How to Score a Mattress Deal Online
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You could go from store to store in your search for a good deal on a new mattress, but why go through the trouble when you don’t have to? There are plenty of ways to save on a new bed when you shop online.
You can shop for a mattress anytime, anywhere, and check out offerings from multiple retailers and manufacturers simultaneously, so the likelihood that you can click or type your way to a better price is high.
“Almost every time you contact a mattress customer service representative, whether you call them or chat with them online, there’s a deal to be had,” says Claudette Ennis, CR’s market analyst who covers the mattress industry. “They want to make a sale as easy as possible for the buyer. You just need to ask.”
In our 2020 Mattress Retailers Survey Report, we asked more than 4,400 CR members about mattresses they purchased in 2019 and through the first three months of 2020. Among CR members, 43 percent who bought a mattress between January 2019 and March 2020 made their purchase online—a threefold increase in five years.
One of the drawbacks of shopping online is that you can’t test out the mattress in person, though online retailers often have generous return policies if you end up not liking your purchase. Our mattress ratings can help you avoid buyer’s remorse: We rate mattresses for the level of support they provide for people of all sizes who sleep on their back or side. And we also test how well mattresses hold up, among other criteria. The Overall Scores for mattresses range from 44 to 85 (out of 100), so before you start the search for the deal of your dreams, check to see how well your dream mattress performs in CR’s rigorous mattress tests.
Read on for more advice on how to land a great online deal for the mattress you want.
1. Start With a Model-Specific Search
The easiest way to begin? Turn to Google—but instead of searching for the brand you’re interested in, search for the specific mattress model and add the word “discount” or “coupon” to the search bar. When we searched for “Tuft & Needle Mint coupon,” several 10 percent coupon codes popped up. You can also go to GoodBed, which lists mattress discounts and coupons with savings of $50 and up.
Of course, you’ll need to test these codes on the retailer’s website when you prepare to check out to make sure they’re accurate and up to date. You may even find different prices at different retailers during this search. Note which website offers the best price—better yet, take a quick screenshot. In the end, if you decide to buy through a different site (because, say, it has free shipping or a better return policy), you can use the information to haggle for a better price.
2. Look Closely at the Retailer’s Website
Many mattress-in-a-box beds are sold exclusively online at the maker’s website, and they tend to offer generous return policies—but you might not find the same mattress anywhere else. Once you arrive on the company’s main page, take a look around for current promotions. The site might highlight a deal on its home page. For example, Cocoon by Sealy, which we tested, has run website promotions for $75 off any mattress, or $125 off a mattress and foundation set. Often, retailers apply restrictions to such promotions, so be sure to check the fine print.
3. Sign Up for a Retailer Newsletter
Many retailers offer discounts if you sign up for their email newsletter, and online mattress sellers are no exception. When you first go to a mattress company’s website, a simple pop-up window might appear, asking you to divulge your email address and receive a discount in return.
For instance, in our research, while poking around on the website for WinkBeds, a pop-up invited us to sign up for the company’s newsletter and receive $50 off our next order.
Tired of marketing emails? Use them and lose them. If you’re in the market for a mattress, these messages might alert you to brand-specific sales, so you can sign up and then unsubscribe after you make your purchase.
4. Did You Forget Something?
Another money-saving tactic to try: After signing up for the newsletter and adding a mattress to the cart, take a U-turn: Close the browser tab and go on with your life.
Though this might seem counterintuitive, this passive approach to getting a deal often prompts an automated marketing system to send you an email—or even a text message—with a discount code, to nudge you closer to a purchase. We found that online mattress retailers GhostBed and WinkBeds give second chances with an added bonus. (Sleep on Latex and Purple, on the other hand, reminded shoppers that a cart had items in it but did not offer an extra discount.)
5. Outline Your Talking Points. And Haggle!
Even though you’re online, you can still haggle. Consider live-chatting with a company representative to see whether you can get any extra discounts or free delivery or other perks, such as a pillow.
Not many CR members in our 2020 Mattress Retailers Survey who purchased online attempted to haggle (just 6 percent), but the majority of those who did were rewarded for their courage. In fact, 66 percent who asked scored a deal—even better than the success rate for CR members who haggled in a store (59 percent). So the odds are on your side that if you ask, you’ll get a lower price than advertised. In our survey, some CR members reported saving at least $100 off an online mattress purchase.
Before you start chatting and haggling, though, it’s prudent to prepare a rough script. Know which model you’re interested in and be open about the fact that you’d like a deal. Take note of what a mattress company’s competitors are doing: If Sleep on Latex is offering $99 off a mattress, maybe Tuft & Needle can match it. Similarly, if you’ve found the model you want at a better price but would rather have it sent directly from the manufacturer, ask whether it will match the price.
6. Investigate Freebies: Free Shipping, Free Setup, Free Haul-Away
Aside from any discount on the mattress itself, you can ask whether the company might throw in other perks, such as white-glove service (the mattress is delivered to your home and installed directly on your bed frame) or a service that picks up the mattress if you’re dissatisfied with it.
And ask about any other freebies. “The most popular add-ons are free or discounted pillows, throws, sheets, and mattress protectors,” Ennis says. In our survey, 91 percent of CR members who bought from Nectar received free pillows with their mattress purchase.
Top-Rated Mattresses You Can Buy Online
CR members can read on for test results on five models that perform well in our rigorous tests.
