select foam

Hey guys,

Does anybody know if select foam is using foam that is certi-pur certified? and if they use non-toxic flame retardants?

Have people generally had a good experience with this company?

Thank you!

Hi pressurepts,

Their foam is US made and CertiPUR certified yes.

If you call them they will tell you the specifics of their fire retardant barrier fabric but it would also be non toxic (that doesn’t use added chemicals).

They certainly have some great quality/value mattresses that are close approximations to the Tempurpedic lineup and they use the same or better quality materials as well at much lower prices.

While it’s a small minority, a few of their customers have experienced some delays and customer service issues after their purchase that has been the source of some frustration (see the link after their description in the online memory foam list here). A forum search on Select Foam (you can just click the link) will also bring up many more forum comments and feedback about them as well.

They would certainly be a good quality/value choice that would be well worth considering and talking to.

NOTE ADDED: Because of their ongoing customer service issues and delays their membership has now been terminated and I would read the warning here before considering them.

Phoenix

Overall it has been a really painful process to deal with Select Foam. Somehow, despite the reviews I optimistically thought I would have good luck. No go.

I ended up ordering the Regalis- which is really really firm. I fact so firm that my arms go numb when lying on back. Forget side-sleeping.

I was thinking of the cirrus luxe or the cirrus supreme but they talked me out of them, saying they were very soft. I should have listened to my gut. And also should have listened to my gut when i saw the complaints about the company.

It took a really really long time for the mattress to arrive. So long that I was thinking of reporting fraud to the credit card.

After a couple weeks of trying the bed it was obvious to me that it was too hard. Not only is it uncomfortable, but my hips are at an awkward angle on my side that only a too firm bed could produce. Can’t sleep on side and it actually has produced pain in my arms from them going numb on the bed. Perhaps is the heavier density 7 lb memory foam- its just too firm and our room is always pretty cold. (San Fran).

I called to say I wanted to return the bed. I got a lot of explaining and got talked into trying the bed for a little longer with quote “don’t worry about the trial period time”.

I am dumb should have insisted on a return then and there.

Now, weeks later- obviously still too hard. Call back- now I’m told to get a topper. Again more money. But I just don’t think this is going to work because i already tried the regalia with a topper i have and its still too firm. Why would I keep an uncomfortable bed and try to doctor it up with a topper? That’s exactly why I purchased a new bed in the first place- because an uncomfortable bed and topper is what i have now- 2x.

I seriously believe i just set $1000 on fire… That would have been less painful (literally- my back is so jacked at this point from sleeping on an air mattress). Plus all of the Dr. and physical therapy co-pays.

Top Frustrations:

  1. I’m told at this point when i call customer service that only Chris can help me with the return or the topper purchase…why? I have no idea… doesn’t seem like very efficient customer service. Chris is hardly available, doesn’t call back for days. And then he says “you are welcome to talk to other staff”… It’s a circuitous mess of never getting anywhere…

  2. I was actually on the phone with Chris inquiring about the density of the topper i’m supposed to get now- normal conversation - and saying mid-sentence " Oh i have to go. Sorry. Bye. and he hangs up the phone. What? who does that? No explaination or anything.

  3. My back is in serious pain. I need a bed to sleep on- but can’t get a new one until this one gets returned. This is just been one big long drawn out process. It’s maddening.

  4. I have been way too nice and trusting in this process.

  5. I was told on the phone quote " Don’t worry about it if you end up ordering the wrong model because you can always return it." I seriously don’t believe this at all.

This sucks you guys. A lot. I haven’t gotten descent sleep in months.

Hi pressurepts,

Thanks for taking the time to share your comments and feedback … and I’m sorry to hear that the mattress you chose isn’t working out as well as you hoped for. I’m also sorry to hear that you are also experiencing some of the customer service issues that are far too common with Select foam and is the reason for the caution that I added to their description.

As you probably know from your reading here … firmness is somewhat subjective and is relative to what someone is used to sleeping on and the perceptions, sensitivity, body type, and sleeping position of the person on the mattress. A mattress that is too firm for one person can be too soft for someone else but for most people your mattress would be more in a “medium firm” range which would be in the widest part of the bell curve that would be suitable for many people. You can see an example in this topic for example of someone else that is both a side sleeper (75%) and a back sleeper (25%) where the Regalis is working very well for them (although it took some time for the mattress to break in and for them to get used to the mattress).

