High Point — To sell high-end bedding, you must show high-end beds to the consumer.
Sounds simple, but that's what top bedding sales associates around the country said when Furniture/Today asked them for some of the keys to their success in selling high-end bedding.
Admittedly, there's no great secret here. But actually selling beds for more than $1,000 when there are a number of much less-expensive beds on the sales floor does offer its share of challenges.
Many consumers, for example, come into stores having seen bargain-basement prices in retail bedding ads. Those consumers can be in for a shock when they are exposed to a $1,299 sleep set.
One key to selling that consumer a better bed, sales associates say, is to put the focus on the features and benefits offered by that bed. Another key is to shift the emphasis away from price and toward comfort. A third is to show that a more expensive bed only costs pennies more per night.
Here's a look at how top bedding sales associates (and in some cases company executives and store managers) say they sell high-end bedding.
How do you convince a consumer that he or she should spend $1,299 for a bed rather than $599?
Roy Edmundson, Wolf Furniture, Bellwood, Pa.
"Convincing a customer to spend $1,299 instead of $599 is as simple as explaining to them that they should not choose a set of bedding based on price, but rather on comfort. When bedding is explained correctly to a customer it is not hard for that customer to make the best buying decision."
Donna Karalfa, Wolf Furniture, Bellwood, Pa.
"I explain to them that most of the time a consumer is willing to spend $899 or more for a sofa that may last them five to seven years because they and all those who visit their home can see that piece. I proceed by saying that a good set of bedding should last 10 years if not longer, and then I divide 10 years into the cost of the bedding to show them the value."
Rick Campbell, P.M. Bedroom Gallery, Milwaukee
"I first start out by telling them this is the most important decision they are going to make in the bedroom. The eight hours they should be letting their body rest represents one-third of their life spent on the bed. Can they really put a price on a great night's sleep? If the mattress they like the best is $700 to $1,000 more than they were planning on spending, I say, 'Do you realize that over the next 15 to 20 years that is only $3 to $5 per month extra?'"
Brian Krueger, VanDenBerg Furniture, Schoolcraft, Mich.
"Selling up is simply a function of how well you know your and the competitions' products and being able to explain value. If price is the only objection, break down the cost per day of a bed with a 20-year warranty. Put in perspective how the costs really are minor based on the life expectancy of the product and the amount of time the customer will spend sleeping in that bed. Point out that a less-expensive bed is of no value if you don't sleep well. Here you demonstrate a keen sense of concern for the customer's well being."
Rick Try, VanDenBerg Furniture, Schoolcraft, Mich.
"It's not a matter of convincing a consumer; you have to show them the top-line bed first and make sure YOU know the difference between the $599 set and the $1,299 set. I use this analogy: 'You spend $30,000 on a car that you might have for five years, and you are investing ONLY $1,299 on a sleep system that you will have for 17 to 20 years and it has a 15-year warranty'."
Jeff Geda, Beyers Furniture, Lapeer, Mich.
"I note that how well you sleep determines your outlook for the whole day."
Ken Webster, Rhodes, Atlanta
"I assume that no one really wants a $599 mattress. I don't try to convince them, I show them. If a person tries the best and likes it, he will never settle for the least, unless he absolutely cannot come up with the funds or the financing. It's my job to find a way for them to get the best they can afford. By showing them the $1,299 set, I have greatly raised my odds of at least getting them on a $999 or $699 set. Now I have truly helped them, myself and the company. Hey, we all win!"
Tom Lawhorn, Rhodes, Atlanta
"Always start with the best set and you will generally sell it, or a bed that is no less than three steps down. You sell what you show."
Jerry Winters, Rhodes, Atlanta
"I discuss the issue of longevity and how often they will be sleeping on this set. Most people do want the best quality in their mattress. Therefore I assume that customers want the top-of-the-line bedding when they come in. If necessary, I will step down in levels. I explain to the customer that if they purchase a $599 bed they may have to replace it two or three times within the next 10 years, costing them $1,797 in the long run, whereas if they step up to the $1,299 bed, that is all they will spend. Therefore, I just saved them $498."
Michael Nermon, president of Ergo Customized Comfort, Irvine, Calif.
"The beds with the higher price points offer demonstrable features and benefits that the customer will place a higher value on."
Shelley Von Pongracz, Off-Track Bedding, Providence, R.I.
"We let the customer choose two or three comfortable beds, then build value by offering comparisons in construction, materials, warranties, etc."
David Bradshaw, R.C. Willey, Salt Lake City
"Price is always a concern for the customer. If you can build value in a $1,299 bed over a $599 bed, usually the customer will spend more than what they intended to spend."
Ray Paravan, R.C. Willey, Salt Lake City
"I explain how much time is spent in bed and that over a period of 10 to 15 years a few hundred dollars more is well worth the benefits of a good night's sleep, and it only amounts to a few more cents per day."
Jason Pilling, R.C. Willey, Salt Lake City
"To sell up, I show each customer what is in the bed and start them out on the best first, and work down as necessary. Not only will the feel of the more expensive beds help sell them, but making the customer understand that they are a good investment, considering their use and the importance of a good night's sleep, helps to justify the price. Also, I make the customer see that the $599 product is a purchase they will make more often, so therefore it is not a very good investment in the quality of sleep."
John Conrad, R.C. Willey, Salt Lake City
"I often give the customer the manufacturer's perspective in producing a mattress set. I say that if I were producing a perfect mattress, I would always use the most durable and highest-quality materials available and never skimp on springs. If a customer said he only had $599 to spend, I would do the best I could for the price, but I might have to build a bed that is less than perfect. To get a high-quality mattress you at least need to move to a price range where quality is best and comfort and support are ideal for the consumer's personal preference."
Dick Andrews, president of Andrews Furniture, Abilene, Texas
"You must know what is different in the top mattresses vs. all the rest. To increase closing rates, you have to be ready to explain the differences."
Martin Fitzgerald, Today's Bedroom One, Fishers, Ind.
"The easiest way to sell a higher-priced mattress is to start the customer at the most expensive one. It's easier to tell the customer what we are taking out of their mattress as we go down in price. I also tell the customer that I am not here to sell them an expensive mattress, but that I do want to sell them a great night's sleep."
Jeff Laughlin, Mattress Gallery, Indianapolis
"If I do my job correctly, I never fall into the trap of 'selling up.' I try to show everyone the best beds, and if a price objection arises, I step down to the next bed. If another price objection occurs, I step down again. It is far easier to sell down than up. If a customer is deciding between a $600 bed and a $1,200 bed, it is my job to point out the benefits of the $1,200 bed. I tell them and show them how spending the extra money will benefit them."
Roger Tomasek, store manager at American Furniture Warehouse, Englewood, Colo.
"If they lead an active lifestyle, we would ask them how important is the quality of their life and then we would go into the importance of a good night's sleep to them. We have a low-pressure approach to selling beds. We would rather undersell and over-deliver."
