goal is to see what your total sleep preference is to consider taking Marc’s mattress quiz or talk to our service team.

We can guide you through all these cooling mattresses as the best one all depends on all your sleep needs.

But the two suggested would be the coolest on the list.

Thank you - will definitely take the online quiz and review your recommendations.

Can you help with returns? I’m having trouble returning the 3D Matrix mattress that I ordered. I filled out the return form online over a week ago, and have only received an automated acknowledgment. No other follow up. I also called but was told that returns are only handled via email. I’m 50 days into the 101 day trial, so there shouldn’t be an issue with the minimum 30 day trial.

Should I expect to hear about my return soon? Is their any way for me to contact your returns department to help move the process along?

Thanks

Tim

Did you get any help?

I am in the same position, I asked to return a mattress and they flat out denied it.

This is a lie, they will not let you return mattresses. Here is some fine print. If you say anything other than “uncomfortable” Ghostbed will refuse to let you return the mattress. Check out my return denial/void trial message below Don’t trust this company

Because this is a non-comfort reason we will not be able to complete the return process on your order.

Please note that it is found on our website if your initial request for a return/refund is due to non-comfort

reasons we will void your sleep trial. Listed on our website states: "The sleep trial is a comfort sleep trial only

for the GhostBed mattresses. It does not apply to errors in the order, size issues, changes in circumstances, buyer

remorse, etc. GhostBed has the final right of refusal for any sleep trial return and/or refund. Your account will be

notated and your sleep trial will be voided if any non-returnable reason has been given.

*note - my return had nothing to do with the below reasons they specify in their policy, the mattress was just terrible quality.

errors in the order, size issues, changes in circumstances, buyer remorse, etc

I purchased a Ghostbed Natural queen size mattress. The mattress took a month to off-gas, which is so bizarre. Why is a natural “eco” mattress off gasing a chemical smell. I was very unimpressed with the construction of the mattress, I found it light and very flimsy. The mattress did not provide the support I needed.

The company requests you sleep on the mattress for at least 30 days to give the mattress a fair shot, which I obliged. On day 31 I called the company to return the mattress. I told them the multiple reasons why I did not like the mattress and the customer rep took down all that information, and said they’d get back in contact with me for the next steps.

I received the email below:

"Because this is a non-comfort reason we will not be able to complete the return process on your order.

Please note that it is found on our website if your initial request for a return/refund is due to non-comfort

reasons we will void your sleep trial. Listed on our website states: "The sleep trial is a comfort sleep trial only

for the GhostBed mattresses. It does not apply to errors in the order, size issues, changes in circumstances, buyer

remorse, etc. GhostBed has the final right of refusal for any sleep trial return and/or refund. Your account will be

notated and your sleep trial will be voided if any non-returnable reason has been given."

Read below for what the website says about their risk free trial. I will never buy a bed online again, the actions of this company are absolutely disgusting. They must be doing very poorly if they can’t even honor their return policy. Avoid Ghostbed at all costs.

With GhostBed, we’ll deliver your mattress right to your door. Grab your pajamas, get cozy, and sleep on your new mattress for up to 101 nights, all in the comfort of your own home.

Don’t love it? No worries.
Returns are hassle-free and shipping is on us.

Hi rbackman/raincityrob

Welcome to our Mattress Forum. :slight_smile:

We’ve emailed GhostBed yesterday to get more details on the return issue you brought up. GhostBed’s records show that you are a repeat customer and they also acknowledged your claim to return your mattress. The main issue, as I understand it, is that you did not allow the time stated in their policy to fairly assess comfort to make a comfort return claim (Their policy is tailored this way so that enough time passes for the sleeper to adjust to the mattress and for the mattress to adjust to the sleeper before concluding that it is indeed a comfort issue), which is where the 101-night trial return policy comes in place. As you mention, GB does not accept returns for other reasons except comfort and they state this clearly on their website. As an aside, this is why we always advise visitors on this site to carefully review policies for returns, exchanges, warranties, and the possibility of warranties being voided for any of the companies they purchase from.

I am not sure if you referred in your communication with GhostBed as a quality or as a comfort issue. Either way, the situation is now more complex with you initiating a purchase review by your bank to dispute the charges. This means that while your claim with the bank is in process of assessment and awaiting a final determination other courses of action that GB might have had are in stasis. If a bank gets involved (or a threat of legal action is made) GhostBed is obliged to stop any further action or look for avenues to resolve the issue at hand, until the situation is clarified and the bank (or legal body) makes their final determination.

When we reached to GhostBed yesterday, they reiterated their commitment to try to address every problem their customers encounter. I’d keep in mind that they, like most manufacturers and small family businesses, have to put in place some form of protection from consumers who (knowingly or not) are abusing the sleep trial and return policies. It’s probably not the case with you but as an example, the “serial returning” of mattresses became a national and global problem as the landfills keep accumulating barely used voluminous undegradable products and crippled some of the small businesses.

