A mattress shop with a no-quibble guarantee
Discussion
Can anyone recommend a mattress shop/outlet/place that will let customers try a mattress at home for at least a month, on a slatted base, and take it back if for any reason it's not satisfactory? I'm fed up with guesswork, subsiding foam and small print that means a bent technician has to visit and write a report so biased it's meaningless.
Ideally it needs to be a shop so that I can at least lie on it before buying, but I suppose if an internet/mail order place offers such a guarantee then there's nothing to lose.
Cheers all!
Ideally it needs to be a shop so that I can at least lie on it before buying, but I suppose if an internet/mail order place offers such a guarantee then there's nothing to lose.
Cheers all!
Eggle said:
Would you like them to come and make the bed every morning too, arriving an hour or so early and bring you breakfast first?
When you buy a new car, do you ask them if you can have it for at least a month on "trial" and then send it back used when you don't like it?
I will happily answer your questions.When you buy a new car, do you ask them if you can have it for at least a month on "trial" and then send it back used when you don't like it?
Your first question is stupid, as you knew perfectly well when you typed it.
Your second question is irrelevant, partly because I don't buy new cars, and partly because cars don't change significantly in a short time.
But I do know that I have spent £600 on two unsatisfactory mattresses in six months, and I expect that even you would find an annual expenditure of £1200 for a decent bed to lie in a bit steep.
Let's return to the plot.
Ikea mattresses are apparently non-standard sizes, but I heard that Argos offer a guarantee. Any more (helpful) suggestions folks?
Sorry Simpo, but I just think your expectation is a bit high. Tempur do a 90 day return, but other than that, I doubt you would get that kind of returns deal from a major brand. It is a bit of a personal thing, like underwear. Once it is used, it becomes un-resellable. You would have to pay a huge premium to cover the losses of the returned mattresses, hence the high price of a tempur.
With the ikea deal, it is only on the Sultan and is only exchange for another Ikea mattress, not money back.
As a maker and retailer of furniture, we make beds and looked into mattresses and we decided to leave well alone. The advice we give is to go and find a GOOD independent retailer and spend a good deal of time with them. Try them out, with as little clothes on as you can stand. Talk to them. Tell them your problems, wants and dislikes. If they have answers, work with them. If you don't like what they say, find someone else. Don't go to the commission driven, part time staffed sheds. Depending where you are, try to find the makers. For instance, Hypnos are in Princes Risborough. They have a public showroom and they are trained to identify your needs and will advise you based on what you say.
When we were looking (as a company), we were "sold" a Tempur style mattress by a company local to us and I bought one trade for myself ( Still £600 odd ) It has gone, in less than 12 months as I didn't like it and it lost its memory!
I now have a hypnos, bought via another dealer due to price. As retailers, we were offered 50% discount as trade on the range, off RRP. If we committed to the top 3 beds on our floor, we became a stockist, and this would give us a further 30% off RRP! You now see where the sales and discounts come in, and they still make money. As I recall, the on line retailer wanted £600 all in to me, as public, delivered. RRP was £1200 and as a company, we would have paid £600 plus delivery. It was marked up on line as 50% off, but as I found out, they were still making 30%-ish.
The key really is to talk. Not just go in to a shed, bounce on the side and buy one, which i'm sure you didn't do, but is surprising how many people do.
With the ikea deal, it is only on the Sultan and is only exchange for another Ikea mattress, not money back.
As a maker and retailer of furniture, we make beds and looked into mattresses and we decided to leave well alone. The advice we give is to go and find a GOOD independent retailer and spend a good deal of time with them. Try them out, with as little clothes on as you can stand. Talk to them. Tell them your problems, wants and dislikes. If they have answers, work with them. If you don't like what they say, find someone else. Don't go to the commission driven, part time staffed sheds. Depending where you are, try to find the makers. For instance, Hypnos are in Princes Risborough. They have a public showroom and they are trained to identify your needs and will advise you based on what you say.
When we were looking (as a company), we were "sold" a Tempur style mattress by a company local to us and I bought one trade for myself ( Still £600 odd ) It has gone, in less than 12 months as I didn't like it and it lost its memory!
I now have a hypnos, bought via another dealer due to price. As retailers, we were offered 50% discount as trade on the range, off RRP. If we committed to the top 3 beds on our floor, we became a stockist, and this would give us a further 30% off RRP! You now see where the sales and discounts come in, and they still make money. As I recall, the on line retailer wanted £600 all in to me, as public, delivered. RRP was £1200 and as a company, we would have paid £600 plus delivery. It was marked up on line as 50% off, but as I found out, they were still making 30%-ish.
The key really is to talk. Not just go in to a shed, bounce on the side and buy one, which i'm sure you didn't do, but is surprising how many people do.
Thanks very much for the detailed reply Eggle.