When you can’t test a mattress in person then in most cases the guidance of a knowledgeable and experienced online manufacturer based on the information you provide, their experience, and the “averages” of their many customers over the years will tend to be more “accurate” than the “gut feel” of a customer but of course nobody has a crystal ball that can predict which mattress you will sleep well on for certain because not everyone is inside the averages and even the “best efforts” of a knowledgeable retailer or manufacturer to help you choose a mattress may not turn out as well as you (and they) hoped for. This would be true with any online purchase and is the reason that a good return policy can be an important part of the “value” of an online purchase.

People from the “old school” often think “firmer is better” and generally tend to choose mattresses that are too firm and they don’t sink in enough to provide good support under the recessed curves of the body or don’t provide good pressure relief (especially for side sleepers).

People that treat mattresses as a “luxury item” rather than a utilitarian purchase that has a very specific function tend to go by “showroom feel” and “subjective comfort” and often tend to choose mattresses that feel great in a showroom but have comfort layers that are too thick and soft or support layers that are too soft to “stop” the heavier parts of the body quickly enough.

Careful and objective testing is very different from the more limited or more “subjective” testing that most people do when they choose a mattress based on “showroom feel” or “gut feel” which in many cases can have a lower chance of success than random chance alone (see this study)

In many cases a couple of weeks may not be long enough to go through the break in and adjustment period that will be part of any new mattress purchase … particularly with higher density foam (see post #3 here). This is why they don’t allow exchanges or refunds before 30 days which is also a relatively common practice in the industry so that customers don’t return their mattress before it has had time to break in or they have had a chance to adjust to a sleeping surface that is different from what they are used to).

The temperature in your bedroom can also have an affect the firmness of a memory foam mattress as well so this could certainly be part of the firmness issues you are experiencing. There are also some suggestions in post #2 here that may be helpful as well. All the layers and components in a mattress have an effect on the feel and performance of every other layer and component above and below it so the reason that a mattress isn’t a good “match” for any particular person would be more about the overall design of the mattress and the combined effect of all the layers together than any single layer by itself. With memory foam density and firmness are not directly related to each other and higher density memory foam can be softer (and more pressure relieving) than lower density memory foam.

Adding a topper can certainly be an effective solution for a mattress that is too firm and is a very common way to “fine tune” a sleeping system so that the specific mattress/topper combination is a better “match” in terms of PPP than a mattress by itself. A mattress/topper combination that works together is really no different from a mattress that works by itself in any practical terms (and some mattresses are specifically designed for use with a topper) although there is always some risk and uncertainty involved in choosing a topper if you haven’t tested the combination in person because the mattress itself along with your own body type, sleeping position, and preferences can affect which specific topper would be a suitable choice on any specific mattress.

One of the benefits of adding a topper is that if a mattress/topper combination turns out to be a good “match” for you in terms of PPP then it also has the advantage of being able to replace just the topper without replacing the entire mattress if it softens or breaks down before the upper foam layers in the mattress (which is quite likely because the upper layers or a sleeping system tend to soften or break down before the deeper layers) or if your needs or preferences change over time and a topper can also help extend the useful life of the mattress underneath it as well.

While of course you are always free to decide on which of their suggestions you may choose to follow … suggesting a topper for a mattress that is too firm is a very common and standard practice in the industry.

I don’t believe that you have “just set $1000 on fire” since the issues that people experience with them have always been resolved over time (as far as I’m aware) … but they can certainly take much longer and be more frustrating than they should.

I completely agree with your comments here and having only one person in charge of returns that is often difficult to reach is one of the most common reasons for some of the complaints and delays (and the frustration that goes with it) that people have experienced with them.

This sounds very strange to me as well although I don’t know the circumstances behind it.

As long as you have confirmed (in writing) that you would still be eligible for a return of both and a full refund … it may be worth considering the topper before returning the mattress and the topper for a refund (which hopefully won’t lead to further delays) because it could be the fastest way to “fix” the issues you are having with your mattress.

If you do decide to return the mattress (either with or without trying the topper first) then I would also make clear to them that given their history and previous customer service issues and delays that if you don’t receive your refund within the 10 business days that they say it should take after they have received the mattress back … that you will be taking further action on day 11 including your comments here, on the better business bureau site, and a complaint to your state’s attorney general office.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences and hopefully your issues will be resolved either with a topper or with a return/refund and I hope you have the chance to keep us up to date about what happens and whether you experience any further delays.

