The industry - Introduction

Hi onekimberly.

Welcome to our Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

Thank you for your kind words. I am glad that you find our site to be assistive in your research.

I understand your confusion and lack of trust that you have with the many “review” sites that are in fact “revenue” sites that are the new more subtle face of marketing systems. A big part of the underlying problem is that consumers as a whole put too much trust in mattress reviews in the first place (either positive or negative) in the mistaken belief that they are a good way to assess whether a mattress would be a suitable or a durable choice for them so they end up choosing a mattress for all the wrong reasons based on other people’s experiences and reviews or on the “deal” they think they are getting instead of legitimate “fact based” research that would be relevant to their own unique needs, preferences, and criteria. This is more of an issue with consumers in general that can really only be solved with education about how to buy a mattress but because reviews have become so important in today’s online market they have gained a false aura of legitimacy and while they may not be the cause of the problem … many mattress companies are well aware of their ability to influence people and change buying habits and certainly take full advantage of the mindset and target market that pays significant attention to them so they are really just taking advantage of a “reality” that they know will sell mattresses for them.

While most reviewers are certainly well meaning … because most reviews aren’t relevant to anyone but the reviewer and can be “influenced” so easily and in so many ways … for the most part (with only few exceptions) mattress reviews are a classic example of garbage in / garbage out even though the “garbage” may be well meaning and true to the experience of the person writing the review. In many ways it reminds me of MLM companies which turn customers into salespeople where people will say whatever they need to say in their “testimonials” in order to sell their products and their business to others.

I am not very sure what you’ve read since finding the site, but just in case….the first place to start your research is the mattress shopping tutorial herepost #2 here post #13 here (there is a condensed version of it at the end of that post) which includes all the basic information, steps, and guidelines that can help you make the best possible choice … and perhaps more importantly know how and why to avoid the worst ones. Two of the most important links in the tutorial that I would especially make sure you’ve read are which has more about the different ways to choose a suitable mattress (either locally or online) that is the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, and PPP that can help you assess and minimize the risks of making a choice that doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for andwhich has more about the most important parts of the “value” of a mattress purchase which can help you make more meaningful quality/value comparisons between mattresses in terms of suitability (how well he will sleep), durability (how long he will sleep well), and the overall value of a mattress compared to your other finalists based on all the parts of your personal value equation that are most important to you (including the price of course and the options you have available after a purchase if your choice doesn’t turn out as well as you hoped for).

When assessing any product, also be sure that you find out information listed here so you can compare the quality of the materials and components to the durability guidelines here to make sure there are no lower quality materials or weak links in a mattress that would be a cause for concern relative to the durability and useful life of a mattress before making any purchase.

We have decided to discontinue the provision of listings of potential retailers in various geographic regions (unless they are already approved site members), because of the difficulty in maintaining such lists in a retail landscape that is constantly changing, and most importantly the confusion it was creating with the consumer members who incorrectly assumed that these businesses had indeed gone through the strict qualification process and were approved as members of The Mattress Underground. Such an assumption is unfair to both the consumers seeking assistance, as well as the very businesses and manufacturers who meet the criteria to become Trusted Members of The Mattress Underground.

You can perform a Forum Search and you can type in the “key term” any city or area you would be closer to and consider driving such as San Fernando, or Los Angeles or any other area and see what other businesses have been discussed in that region which may be helpful to you.

Whatever business you’re considering, I would always confirm that any retailer or manufacturer that you wish to visit is completely transparent (see this article) and also make sure that any mattress that you are considering meets the Post #13 quality/value guidelines here.

Good luck! and once you’ve had the chance to narrow things down a little further, feel free to post back with any specific questions and I or any of our Expert Members will be happy to assist you.

Phoenix