Upscale Beautyrest Black proving hit for Simmons
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, December 17, 2006
Atlanta — Black is the color of success for the new Simmons Beautyrest Black line that is now rolling out to retail floors.
Company officials say the new luxury line, which starts at more than $2,000 and moves up to over $5,000 retail, is doing exactly what their research determined it should: resonating with consumers.
"This is really well thought-out marketing," Simmons Chairman Charlie Eitel said of the new Beautyrest Black line, which debuted at the Las Vegas Market in July.
Tim Oakhill, senior vice president of marketing, said, "We are very satisfied with what we are seeing in sell-through at retail. The dealer response has been excellent."
One retailer off to a strong start with the line is Massachusetts-based Jordan's Furniture.
"Today's luxury consumer wants to know what they are buying, and the Beautyrest Black line is demonstrably different from other high-end mattresses," said Lorie Silva, general manager of bedding operations at Jordan's. "Simmons provides very effective sales training and point-of-purchase materials that help communicate the line's features, the reasoning behind its development, and why consumers should consider purchasing a luxury bedding product."
Silva said that Jordan's replaced "another well-known luxury mattress brand" with the new line, and said "Simmons' support made that transition extremely smooth." Jordan's carries six Beautyrest Black models.
The line, backed with black point-of-purchase materials and bearing a black Beautyrest Black icon on the mattresses, offers tremendous sales potential, Eitel said.
"I think it will be a legendary brand," he said. "I would be disappointed if it wasn't $100 million in 2008."
Distribution for the line is selective. "It's not for people who want to run $1,099," Eitel said.
Beautyrest Black is part of what company officials said is a sophisticated new product development strategy. Oakhill said Simmons' other new product initiatives — a BackCare line that includes Technogel gel, and a new latex line — are well positioned in the market.
"We are very confident of the opportunity with gel," he said. "It's going to be a core category for us."
Technogel, created for Simmons by a company in Italy with expertise in a variety of gel-cushioned products, including bicycle seats, offers "an excellent feel" in new BackCare models starting at about $1,800, Oakhill said. He said Simmons is hoping to "define a new market space" with its gel offerings, the first by a bedding major.
He also said Simmons has "a great opportunity in latex" with its new Natural Care line.
In addition to its new premium-priced products, Simmons is making aggressive moves at promotional price points. At the recent High Point Market, for example, the company moved the starting price point for its DeepSleep line down to $299 from $399.
Eitel said it is important for broad-line bedding producers to offer a full range of products and price points. He said the DeepSleep line doesn't cannibalize sales of the flagship Beautyrest brand.
He also said Simmons will step up its efforts in specialty sleep. "We still have a ways to go there," he said.
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Upscale Beautyrest Black proving hit for Simmons
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