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Bedding action solid at Las Vegas Market

Activity centered at low, high ends

David Perry -- Furniture Today, February 11, 2009

LAS VEGAS — This has been a market of highs and lows for mattress producers. We are talking about price points - not traffic, which seems to be running at expected levels or even better.
Producers are sounding the familiar refrain of "seeing the people we wanted to see," and some say they have seen an encouraging number of prospects as well.
Kingsdown, showing its new Sleep to Live retail concepts at the Venetian, reported brisk traffic and a stellar reaction toits new sleep education-oriented program.
"This is a grand slam," declared Eric Hinshaw, CEO. "I'm in my triple digits of markets and nothing has even come close to the market we are having."
Executives at Spring Air, introducing a new Ironman line of mattresses, and Comfort Solutions, showing a revamped Laura Ashley line and a new line for overweight consumers, reported their showrooms were busy.
"We are getting a lot of traffic," said Steve Cumbow, acting CEO at Spring Air. "People understand what our story is and we are getting feedback that Spring Air is back to basics and is winning customers."
At Comfort Solutions, Dave Roberts, president, said: "We have been very, very busy. Everyone we have talked with has been extremely positive about what we are doing."
On the product front, producers are doing well with value-priced sleep sets, some starting as low as $199, but also with sleep sets retailing for as much as $23,000.
While there is a strong move to emphasize promotional price points, with $399 sleep sets a popular option, makers said the high-end of the market continues to offer sales opportunities, especially considering the profit-building dollars and margins those lines command.
Memory foam leader Tempur-Pedic, for example, is making news at $4,499, where its revamped BellaSonna bed will retail. It combines two types of the company's Tempur material to deliver what the company calls "a buoyant support system."
Tempur-Pedic also is showing its new Advanced Performance Platform Foundation, which uses a nail-free design and to provide another foundation option.
Sealy's new high-end Stearns & Foster line, retailing from $1,199 to $2,499, is off to a strong start, according to Sealy CEO Larry Rogers.
"The feedback we've received about the new Stearns & Foster line has been overwhelmingly positive," he said. "The aesthetics and sophistication of the mattress make it stand out on the showroom floor, demanding the luxury consumer's attention."
Simmons is bolstering its high-end Beautyrest Black line with a new coil unit design adding new comfort options, and also with the proprietary new Transflexion process of pre-conditioning foam components to provide greater consistency.
"The combination of technologies that is in our newest Beautyrest Black line will take our offerings to the next level by having the consistency of feel from floor sample to home delivery," said Mark Owen, vice president of brand management.
E.S. Kluft is adding a $3,000 Aireloom sleep set featuring all-natural materials. "There are still customers out there for high-end products," said Earl Kluft, president. "They will spend, if you demonstrate a compelling product story for them."
Serta is adding latex Vera Wang beds at $2,999 and $3,499 cushioned with Smart Support, a system of support cells fashioned from a high-tech polymer.
Maria Balistreri, Serta's vice president of brand management, said it's important for retailers to floor a broad range of products. "There are still consumers out there who want new technology and innovation," she said.
Carpe Diem Beds of Sweden, retailing from $6,000 to $23,000, has been enjoying "a phenomenal market," said Jeffrey Klein, president. "Retailers understand that this line won't compete with other beds on the floor and will help them draw from a larger radius."

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