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David Perry
Bedding Editor

Hi! I'm David Perry, the bedding editor for Furniture/Today. This is an online version of my Bedding Today column, which appears weekly in the pages of Furniture/Today.

I invite you to take advantage of this blog format to share your comments on the topics that I tackle each week.

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Monday, 8/28/2006

Long warranties dishonest, Therapedic chief contends

I received an interesting letter from Therapedic President Gerry Borreggine in response to my July 31 column, in which a retailer took issue with my call for one-year bedding warranties.

Borreggine writes: “I could list a myriad of reasons why I disagree with today’s (long) mattress warranties. However, I will limit my argument to one reason — they are dishonest.

“That’s right. Mattress warranties mislead consumers by giving them a false impression of the product’s ‘useful life.’ A 10-year, or worse yet, 20-year warranty implies that the product should perform as if it were new for that period of time. We know this is wrong.

“Regardless of the cost or quality of the mattress, it should be replaced well before the expiration of its warranty, if for no other reason than personal hygiene. In addition, medical research has documented that the human body undergoes significant physiological changes every seven years. In response to that, the sleep surface should be adjusted to accommodate those changes.

“Consumers are often frustrated when they make a warranty claim within the warranty period, only to discover that their ‘problem’ isn’t covered. This adds to their confusion. Consumers are often left to wonder, ‘Was (is) the warranty legitimate?’

“A warranty is a protection to the consumer in the event the product they purchased is, in fact, defective. Legitimate product defects typically surface within the first few weeks, or months, of usage. There is little that can, or does, go wrong with this stationary product after that initial period.

“With all that said, why are we compelled to offer such elongated and unrealistic warranties? No other home product carries such extended warranties. (Think about that … go down the list in your mind.)

“If our product enjoys such a high degree of satisfaction after purchase, and such a low (read: infinitesimal) rate of product failure, why are our warranties so far out of sync with those facts? I always felt that mattress warranties should be measured in months, not years — 90 days on promotional merchandise; six months on better goods; and one year on top-of-the-line products.

“This adjustment would serve everyone’s interests. It would alleviate the load a manufacturer must consider within the cost of goods by minimizing any abuse of the long-term warranty. It would allow the retailer an additional profit opportunity by offering and selling an extended warranty to the consumer (perhaps in tandem with the manufacturer). It would also force weaker salespeople to concentrate on product features and benefits, pitching better sleep rather than ‘selling’ how long the mattress should last as a definition of its warranty.

“In addition, it would eliminate the consumer’s misunderstanding of a complex and confusing warranty at the point-of-sale. Finally, it may elevate our industry’s flagging reputation in the mind of today’s consumer, who is usually a lot smarter than we give them credit for.”

That’s a powerful letter. Any responses?

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at 8/31/2006 12:28:18 PM, Retailer said:
Amen

at 9/1/2006 5:24:54 PM, Barbara Stewart said:
My husband has a 30-year career in the mattress industry, and we are currently opening our first retail store. We had this exact discussion walking to dinner the other night: mattress guarantees are dishonest. Instead of touting these warranties, we should as an industry curtail them to a reasonable length, and until we do, honest retailers should be completely up front with customers regarding what the warranty actually covers. Since even Consumer Reports concedes that by and large the mattress industry makes products that are not going to fail on grounds of manufacturing defects, the customer needs to know that when the mattress delivers, she owns it for the duration.

at 9/1/2006 5:53:49 PM, Gerry Borreggine said:
Dave, It may be unusual to comment on my own comments, but you do, in fact, make a good point about the Therapedic website touting our "strongest warranty in the industry." It's an outdated claim, and an oversight; and one that needs to be corrected. Thank you for noticing. Your brother in arms, Gerry

at 9/3/2006 10:46:04 AM, Dave Perry said:
Thanks to everyone for those posts. I've also heard from a number of people who agree with Gerry. And I've heard from one or two who disagree. But support for Gerry's strong stand is running high. So thanks to Gerry for stirring that pot. And Dave G. gets the eagle-eye award for Web site analysis. -Dave

at 9/3/2006 7:18:21 PM, Robert Dunbar, Athens, GA said:
Kudos to Mr. Borreggine. That stand needed to be made. Now the mattress companies need to respond to this. I am with you Mr. B.

at 9/20/2006 1:06:48 AM, Brenda-California said:
David I agree with you 100%. I am the very SAD owner of a top of the line Chattam& Wells mattress that is 3 years old and to say my husband and I wake up every morning with backaches would be an understatement. Since giving birth to my son I found myself unable to even sleep on the bed so I called Sit and Sleep, the retailer.. who after 11 calls, sent "someone" out who took measurements and pictures. Today I recieved a response from Consolidated Bedding telling me that since they found a stain.. the size of a quarter.. the warranty was void. OK, we are all grown ups here and to have a mature woman sleeping in a bed for more than 30 days even with a mattress cover.. well I need not go on. I can tell you that my little stain is not the cause for the mattress to be falling apart with a lump in the center. I am so shocked that a company built by Tino and family run would take such a stance. I did not want a free mattress.. just a small credit for the new one we have to buy.. something.. anything.. As you stated it would be easier not to have the warranty since it implies that the manufacturer cares and they clearly do not. Guess thats how the Antinori family got that nice home in Culbreath Isles. Smoke and mirrors.. Brenda - Lake Forest, CA

at 4/4/2008 10:55:10 AM, Karen T said:
I bought a Sealy Emerald LX in Nov. 2004. Being only 130 lbs, the spings are making noise when you get in and out of bed or roll over in bed. Sears does not handle service to inspect the mattress and does not know who to direct the customer to. Trying to reach a live person at Sealy is non-existant. A message tells you to leave your name, fax or address to have a claim form sent. The form never arrives. The online message to customer service only produces no response. A 3 1/2 yr. mattress with a warranty of 10 years should be examined for replacement. These manufacter's want to sell you something but don't want to know you once you have their product. We are suppose to support our country by buying USA products?

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