Unfortunately, shopping for a mattress is one of the worse shopping experiences a person can have. That’s too bad, because it doesn’t really have to be that way. Shopping in a retail mattress store, the ones you see in the shopping centers yelling “SALE!” all the time, can be a dreadful experience. Ads are constantly running on TV, in print, and in front of the stores. Can there really be a “sale” all the time? (That’s a whole other issue…)
Most retail mattress sales people are on commission. They sell a mattress and they get paid. They don’t really care about getting you into the right mattress, they care about getting you into any mattress. It can feel pushy because it is. How can you decide what memory foam mattress (or any mattress) is right for you by just lying on it in a store for a bit of time? The answer: You can’t.
That is why a true money-back guarantee is so important when you buy a mattress. A true money-back guarantee means that if the mattress doesn’t work for you, you get your money back so you can shop elsewhere. Many retail stores have exchanges, store credits, and “comfort” guarantees, which is just a tricky way of saying “store credit.” The retail stores want to keep your money when you buy from them. Exchanges and “comfort” guarantees do just that. Your money stays with them whether you like the mattress or not. What if the store doesn’t have a mattress that works for you? Then you are out of money and luck. We have heard horror stories of this happening to many people and it just isn’t right.
Bottom line: Avoid high pressure sales and find a mattress you really love. Buy from retailers that offer a true money-back guarantee. We recommend a minimum of 90 days to make sure the mattress is right for you. (Our money-back trial is 365 days, but 90 is the minimum we recommend.)
We want you to learn as much as you can about memory foam before you buy. Check out our Memory Foam Buyer’s Guide to learn more.