You would imagine the owner of a mattress store would have a well-educated opinion on how to buy a mattress, what to look for and how to negotiate.
Joe Alexander, owner of the new Nest Bedding Organic, Natural and Non-Toxic Mattress and Bedding store in Albany, California, just north of Berkeley, recently went shopping as he picked new products to represent in his store.
"Having been in the business for quite some time and knowing the brand out there very well, I had a very strong sense of what criteria I wanted to meet when shopping for a mattress I would sleep on, I would put my kids on, and one that I could present to the public that would coincide with our strong non-toxic, local message."
Chinese-made mattresses were out, not wanting to export a heavy item like a mattress clear around the world. Also, with no regulations in China, there is no oversight with concern to labor practices and environmental impact. And every mattress made and shipped overseas costs Americans 6 jobs. Clear, legible and credible certifications to back up all claims was another criteria needing to be met. "There are a lot claims out there in the mattress business, and most of those claims are made with no credible or current proof. Having valid certifications from accredited and recognized firms helps consumers and retailers make informed decisions about how the new bedding and mattresses will affect their health, their indoor air quality and the health of their family and pets."
Value was another factor Joe states was very important in making the decision what brands to carry. "The mattresses need to be reasonably priced. People understand value, but it needs to be balanced with price. It has to fit in the house and the wallet." Finding the Bed In A Box.com brand was the only company Joe says met all the values he set. "Bed In A Box was not advertising that they were offering wholesale accounts, but they certainly met with all the criteria I wanted to meet. Not Sealy, Simmons, Serta or Tempurpedic passed the test. "When I went to furniture market, I could not even get in to see Tempurpedic, they wouldn't let me past the front door to see their product without an invitation." Joe noted that while he was vetting different brands, his attempts to validate Tempurpedic's claim on their website that the product emits no toxic VOC's was unsuccessful, not even getting a reply once he asked for third party validation of that claim.
"Bed in a Box brand ranked #1 with consumers at http://www.SleepLikeTheDead.com, the best independent review site on the web. Memory foam mattresses usually sleep hot, emit toxic VOC's and is very expensive. Bed In A Box.com's mattresses emit no toxic VOC's with valid, current certifications from a third party entity, their beds sleep very cool and are about the best price in the market for the quality they present," Joe said.
If you are shopping on the web, consider Nest Bedding or stop by in the San Francisco/Berkeley Bay Area.