NOTE ADDED: Because of their ongoing customer service issues and delays their membership has now been terminated and I would read the warning here before considering them.

Phoenix

As alwsys- Great advice-

I just don’t trust them at this point- and it took so long to get the mattress- i just don’t want them going back on their word about the return…

Ill try the topper- but I’m just really worried that it won’t work. And I don’t feel like I want to give them more money after how weird they’ve been. I’ve never had this happen before- but my arms went completely numb. And I did not have any problems recently on vacation sleeping on an old school 30+ yr mattress. Why don’t they make em like they used to?

Anyway- they are recommending a 3 in 4 lb topper over the regalis. I just don’t want it to feel like a pile of mush over a rock. Frustrating.

Hi pressurepts,

Given your experience (and others as well) I can certainly understand your hesitancy and lack of “trust” although once again I’m not aware of any legitimate instance where a refund hasn’t been provided even if it did involve some frustration and ended up take longer and requiring more “effort” to reach the “right” people than it should have.

The only way to know for certain how any specific topper will feel on a specific mattress for a specific person will be based on your own personal experience but if you have confirmed that they will provide you with a refund if it doesn’t work out for you and have confirmed the time frame involved that you would have to initiate a refund for the mattress and the topper then I would think it would certainly be worth a try.

I hope you have the chance to keep us up to date about how everything works out for you.

NOTE ADDED: Because of their ongoing customer service issues and delays their membership has now been terminated and I would read the warning here before considering them.

Phoenix

Ok- So i agreed to get the topper 2 weeks ago (keep in mind it took me two weeks to actually get a hold of chris to say I’ll try the topper). So I was told the topper would ship out that next Monday.

Haha! No! Of course not. Again, a week and two days after i’m told it “shipped” it hadn’t even been poured! Now i’m told “it’ll ship tomorrow”. Baloney- i have no reason to believe this.

Why the lies? I don’t get these people… Iv’e never experienced anything like this.

I did get in writing that I could return the bed and topper if this didn’t work out.

I am at the end of my patience… back is getting worse and worse from having nothing descent to sleep on.

When you suggested the topper may be the quickest way to get the problem solved… I started to doubt this idea… It’s going to be just like getting the bed… take months…i’m going back to my other theory…

Should I just try to get my money back and mail the damn thing back?

this is the worst customer experience I’ve ever had.

Please advise…

Hi pressurepts,

[quote]Again, a week and two days after i’m told it “shipped” it hadn’t even been poured! Now i’m told “it’ll ship tomorrow”. Baloney- i have no reason to believe this.

Should I just try to get my money back and mail the damn thing back?

this is the worst customer experience I’ve ever had.[/quote]

While you are the only one that can decide what you “should do” … my comments here and here about giving them a fixed deadline may be helpful and I would let them know that if they aren’t able to confirm (with a shipping confirmation) that they have shipped your topper within 48 hours (or whatever the length of time that you consider to be reasonable) that you will be initiating a return (or a chargeback if necessary).

NOTE ADDED: Because of their ongoing customer service issues and delays their membership has now been terminated and I would read the warning here before considering them.

Phoenix

We got the Cirrus Luxe and love it. It took 3 weeks from ordering to receive it. It feels firmer than the Tempur cloud luxe but since that is such a soft bed, I think it is fine if it doesn’t soften. We’ve had ours for 9 night and LOVE IT. Communication was awkward about shipping. I didnt’ know when to expect the mattress so I had to call, but I swear I had 6 or 7 messages from Chris on my one or two calls I made…

I went to several mattress stores before ordering and tried out the Tempurpedic mattresses. There were so many that were too firm for me. I knew I would be sore. The Cloud Luxe was the only one that felt supportive and soft enough to be comfortable. Did you go and try any mattresses in person? I tried the Rhapsody in the store and thought it was painfully firm. I couldn’t get off of it fast enough. One thing both myself and the salesman noticed when I was on that mattress was that my chest was really sticking up on the firmer mattresses, y shoulders were setting on top of the mattress and it put my whole back out of alignment. He said it is amazing how mattresses conform to different bodies. My shoulders and alignment were so perfect on the cloud luxe. It was night and day. I hope you get your topper. My hunch is you really do want softer top layer. I know I did. Good luck. Keep us posted.