I am not sure how much you read since you registered on our forum a few days ago but we discuss return and exchange issues in quite some depth. As you probably guess returns are never “free” per se, they are mostly included in the price of a mattress and act more like an “insurance policy” for the consumer. For those mattress companies that rely on the quality of their products to keep the returns down, this can be a deal breaker if too many returns due to misfits occur. Thus businesses need to put some “breaks” in place to ensure that a purchase was not an “impulse purchase” and that it fits the policy for which the return is allowed.

As an aside, mattress companies have to keep a keen eye and balance possible returns due to misfits (comfort exchanges and returns), good quality/value products, and product price points. To accomplish this they offer tools and personalized help to their customers. This said, sometimes things don’t go as well as both parties would have hoped for, which is why many mattress companies offer a set period of sleep trials, trusting that ultimately the buyer does their part as the “final judge” before purchasing the mattress. Consumers should be looking at all the criteria that are most important to them according to their personal value equation before making the final decision. With so much misinformation and flashing marketing, it’s more important than ever to have an educated consumer, taking their time testing or discussing with the company when selecting a mattress or other products. Buyers need to do their part as well as every person is unique in their needs and preferences.

The other side of returns, especially with larger companies, is that they look for volume sales regardless of product quality …so returns can be also just about marketing because the cost of returning or exchanging a mattress or individual layers is all built into the purchase price of a product that offers “free shipping” or “free returns” so the majority of people who don’t return or exchange a mattress are the ones who pay for the minority that do. From where I stand … it’s good news that GhostBed is limiting the reasons for accepting returns, as the company is making legitimate efforts to keep price points affordable and still make enough profit to run a successful business.

In this respect, GhostBed has more stringent policies if the customer has not given their new mattress time to ‘break in’ and become acclimated to the mattress as well. I am not sure which of their models you purchased when you say “was just terrible quality” so I can’t make a comment, but generally the materials used in their mattress meet the quality and durability guidelines and you can check them out on GB’s Trusteed Member profile page as well as their small business family values and the commitment to their customers. However, if there is a mattress defect this would qualify for a warranty claim and you’d need to document the issue for a claim

I’m sorry this mattress does not meet your expectations. It appears that now the matter is in the hands of your banking institution waiting for a decision. I hope you find a constructive way to resolve the situation.

I know this may be after the fact but, generally whenever considering any mattress always compare the mattress specifications you need to know with the Mattress Durability Guidelines here.

Phoenix

Note added later: just noticed that you had another post on the same issue that started a different thread. I have consolidated the two threads for organizational purposes and ease of reference.
Additional note As you changed your username from rbackman to raincityrob I am editing my posts to reflect this. If you want any reference to your real name to be removed from this let me know and I’ll edit the post again to maintain your anonymity. Just let me know

Hi Phoenix,

Thank you for your response.

The main issue, as I understand it, is that you did not allow the time stated in their policy to fairly assess comfort to make a comfort return claim Just to clarify, this wasn’t this issue. I did give this bed the required 31 day “adjustment” trial or whatever they call it. I purchased the Ghostbed Natural mattress. My reason for wanting a return was the mattress, in my opinion, is of poor quality, not comfortable, noisy during sex and I couldn’t handle the off-gassing which was still present after 31 days. I called their support line to initiate the return and explained multiple reasons why I did not like the mattress. I requested the return for BOTH quality and comfort reasons. Shortly thereafter after, Ghostbed emailed me informing me that my sleep trial was void and they would not accept a return, period. Case closed, no offer to help with an exchange, cut and dry response - Sleep trial void, no return allowed, final decision.

At that point, I did initiate a dispute with American Express. Very clever and frankly disgusting of Ghostbed, this is their fine print.

“The sleep trial is a comfort sleep trial only for the GhostBed mattresses… GhostBed has the final right of refusal for any sleep trial return and/or refund. Your account will be notated and your sleep trial will be voided if any non-returnable reason has been given.”

As a consumer, should I really have to read fine print to find out if the advertised “risk free trial” is really risk-free? Who reads the fine print before buying a mattress? Unfortunately, legally, I agreed to the terms of Ghostbed’s fine print. American Express could not rule in my favor. The way Ghostbed has written its terms, they have 100% discretion to deny any and all return claims.

I just want other people on your forum to be aware that Ghostbed is not an honest company and to think very carefully before purchasing anything from them. They literally have an email dedicated to chargebacks, I think it was [email protected]. How many merchant disputes do you need to have before you need to create a dedicated email for them?

My options are quite limited at this point. My main goal is to spread the word that this company is dishonest and should be avoided at all costs.

I have opened a BBB case, but Ghostbed has an F rating on there. I just wish I saw that before handing my money over to them. So hopefully, my story saves a few people from making the mistake of purchasing a mattress from Ghostbed.

