Hi Mattress Fans,
We have been making mattresses for over 15 years now, and we still have not figured out what most customers are looking for when choosing a mattress!
We are starting this thread, as a way to get your opinions, on what is the most important thing you look for before buying a mattress.
This feedback will help us manufacturers get a better idea of your needs and therefore give you what you need!
Thanks for sharing! 
Thatâs kind of a broad question. Honestly I think most who shop for mattresses donât know what they are looking for when choosing a mattress hence the fact that many/most/some will purchase a mattress either for its feel, price, or brand name. The most important thing to me was customer service, gave me reassurance that my purchase was going to be worth my money.
The need an idea of what to expect, and how their new mattress will initially be different from their current (ex transistioning from an Innerspring to Latex or Memory Foam).
They need you to determine their needs based upon their wants.
Knowing things such body composition, distribution, the age and type of mattress they currently have, level of softness given by the manufacturer (plush, ultra plush, firm), why they bought it, and why do they need a change.
Some level of confidence that when I plunk down $1,500 or more on something Iâm going to have and use daily for 10+ years, that I am not getting screwed, and that I made the best choice possible.
Hi MFC Memory Foam Comfort,
My own perspective or âvalue equationâ may be different from others but off the top of my head these are some of the things that would be important to me with an online purchase (which may be slightly different from a local purchase).
Knowledgeable and experienced customer service people that take the time to educate rather than âsellâ with no pressure.
Good online information about the choices I have and the ability to find out accurate and specific information about the type and quality of all the materials and components in a mattress.
Customer service staff that are easy to reach, have good listening and communication skills, return phone calls quickly, and reply to simple emails in a timely way (If I was an online retailer or manufacturer I would answer more complicated emails or emails with questions that are too broad for a meaningful reply with something like âwould it be possible to either chat online or talk about your questions on the phone because I donât want to give you an overly general answer that that may not apply to your specific situation or circumstances and I would need a little more information from you to give you an informed and meaningful reply?â).
A reasonable level of confidence that a mattress will be a good match for me in terms of PPP and that I will sleep well on it. This confidence could come from either the ability of the retailer or manufacturer to take the time and use âbest effortsâ to match their customers to different mattresses based on their knowledge and experience with a wide range of customers and the âodds of successâ based on averages or from carrying a line of mattresses that are realistically comparable to mattresses that are available to test locally that can provide a reasonable reference point for the mattress I am considering.
A clear exchange or return policy (where all the details and costs involved are clearly spelled out on the website) so there are no misunderstandings or surprises if I make a choice that doesnât work well for me. This way I would know exactly what to expect, the options that are available, and the costs involved, and I would be able to take all of this into account at the time of my original purchase not just after the fact if I have an issue. While this may be more or less important to different people ⌠the specifics of a return policy with an online purchase can be a particularly important part of a buying decision for many people ⌠even if they donât always realize it before a purchase.
Service after the sale that is just as committed, informative and helpful as it was before the sale to help customers resolve any issues they may have in delivery or after a purchase.
Fair value that compares favorably to local mattresses that use the same type of materials and have a similar design.
Phoenix
I admit this is highly blue sky. A sleep system which is:
Adjustable, with the ability to tune it very specifically without the current limitations of air or water bladers. At a minimum, able to do the major problem zones. But Iâm thinking more like able to do a couple hundred individual micro zones (think discretely adjustable pocket coils).
Ability for the sleep system to have intelligent detection and know which way youâre sleeping and adjust through the night as you change positions. Sort of like having different preset preferences it knows to change to. I.e. Oh youâre on back now, firm up a bit, oh on side now, allow shoulders to sink in.
Ability for the sleep system to measurably take input from a user and deduce changes for future sleep. Sort of like the ânestâ thermostat does with temperature. So that it builds a pattern of things it knows not to do again and makes micro adjustments trying to improve your sleep. I.e. Every day for a week you tell it you have lower back pain, and so it attempts to adjust alignment.
Integrated temperature control - both hotter and cooler.
Ability for sleep system to monitor your sleep and adjust. thereâs enough iPad/iPhone apps out there that think they can monitor your sleep⌠Tie those into a mattress. So youâre getting restless, is there anything the mattress can do to help.
As maintenance free and consistent a feel as possible.
Integrated pressure mapping and an iPad app.
Bonus points for being able to store my preferences and sleep profile online, and be able to download to any bed I use when traveling for business (assuming they are installed commercially also).
Accurate and effective for the above, and not gimmicky.
âŚ
I.e. Why should I have to do all the work to figure this out. I want the mattress to learn my preferences and tune itself!
You asked 
Hi MFC. I agree really with what Pheonix has already stated.
Itâs important to me (when purchasing) to know the exact specification of the materials, and be able to choose the quality of materials that I would like.
Full disclosure of the quality and specification when looking online of materials in different pre constructed bed models, with an accurate description of the sleeping comfort etc.
Competitive pricing
The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Regardless of what Iâm buying, if it costs money, and I care enough about some aspect to ask a question, I want a full, complete, and honest answer.
[quote=âThe_brookeâ post=31861]Hi MFC. I agree really with what Pheonix has already stated.
Itâs important to me (when purchasing) to know the exact specification of the materials, and be able to choose the quality of materials that I would like.
Full disclosure of the quality and specification when looking online of materials in different pre constructed bed models, with an accurate description of the sleeping comfort etc.
Competitive pricing
[/quote]
Hi The Brooke,
Thank you for your input, we have started to offer the service that you mention above, but so far the results are very poor. It seams that most customers are too busy these days to take the time to educate themselves on a site such as this one, to then be able to make a wiser choice on their mattress.
I think Tandl is right when he says that most donât not know what they want when they are looking for a mattress. We are not educated to think about what is right for us. The only education we get if from commercials on TV, very few take the time to research for themselves.
Forums like this are great to assist those that realize that we spend 1/3 of our lives in bed. For this reason it is important to get a mattress and a pillow that is right for us, in order to give us amazing comfort, and support in order to feel completely revitalized in the morning. Many will research and spend 30 to 50k on a car, but when it comes time to spend money on mattress, they want to save as much money as they can, even to the point of sacrificing their own comfort!
Thanks DN, you really made me laugh with your post on the IBED! Lets hope it hits the market in the near future⌠Please keep your ideas coming in, I appreciate your input
Always buy a good pair of shoes and a good bed, if you arenât in one you are in the other. 
Always aim to entertain
If youâve not had the pleasure, get into a high end BMW⌠No I donât have one, but a friend does. The seats automatically adjust to your body when you sit in them. Amazing. First time i sat in it I was like âwhat the h!?â
I donât know Iâd actually like a computerized bed, but it technology certainly has a way of being pervasive!