I have been dealing with this “company” since September 9th when I in good faith placed an order for a mattress, foundation and two pillows. The website stated that my order would be shipped within three days of receiving payment, Needless to say that didn’t happen, the mattress finally arrived on October 6th as a result of daily phone calls I’m sure. Please note the foundation did not arrive nor did the pillows. Two weeks later we finally received the foundation, again, due to my daily calls I’m sure. The pillows have yet to show up, we did receive one from another company that was not even close to the description of the one we ordered and paid for with Select Foam. After speaking with the “owner” Matt he informed me that the pillows we ordered were on permanent back order, this after I had been told they had been shipped on numerous occasions. He also stated that if we weren’t satisfied with the pillow to let him know before he shipped the second one. I informed him that we weren’t satisfied and that it was too firm for our taste. I then informed him that I would like the money we paid for the pillows refunded so we could just be done with this nightmare. As of today Matt states that the pillow that he took upon himself to mail us can not be returned and he would work on getting us a refund for the one pillow that is still missing in action… I let Matt know that because we didn’t order this pillow and that he took it upon himself that I would like a refund for both pillows and asked him to please provide a shipping label for the unwanted pillow to be shipped back. Let me just say the quality of the mattress is excellent, however the so called customer service provided by this company is a joke at best. I’ve called and spoken to the “owners” or another “representative” almost daily. I have been lied to almost daily. I was told the mattress, foundation, and the pillows had been shipped when in truth they had not been. The excuses have ranged from having a lot of rain in Florida which causes humidity and they don’t have climate control in the manufacturing facilities to the manufacturer of the cooling gel had shipped unacceptable materials. We were also told that there is no system in place to track an order within the company until the order has shipped. I have been told that the pillows had shipped and to call back the next day for the tracking number only to be told they were on permanent back order and that they had been for months. I understand issues can arise for businesses and I would be more understanding if they had just been honest from the start, but if Select Foams policy is to lie to customers instead of just being honest, may I suggest that they have a staff meeting in the mornings to get their daily lie straight. It is extremely frustrating to be told two totally different stories on the same day. As previously stated the mattress is excellent quality but at this point I would not recommend this company. I would greatly appreciate any assistance you may be able to provide.

In hindsight I do wish I would have gotten the cirrus luxe. I did try them in the store and I liked the softer temperpedics. They just talked me out of it at the last minute after I said I had low back issues in the past.

I’m told the topper shipped. I have a tracking number. Will keep posted.

And yes I totally agreed about the stories.i would much rather appreciate an honest answer from the start. I feel like you actually have to get mad or call them like ten times to get anywhere. Total chaos. Or strategic protocol to break you. Not sure which one.

I had some of the communication things going on with my order. I had them hold the order one week as we were leaving town and expected it to be delivered when we returned. No shipping confirmation so I called and was being ignored. Finally I spoke to Chris who told me that it was delayed because of rain in Florida. He must have called me back 4 or 5 times and left messages. And I pushed hard for a shipping confirmation, which I did get and the mattress arrived 3 weeks after ordering. There was no paperwork and the mattress came from a foam company in Indiana. The cover is not shown anywhere on any of their beds on the website. I’ve been told it is the upgraded mattress cover that will be on their website soon. I can’t compare it to what is shown because I’ve never seen the original… The mattress is wonderful wonderful wonderful. I think they “wing it” a lot, maybe don’t have a lot of production deadline control and they don’t explain that in the ordering process. We paid 1800 for this king size mattress. It is a great mattress. I hope it stands the test of time because I don’t know if they would return my call if I wanted to return it. I think everyone should know what their mattress preferences are and that a too firm mattress can cause a lot of pain. I do think these mattresses with excellent support layers can be softer as the underlying support layer is what does the work. (I’m no expert) I also think they are firmer than the Tempur mattresses in the stores. Love my Cirrus Luxe. It is great. I haven’t felt this good in years. It has really improved my shoulder, neck and low back pain. They need to get their act together. They could have a great business. Customer service is important and just having a top quality product isn’t enough. Buyers want to know what and when they are getting what they paid for.