1 Like

Hi raincityrob.

Thank you for your quick reply and further update with clarifying details. I understand your predicament. It looks like mentioning the “quality” issue put you on the wrong path and your return claim got disqualified based on that particular criterion rather than taking into account your lack of comfort issue. It seems that they have only one “if-then” scenario assigned to processing returns so I will be reaching GB to let them know of your experience and where things got stuck in your case.

As far as the small print you mention. That can be a red flag so I’d need to contact them to see if there is any context connected with those terms.

The mattress took a month to off-gas, which is so bizarre. Why is a natural “eco” mattress off gasing a chemical smell. I was very unimpressed with the construction of the mattress, I found it light and very flimsy. The mattress did not provide the support I needed.

Not that this will solve your issues in the long term (especially as you are indicating a lack of support for your proper spinal alignment), but GB Natural mattress seems to be one of their best sellers and is currently out of stock. It has organic latex and cottton so I don’t see where it can have a “chemical smell”
Here are some details directly from their site for reference.

  • 12" height; 5 layers of natural comfort
  • 1.8 oz of natural wool disperses heat & keeps you cool
  • Genuine Dunlop & Talalay latex for the perfect balance of support and softness
  • Pure, clean, organic cotton cover with cooling air-flow technology
  • Reinforced edge support—no slipping off the sides

I am guessing that the “off-gassing” you are mentioning is in fact connected with the “wool odor” and that this is what you could not “handle” This is different than off-gassing which is commonly associated with VOCs, toxicity, and chemicals. Not all VOCs have odors and not all odors are VOCs. If you scroll down on the same page you can see all the organic certifications, and safety certifications that are in place for this product, so describing it as a “natural ‘eco’ mattress” would be appropriate.

On the other hand, I do understand the sensitivity to odors can be an issue. This would make it a “comfort issue” rather than a “quality” issue but I am not sure if GB’s policy includes this type of discomfort. It’s worth reaching out directly to Brian from GB, to explain your situation and see if they could reconsider your claim in this new light.

As far as sensitivity to smell, this can vary with each person but for the vast majority of people, any smell of latex would be below their sensitivity threshold after a few days to a few weeks. Although if you put your nose right into the bare material you may still notice a slight smell (vanilla-like usually)

The wool is itself a flame-retardant barrier in the mattress (no chemicals here either). Being a natural product, different types of wool with different levels of processing from different mills can have various odors, varying from batch to batch, and some people are more sensitive to this. The wool smell will diminish over time to levels that won’t be noticeable for most people but how long it will take will also depend on the sensitivity of the person and the smell and the particular batch that was used. Wool can also smell stronger initially in more humid environments and it’s a fairly common experience with wool that has had less processing. Either way, it’s certainly not harmful and will diminish over time to levels that most people won’t notice.

I hope this helps a bit and gives you some more food for thought and possibilities to consider. I will follow up with GB and see if they would like to weigh in on this conversation.
Phoenix

1 Like

Note to visitors following this thread.

Timeline errors due to moving/consolidating posts to the present topic

Please note that posts 29 through 35 in this thread are showing as being posted in 2019 instead of January 2023.

Unfortunately, we have not worked out all the bugs of our new and enhanced forum platform in use since December 2022.

In process of consolidating raincityrob recent posts and adding them to the present topic we’ve noticed that the moved posts are appended at the end of the discussion rather than in the order they were written. In attempting to fix this issue we have altered the timeline for this topic.

Sorry for this inconvenience. We will reach out to the developer to look for a fix

I’m afraid this is not something that our small family business can address in a public forum as the customer has threaten legal action after disputing the charges.

This is our last customer service communication with the customer:

"Dec 22, 2022

As a smaller family business with over 20 years of history, we are constantly learning and making changes based upon the voice of our GhostBed Family members.

At this time our customer service team can no longer assist you with your order as you are threatening legal action should your dispute not go into your favor. At this time all future communication must be submitted in writing"

The current status is that we presented the customers statements and our terms of service to the customer bank that is in the process of making its final decision.

TO THE POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS

GhostBed is a trusted service for over 7 years. GhostBed is a service of Nature’s Sleep that has over 20 years of experience in providing a better night’s sleep.

GhostBed is proud to have earned over 60,000 positive 5-star reviews. As we strive to deliver on our promise to provide a better mattress at an affordable price.

Overall, we want to work with our customers to ensure the best night’s sleep.

I am not pursuing any legal action, it doesn’t make sense financially.

It would be so simple for Ghostbed to make this right. With that being said, is Ghostbed willing to do anything to resolve this matter?

Let’s see if you actually care about your customers.

TO THE POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS

Go to their google maps profile, a PUBLIC review forum, they have 2.1 stars. Anywhere public this company has atrocious reviews.