Bedding majors aim to drive more traffic
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, September 14, 2009
LAS VEGAS — Top 10 bedding producers are pursuing a variety of strategies to spark sales in the sluggish mattress category. Simmons is turning to lower price points. Serta is turning to Donald Trump. And Tempur-Pedic is promising the debut of the “next wave” of Tempur-Pedic products.
Billionaire celebrity Trump makes his debut in the mattress industry with the formal launch of the Trump Home line at Serta. His name is featured on fabric labels that hang from the tape edge on the mattresses, and it is incorporated into the mattress borders as well. Trump's crest is featured on an accent pillow and is also woven into the ticking on a sleep set retailing for $1,000.
“We are very pleased to be part of the expansion of Trump Home into mattresses,” said Bob Sherman, Serta's president. “The new mattress collection reflects the quality, sophistication and attention to detail signature to Trump Home and is a perfect complement to the successful bedroom furniture collections.”
The line includes innerspring and specialty sleep beds, cushioned with convoluted foam, memory foam, latex and Serta's Quilted KoolComfort memory foam. The knit covers on the beds feature gold accents. Retails range from $799 to $1,499.
“This new mattress collection offers the affordable luxury that today's consumers want, so our retail partners can drive more traffic and close more sales,” said Donald Trump, chairman of The Trump Organization.
Simmons is taking specialty sleep prices below $1,000 with its new ComforPedic Loft line, an extension of the ComforPedic brand.
“Since Simmons acquired ComforPedic two years ago, dealer response to the brand has continued to grow,” said Scott Smalling, president of specialty sleep at Simmons. “The launch of the ComforPedic Loft line allows us to meet the needs of a new base of consumers and drive traffic on the retail floor.”
The ComforPedic Loft line retails from $999 to $1,999. That starting price point is $1,000 less than where the ComforPedic line had started. Simmons is making that big drop in price to reach a new group of specialty sleep consumers, officials said.
Memory foam leader Tempur-Pedic hosts a “TEMPURevolution Party” Monday in its World Market Center showroom, C-1512, to unveil its newest products. The event is set from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Therapedic unveils its new import line, the ComfortTouch line, which is made exclusively for the company by its China licensee, Stylution. The six-SKU line starts at $699 and features an exclusive Dyna-Flo Air Lock Insulator, which uses a three-dimensional fabric to provide a cooler sleep surface.
Not stopping there, Therapedic also has new Innergy 2 models, retailing from $699 to $999. As that name suggests, these are two-sided beds.
And the producer also is showing a five-piece queen in its PureTouch latex line. That bed, retailing at $2,499, has split box springs with separate mattresses, all topped with a 4.5-inch latex duvet.
“This is a luxurious five-piece queen set,” said Gerry Borreggine, Therapedic's CEO.
Comfort Solutions is introducing new beds in its eXtended Life, Natural Response, Laura Ashley and King Koil Spine Support lines. The new models are designed to spark excitement on retail floors, helping retailers boost their sales tickets.
“All of our efforts this market — from new, high-value products to a series of business-generating ideas — are meant to focus shoppers on meaningful sleep solutions, not price alone,” said Dave Roberts, president of Comfort Solutions.
“We want to deliver solutions for both consumers and retailers through products and programs that address real-life needs and produce traffic and profits,” added Owen Shoemaker, senior vice president of product and marketing development at Comfort Solutions.
International Bedding is showing new Europa and AmericanPedic lines. The Europa line features foam-encased, encased coil units starting at $599 and offers enhanced aesthetics, the company said, while the AmericanPedic line of foam-encased innerspring bedding is offered at value prices. Both lines include a new “Jumbo Pillow-Top,” an extra-thick model that offers additional comfort and support.
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