Hi cabledade,

Thanks for taking the time to share some of your somewhat unfortunate experiences with Select Foam as well. As you can see in the rest of this topic and in the caution in post #4 here that is linked to their descriptions in the online lists … you certainly aren’t alone.

I completely agree with your comments here and if I was in your shoes and didn’t receive the pillow I ordered I would insist on a refund for your pillow as well and I don’t know of any legitimate reason that they wouldn’t provide it.

While they certainly sell some high quality/value mattresses … I also agree that their unacceptable after sale service and delays have taken a heavy toll on their reputation and they could (and should) be so much better than they are.

I talked to them not long ago about their membership here (see posts #4 and #6 here) and I also plan to call them this week to once again share my concerns and make sure they are aware of any outstanding issues that have been posted on the forum but unless they can provide a compelling reason why not, I plan to end their membership here by the end of this week because they just don’t appear to be committed to improving and finding a way to resolve their pattern of too many recurring customer service issues.

NOTE ADDED: Because of their ongoing customer service issues and delays their membership has now been terminated and I would read the warning here before considering them.

Phoenix

Phoenix,

Can you give them a little bit longer as a member, like a few more months? I just don’t want them to retaliate against customers and not be able to do a return. I know that’s super lame but… It’s been such a long drawn out process.

Hi pressurepts,

My final decision hasn’t been made yet but there is never a good time to make these types of decisions and if I do decide to wait for a few months to end their membership then there may be even more customers that have ordered from them as well and are experiencing similar issues.

I don’t have any reason to believe that they will “retaliate” but of course if they do it would become public knowledge and generate even more comments on the forum here which would affect a larger percentage of their business that aren’t members here and they were already well aware after our last conversation that they were “on the edge” of losing their membership here.

NOTE ADDED: Because of their ongoing customer service issues and delays their membership has now been terminated and I would read the warning here before considering them.

Phoenix

I hope you can bring them along. Perhaps you can have a “time out” on keeping their membership. Give them 30 days to resolve all the outstanding issues. You could put a blurb on their membership that there are outstanding issues and until they are resolved, their membership is on hold. I do think people will read all these posts and avoid them, which is unfortunate… Personally I think they have a great product and need help with customer service. They should have shipping policies in writing. as part of their purchase agreement. I never got anything in writing. Only a Paypal receipt and it says nothing abut the mattress specifics or details of shipping… That is not acceptable for an $1800 purchase. I did use Paypal knowing that I am covered under their protection policy and I would encourage anyone who can’t resolve their problems to go to Paypal and file a claim. But if you don’t have a specific sales agreement, they may not be as helpful as they could be if you have a firm agreement on shipping and specifics of the item ordered…

Hi Nene1957,

That’s certainly one of the options that I’m considering

NOTE ADDED: Because of their ongoing customer service issues and delays their membership has now been terminated and I would read the warning here before considering them.

Phoenix

It is a concern that if they are dropped from membership here with negative feedback to boot, that their company could be at risk and our warranties useless… For those of us who bought from them because they were recommended here, it is concerning. I’d ask that you let them know that even one unhappy customer leaves a lot of feedback and that many of the people buying online end up here reading those comments. . And when you file a claim on Paypal, they very seriously pursue sellers and will cancel accounts if enough complaints are deemed appropriate , which also hurts business. If you signed an agreement for a minimal trial period, then I think you are stuck. If you made the wrong mattress choice, then you have to live with it for the minimum number of days. If they are not forthcoming on shipping status, they will not last long. I didn’t mind waiting 3 weeks, but I thought it was going to be 10 days max. I still am happy overall because I love the mattress but I understand those who have not received their purchased items anger and frustration.

The mattress underground is actually acting as their default customer service. These is the only place I’ve gotten any answers…

Hi Nene1957,

The large majority of their business doesn’t come from The Mattress Underground and probably don’t even know this site exists. You would probably be surprised how few people actually do good research into the mattress choices they make. Their membership here wouldn’t either “make” or “break” them.

@presssurepts

Unfortunately this has sometimes been the case with some of the members here that have purchased from them and it’s certainly not something that should be happening.

In any case … and as with any decision of this type … I intend to do what I believe is the right thing to do based on all the many factors that need to be considered. As I mentioned previously … it’s not something that I take lightly.

NOTE ADDED: Because of their ongoing customer service issues and delays their membership has now been terminated and I would read the warning here before considering them.

Phoenix