Sleeping properly is an important part of our life and it can have an incredibly high impact on our day. From restoring our energy to improving our mood throughout the day, sleeping on a good mattress is essential.
However, good mattresses are not cheap. But why are mattresses so expensive?
Modern mattresses are made with high-quality materials, have the latest technology integrated with them, and are sometimes more expensive to transport.
In this article, you will find all the answers to your questions related to mattresses and their costs. In fact, there are several more factors that affect the overall cost of the mattress.
How Much Should A Good Mattress Cost?
One of the most common questions when choosing a mattress is to know how much a good one costs.
There are various mattresses available on the market, from budget to premium ones.
In fact, a cheap mattress will cost you as low as $200 (Mostly you can only buy a mattress topper ). On the other hand, a premium mattress with advanced technology will set you back as much as $5000 or more (like Tempur Pedic).
In short, as a general rule of thumb, a good mattress will cost you around $1000.
Why Are Mattresses So Expensive
It is common for all furniture that the price is the measure of the quality you receive.
However, for large-size products such as mattresses, and other than the quality, there are more factors that come into the reason why mattresses are so expensive.
Some of them are the cost of the materials from which mattresses are composed of. For instance, delivery and shipping, commission, profit margin of retailers, and the advanced technology used to manufacture the mattresses.
Let go through all the reasons why mattresses are so expensive.
1. Mattresses Can Benefit Your Health
One of the reasons why mattresses are so expensive is simply because they can have an incredibly beneficial impact on your health and daily life.
Moreover, according to research by the National Institutes of Health, mattresses can improve sleep quality, reduce back discomfort, and even decrease stress.
In fact, stress may be related to sleep issues, and, needless to say, getting a high-quality mattress will help to have a better life.
So, why are mattresses so expensive? These were the main reasons why people sometimes need to spend big money on them.
2. Duration
First things first, the duration of a mattress is an important factor that impacts the price. In fact, a good mattress will last you between 7 and 10 years.
Sure, while the cost of a premium mattress can be quite high, it’s important to consider its overall life span.
3. The Demand For Mattresses Is High
The demand for mattresses and beds will never decrease simply because everyone needs one. On average, a person spends around a third of his life on his bed and that’s certainly a reason to make them so expensive.
It’s important to note that the vast majority of people will only buy new mattresses and not used, and, therefore, the demand continuously grows.
Furthermore, due to the fact that everyone needs a mattress, profit margins are obviously higher and this takes us to the following point.
4. Profit Margins
The profit margins are another factor to consider when talking about the cost of a mattress.
According to a report by Statista, the gross margin of mattresses in the U.S. in 2020 was 61.5%.
People usually want to have a comfortable bed and this is the reason why profit margins are so high. For this, they are ready to pay the high price.
If you’re willing to save some money on your mattress and the sale season hasn’t come yet, trying to negotiate a small percentage is a good start.
5. Cost Of Material
The material of the mattress influences the price tag.
The materials used for making mattresses include felt, cotton fiber, viscoelastic foam, latex foam, organic cotton, and more.
Furthermore, mattresses are either hybrid or innerspring and that’s something to consider. In fact, hybrid mattresses have more layers and more materials compared to innerspring ones and this will increase their price.
It is difficult for shoppers to know if the quality of the mattress worth the price or not.
Note: You can choose American made mattress if you have some concerns on this.
6. Delivery and shipping
The size of a mattress is quite big, and this comes with no surprise. It is not a small thing that you buy and can simply take home.
Needless to say, the size will contribute to the transportation cost and it is an addition to the overall costs of the mattress.
According to uShip, the delivery of a mattress costs between $0.70 and $2.50 depending on the distance and the weight.
Of course, this transportation cost is added to the original price at every step in the supply chain. Other than the transportation cost, the delivery and shipping require staff to handle the mattress.
Besides, a mattress needs to be handled by the shipping staff and, the retailer needs to consider their salary and, obviously, this will increase the mattress’s cost even more.
It’s important to note that buying your mattress online rather than in a shop will cost you less, no matter the delivery fees. The physical stores add to the higher cost of transportation to their clients.
7. Technology In The Mattress
As we can see innovations in every field, amazing technologies have been introduced in mattresses too. In fact, technology can enhance a mattress’s benefits, make them more comfortable, but also increase the cost.
Some of the most common technology in mattresses is:
Heating Technology
While most of the mattresses with heating technology are high-end ones, it certainly impacts their prices. It is sometimes difficult to find the perfect temperature for a mattress, however, this system will warm it up nicely and help you regulate your body’s temperature.
Note: You can also consider a bed cooling system if you’re a hot sleeper.
Sleep Sensor Technology
Having a sleep sensor integrated into your mattress will help measure your heart rate, track your breathing, and even understand how many times and the time you got out of bed.
The quality of sleep is extremely important to be energetic, healthy, and to be able to focus the day after. Needless to say, these sleep sensors will have an impact on the mattress’s cost.
Memory Gel Mattresses
Memory gel mattresses are very comfortable ones that are able to memorize the person’s body. Just like other technology, choosing a mattress with memory gel will increase the overall cost.
The high-density foam and the layer of gel will relieve the pressure and will benefit your circulation.
8. Advertising
Advertising is a big part of every business’s marketing strategy and mattresses are no exception.
In fact, Tempur Sealy, one of the world’s biggest bedding companies, spent $327 million on advertising campaigns in 2014 only.
Of course, while bedding companies make a lot of profit out of their products, this is certainly a factor that adds to the final cost of mattresses.
Also Read: Sealy vs Serta vs Beautyrest – Which Should You Choose?
Should I Buy an Expensive Mattress?
Now that you know the exact reasons why they are so pricey, should you buy an expensive mattress?
Of course, buying a mattress that can provide you with comfortable sleep and rest will certainly benefit your health and your quality of life. Also, high-quality mattresses giving the maximum comfort and technology will be more expensive.
So, should you buy an expensive mattress? If you can afford it, absolutely, you should. A good quality mattress will reduce your stress levels, reduce allergy symptoms, prevent pain, tackle snoring, and much more.
Furthermore, buying a mattress is an investment that will last you several years.
Because you will spend a long time in your life lying on your bed, it is important to consider the best of them and invest in a good mattress.
Note: If money is not your first concern, here are some choices for your reference:
How To Save Money On A New Mattress
While they are certainly worth the investment from a health and comfortability point of view, mattresses can be very expensive. But how to save money on a new mattress?
First of all, there are strategic periods of time to buy a new mattress and that will help you save money. For instance, purchasing it during the white sale in January or during important events such as Black Friday (Cyber Monday) is your way to save money on a new mattress.
Secondly, it is not uncommon to negotiate the price on mattresses. In fact, if you negotiate, you might get tax taken off, free delivery, or even a higher discount going up to 10 or 20%.
Bear in mind that spending more money on a brand new mattress doesn’t necessarily mean higher quality but, rather, higher profit margins, higher delivery fees, and possible more costly material.
Again, why are mattresses so expensive? There are many valid points and benefits to their high price, however, this doesn’t mean that you always have to pay thousands of dollars.
Conclusion
Why are mattresses so expensive? The quality of the mattress is highly important as it can give you peaceful and soothing sleep.
Also, some mattresses are quotes at high prices because retailers know that people want to have a comfortable sleep for which they will be ready to invest.
You should be buying a mattress wisely, do not just think that a high price assures a good quality mattress, but ask the retailer about the characteristics that make the price high.
To conclude, mattresses are expensive because of the cost of their material, the delivery and shipping, the profit margin, and the technology included in them.
