Best Time to Buy a Mattress

Crack the code to buying mattresses at up to 60% off. Uncover in this guide how buying online may be your best bet. Get started now.

© CreditDonkey

Everybody loves shopping online, but many people still buy mattresses in person.

The problem? Brick and mortar stores markup prices significantly.

Don't worry—you can still find deals if you're careful. Keep reading to learn how.

How Much Can You Expect to Save?

Depending on the sale and mattress brand, you buy a mattress for less than half of the price.

Even some months may have more discounted prices. The best time to buy a mattress is undoubtedly May. Holiday sales and going-out-of-business sales can save you up to 60%.

In brick-and-mortar shops, you can get discounts by asking for a price match. Also, by showing up with deals and promotions. But your best bet would be to shop online. That's where the best prices are, and you will likely be able to find your dream mattress for under $1,000.

Here's how much you can save.

When is the Best Time to Buy a Mattress?

Mattresses are always going on sale if you know where to look.

Learn more about the mattress sales happening and the best times to get a good mattress deal throughout the year below:

May

When: All month

Why: Spring, and especially Memorial Day weekend, brings great seasonal deals on mattresses. Major retailers offer sales and discounts as they make room for next year's inventory.

Don't limit your search just to dedicated mattress stores. Check out furniture stores and department stores too. These retailers all have big sales throughout the year.

How much you could save: Up to 60% off

Major Holidays

When: 4th of July, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Presidents Day

Why: Mattress companies use long weekends to lure you into shopping. This is especially true during the summer and fall seasons as they try to sell out old inventory. You'll find steep discount on prices at these times.

How much you could save:

• July 4th: We've seen home goods retailers offer promotions of 40 percent off name-brand mattresses. Department store can take 50 to 60 percent off.
  Tip: Once summer winds down, look for those back to school deals. Parents, now's the time to look for that children's bed or a bed for your college kid.

• Labor Day: This holiday has been called "Black Friday" for mattress stores. You can save anywhere between 30 to 60 percent off the suggested retail price.

  Some stores also offer free box springs, foam pillows, and shipping as purchase incentives.

• Veterans Day: Many mattress stores offer discounts during this holiday to honor those who have served in the army. You can find price reductions up to 50 percent off.

• Thanksgiving: Many retailers also slash prices on actual Black Friday to bring in holiday shoppers.

• Presidents Day: The end of winter means the start of next year's mattress season. New stock begins arriving in February and March, which means stores need to make room on the sales floor. You'll find deals around 30% off, even on top brands.

Even with these deals, you're still likely to pay more in stores. Read on to learn about the benefits of getting your mattress online.

Black Friday/Cyber Monday

When: Friday through Monday after Thanksgiving Day

Why: Black Friday through Cyber Monday can be a great time to shop for mattresses. Many stores have sales during this time, and mattress stores are no different.

You can usually find deals both in store and online. Traditionally, Black Friday sales were mostly in store, and Cyber Monday was saved for online deals. But in recent years, it's common for online sales to start on Black Friday as well.

How much you could save: 20% to 40%

Overstock Sales

When: Late winter to spring (February to May)

Why: Stores sometimes overestimate how much inventory they really need. Mattress stores need to get rid of the merchandise somehow. And this often means they'll offer steep discounts on the excess mattresses.

Check online or call your local mattress store to see if there are any overstock sales going on. It's a great way to score a deal on a quality mattress.

How much you could save: 20% to 50% off

Look For Stores Going Out of Business

When: Year-round

Why: When a mattress store permanently closes its doors, that's your chance to get a great discount.

Keep an eye out for stores with "going out of business" signs. Many stores need to clear their inventory quickly before the business shuts down. This is also a great time to haggle for a lower price. Stores owners may be more willing to work with you to close the sale.

How much you could save: It depends on the store and how soon they need their inventory gone. But you can expect to save between 10% to 50% off.

Any Time You Need One

If your old mattress is getting in the way of good sleep, don't wait for the next sale. Your sleep is so much more important than that. Consider your next mattress a great investment in your physical and mental health.

Here are the average lifespans for the most popular mattress types:

If your mattress is past its prime, it's time to start looking at a new one. Your body will thank you in the long run. According to a study in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, switching to a newer mattress reduced back pain, improved sleep quality and lowered stress. ^[1]

Here are some signs it's time to retire your current mattress:

• It has dents and saggy areas. Sleeping in the same position every night causes your mattress to wear down over time. Once it starts severely sagging, there's no saving an old mattress.

• You wake up with aches and pains. An worn-down mattress can't properly support your body. This can cause a lot of discomfort when you wake up.

• Sleeping aggravates your allergies/asthma. Old mattresses accumulate allergens over the years, including dust mites and mold. Since it's impossible to deep clean the inside of your bed, it's important to replace it.

• You can't get a good night's sleep. As your mattress wears down, it can affect your sleep quality. You may wake up feeling tired in the morning.

When to Buy a Mattress at Popular Retailers

You don't have to shop full price for your mattress. Here are the best sales to shop to get a good mattress deal:

Costco
Costco doesn't have big sales around major holidays, except for Black Friday. Their deals are kept secret until they're released in the monthly savings ad.

If you don't want for the perfect deal, take advantage of their price adjustment policy. If your mattress goes on sale within 30 days, you can get back the difference with the receipt.

Macy's

• Macy's One Day Sale: One weekend of each month (Fri-Sun)
  
• Semi-Annual Sale: January and July
  
• Black Friday in July: Usually mid-July
  
• Friends & Family Sale: Usually June-July and November-December

Amazon
Amazon's biggest and best sales happen during Prime Day in mid-July and Black Friday. Keep an eye out at the end of June for official Amazon Prime Day date announcements.

Worst Time to Buy a Mattress

Generally speaking, buying a mattress right after holiday sales is the worst time to do so. Mattress prices will be higher.

Also, the stock will be low, and with it, your options. You may miss out on your dream memory foam mattresses.

If you're not in a hurry, there are times of the year when you can get better deals. But, if you must buy a mattress, any time is good. Tossing and turning at night waiting for a deal is not a solution.

Should You Buy a Mattress Online

Purchasing a mattress sight unseen isn't as risky as it sounds. And it's definitely better than taking a gamble on a used mattress that might have bed bugs. Online retailers offer many of the same brands. Plus, they often offer free delivery INCLUDING returns within a trial period.

More people are learning the secret that by changing how they shop, they have both more options and get better pricing. That's what shopping online, such as at Saatva (our recommended store), can do for you - give you a high-quality mattress at a better price than local retailers.

Here are some benefits to buying online:

• Price: Mattress stores markup costs as much as 50-60 percent to account for their overhead. Online outlets, which don't operate physical locations, can pass their savings directly to consumers with overall lower prices.

  A brand name mattress that costs $2,000 or $3,000 in stores might sell for as little as $1,000 online. While online retailers do offer seasonal discounts on special sale days like Cyber Monday, you'll get consistently lower prices all year long.

  Saatva offers affordable luxury style mattresses.

  What's your budget for a mattress?

• No Sales Pressure: Sure, you can't wander the sales floor and lie down on every mattress when you browse online.

  But you also won't get hassled by salespeople trying to upsell you. Research at your leisure from the comfort of your home.

• More Choices: Mattress shopping can be exhausting. Even the most thorough deal hunters rarely search outside their own area code.

  But online retailers offer instant access to nationwide inventory at competitive prices (sometimes without sales tax!). You'll also have access to reviews.

Of course, buying a mattress online has some downsides. Here are a few:

• Can't Test the Product: Often, we choose the best mattress by flopping around on it like a fish while salespeople watch uncomfortably.

  With an online retailer, you have to wait until you buy before you can get to the business of flopping. But online retailers do offer trial periods and easy returns.

  And you can check out reviews, such as ours for the Saatva mattress, to check out Pros and Cons from other buyers and consumer sites.

• Process Takes Longer: Unless you make the wrong choice, your in-store shopping experience ends when your mattress is delivered.

  But there may be a little more trial and error involved when buying online.

• No Chance to Haggle for Lower Prices: If you're a shrewd negotiator, your talents will be wasted online--the price is the price.

  On the other hand, how often does the customer really come out on top in these situations? Answer: Rarely.

What Type of Mattress Do You Need

© CreditDonkey

Follow these tips to save time and money when finding the right mattress for you. You can get your answers even faster with our short mattress quiz. There are several types of mattress. These include:

• Memory (and other types of) Foam or Gel: These types provide support by molding to your body's shape as you sleep.
  Hint: Gels tend to be cooler than foam.

• Innerspring: The traditional style of mattress uses steel coils with different types of padding. Coils can be combined into one unit or individually wrapped.
  Hint: More coils equal better comfort.

• Hybrid: This type is a combination of foam or gel and spring systems.

  For luxury hybrid innerspring mattresses: choose Saatva Classic Mattress.

• Pillowtop: As the name implies, these mattresses have a top layer of padding sewn above the main body.

• Water Bed: The unofficial bed of the swinging 1970s (and 1980s), this style has fallen out of favor in recent decades.

• Adjustable Air: The preferred type of weekend guests and spoiled campers, these cheaper mattresses are usually more short-term fix than permanent sleep solution.

You can research which type may be best for you by searching online or visiting a store.

What Mattress Should You Get

Whether shopping in stores or online, here are some questions you're sure to be asked.

• Are you a side, back, or stomach sleeper?
  
• What level of firmness do you prefer?
  
• Which size is right? (Or, which will fit in your bedroom?)

Knowing these answers can cut down on the time you spend shopping. Check out this table to help you decide on the right mattress size for you:

1. Do your research. It's always a good idea to do your homework before you make a purchase.

   Unless there is an urgency, learn to take your time. This way, you won't end up with a mattress you need to replace in a few years. And your body will thank you for it.

   Although it's often safe to go with the most well-rated products. But asking questions online or collaborating with a sales rep to tell them your preferences is even better. You make sure that the mattress you get suits your needs.

2. Set a budget. It's so easy to get sidetracked by the first comfiest, plushest mattress you find. Fix a price limit BEFORE you start shopping.

   Then do your homework to get an idea of which mattresses you can actually afford. Don't be swayed by sales (or salespeople) that pull you out of your budget.

3. Agree on priorities—type, feel, & firmness. Compromise is everything, even with sleep.

   If you have a partner, take care to hash out preferences ahead of time to avoid a wrestling match in the store. (Though there are worse ways to test mattresses.)

   Frustration can lead to impulse purchases, which tend to be pricier than the thought-out ones.

   Before you go shopping, ask each-other questions such as:

   • How firm do you want your mattress?
     
   • Are you more of a foam, innerspring, or hybrid person?
     
   • What material feels best?

   Apart from a budget, you and your partner should agree on type, feel, and firmness.

4. Take your time to test the mattress. You should spend eight hours on your mattress a night, so take more than five minutes to find a new one.

   Lie in your typical sleeping position to ensure that the mattress comfortably supports your body.

   Tip: Ask lots of questions, especially if you don't understand the terminology being thrown your way (latex vs. memory foam, for example).
   

   If you're shopping online, educate yourself on mattress types and read customer reviews. Don't be afraid to call the customer service line with any questions you can't answer on your own.

5. Ask about the fine print. Pay attention to what you're told (or read online) about warranties. You don't want to get stuck paying for extra coverage.

   Before you seal the deal, be sure you also understand the return policy and any "comfort guarantees" offered by the manufacturer.

   Be wary of any hidden costs you might stumble on. Things such as tax, shipping, white glove delivery, returns, repairs, and replacements can add a lot to the overall cost.

6. Negotiate. Always be ready to get your money's worth.

   Negotiating is mainly possible in brick-and-mortar stores. To get the best mattress price, you can:

   • Check out the store's latest sale
     
   • Lookout for promotions or free accessories
     
   • Ask if they have any offline exclusive sales
     
   • Ask for promotions over the phone and use them to price-match

   You can also contact the mattress brand and ask them when they turn over their inventory. Buying a mattress right before the new models get in can save you a considerable sum.

7. Walk with or without the mattress. You've got plenty of choices. Store shoppers, feel free to push back on price, even during big sales events.

   They might also throw in extras like box springs, frames, mattress covers, or free delivery.

If you're searching online, take advantage of all the information and reviews for a more straightforward shopping experience.

Mattress Quiz

How much should you spend for a good mattress?

Where is the best place to buy a mattress?

How long do mattresses last?

Bottom Line

Armed with research and a firm budget, you're sure to find the right mattress—and price—for you.

Choose the right time of year to find the best deals in stores. But remember, you'll almost always save more money online.

References