I found the perfect mattress for £400 last June, Relyon pocket sprung with some upholstery on top, but it settled so badly after a few months that I was getting backache and having to get up at 4am to put towels underneath to try to push it back up. Currently in dispute with Sleepmasters over that (they of the bent technician, hence my cynicism)
Problem is, the mattress can be fine in the store - indeed both were - the problems starts after a few months (or in the case of the second one, which was foam over springs, a few hours). And I'm only 11 stone!
Hence my desire to find one that I can use for real and have some redress if required. Just want a comfy mattress that doesn't gradually collapse in the middle.
I found the perfect mattress for £400 last June, Relyon pocket sprung with some upholstery on top, but it settled so badly after a few months that I was getting backache and having to get up at 4am to put towels underneath to try to push it back up. Currently in dispute with Sleepmasters over that (they of the bent technician, hence my cynicism)
Problem is, the mattress can be fine in the store - indeed both were - the problems starts after a few months (or in the case of the second one, which was foam over springs, a few hours). And I'm only 11 stone!
Hence my desire to find one that I can use for real and have some redress if required. Just want a comfy mattress that doesn't gradually collapse in the middle.
Half the problem is, I can't tell you what will be good for you. No-one can, but some people are trained to help as much as they can. I am 13 stone and 6' with it. The memory foam one was, to be frank, rubbish. I went for a Hypnos Opal, specifically designed for slatted beds. I love it. Worth the money IMO. It is firm enough, but a small amount of sink into.
Check out this, just as an example. Worth the drive by the sounds of it.
http://www.hypnos.ltd.uk/pages/Hypnos%20Showroom.h...
Good Luck, but I would stear clear of Ikea. Just my 2p.
Check out this, just as an example. Worth the drive by the sounds of it.
http://www.hypnos.ltd.uk/pages/Hypnos%20Showroom.h...
Good Luck, but I would stear clear of Ikea. Just my 2p.
Tom_C76 said:
Ikea beds are non-standard sizes, but the matresses come in standard UK double (1370mm) as well as the continental 1400mm.
They certainly have a big range: www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/categories/range/10376/...However I don't see any 4'6" (135cm) matresses there.
I know I want springs, but the on the cheapest ones you can feel the springs through the top, which doesn't seem awfully good. So it needs something on top, but not one of those poncey new inventions that will just sag.
I'm going past an Ikea later this month so will drop in and have a bounce.
Simpo Two said:
Tom_C76 said:
Ikea beds are non-standard sizes, but the matresses come in standard UK double (1370mm) as well as the continental 1400mm.
They certainly have a big range: www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/categories/range/10376/...However I don't see any 4'6" (135cm) matresses there.
I know I want springs, but the on the cheapest ones you can feel the springs through the top, which doesn't seem awfully good. So it needs something on top, but not one of those poncey new inventions that will just sag.
I'm going past an Ikea later this month so will drop in and have a bounce.
137cm is 4'6, they list it a double in the drop-down list.
CatherineJ said:
I'm starting to feel sorry for poor old simpo and his mattress hunt.
Yes it's a bugger. My last one managed 20 years.Tom_C76 said:
137cm is 4'6, they list it a double in the drop-down list.
Dang - you're right!Plus, Argos have a 30-day warranty but I've just mailed them to ask if it covers mattresses too. They have some tempting looking stuff: www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?s...
ETA: Yes they do!
Anyone know what 'airsprung' means?
Edited by Simpo Two on Monday 11th January 18:49
or a "tube" of air in the shape of and in place of a coiled spring.LivingTheDream said:
Dreams do exactly what you want - 30 money back if you don't like it.
Dreams os part of the same group - I think you'll find the 28-day guarantee only aplies if you bought the whole bed including base.Anyway, I made some progress yesterday. Sleepmasters passed it to Relyon (also part of the same company) who did nothing for three weeks. I rang them and had a go, and they started by saying my bed was 5mm out of tolerance so it was too bad (the standard 'bugger off' approach). I persisted until they said it was a failed contract and that I had to go back to Sleepmasters. By the time I phoned Sleepmasters, Relyon had been on the phone to them and offered to replaces the mattress with an identical copy. Well I don't want the same thing to happen all over again so I'm holding out for a refund, so I can get away from this money-grasping unhelpful operation, but at least we've nade some progress...
Simpo Two said:
... Well I don't want the same thing to happen all over again so I'm holding out for a refund, so I can get away from this money-grasping unhelpful operation, but at least we've nade some progress...
May I suggest you go to Germany or Holland - the choice is vast & far superior for that market is willing to invest more in bedding. Frequent furniture fairs in Cologne, so look out for the next one.
Bonefish Blues said:
I think your best bet is to go to a small indelpendent like Baldwin's Beds in Oxford. We bought our last (Vi-Spring, fabulous) mattress there and they, an many others of this kind, put the chains to shame.
That is indeed my plan - an established family business, and probably no more expensive than Wakemasters. Ah well, we live and learn!Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff