Survey: A 'test rest' in store boosts customer satisfaction

Welcome to the New Year!

We usher in 2009 with this business-building suggestion: Consumers who lie down on the job are happier with their new mattress than those who don’t.

That nugget of wisdom emerged from my holiday reading, and it’s worth exploring as we begin what is going to be a very difficult year in the mattress industry.

The importance of giving new mattresses a “test rest” is emphasized in the January issue of Consumer Reports, which I picked up in my holiday travels. “Looking for a better bed? Sleep on it,” was the title of the article.

While those of us “in the know” can usually find something to critique when consumer publications tackle the issue of mattress shopping, it’s important to see what those publications have to say, since their advice can influence consumer behavior. And what Consumer Reports said about test rests is good news for the industry.

“In a recent survey of 5,900 ConsumerReports.org subscribers who bought a new mattress within the past five years, 72% who spent at least 10 minutes lying on the mattress in the store were very or completely satisfied once they bought it. Just 62% who spent little or no time trying out the bed said they were as happy.”

Very and completely satisfied consumers are going to say good things about their new mattress, and favorable word-of-mouth comments about new beds are always a plus for the industry. In addition, those consumers won’t be seeking costly comfort exchanges.

Sales associates should make that 72% figure a regular part of their presentations; it gives all consumers a tangible reason to spend a good 10 minutes lying down on the mattress of their dreams, rather than just lying down for a few moments and not really determining how the mattress feels. And that figure should encourage skittish consumers to plop themselves down and try out the mattresses in the store.

The survey also provides some ammunition to help the industry sell premium-priced beds; satisfaction levels rose steadily as price points increased. While 64% of those who spent less than $2,000 were very or completely satisfied with their new mattress, the figure rises to 72% for those who spent $2,000 to $4,000 and to 75% for those who spent more than $4,000.

The survey also found that almost three-quarters of the respondents said their sleep improved with a new mattress, and noted that those consumers who bought memory foam or latex foam mattresses were far more satisfied with their choice than those who bought innerspring beds, a finding that will bring cheer to the specialty sleep crowd and anguish to the innerspring folks.

Overall, the Consumer Reports story contains positive news for the industry. We always gain from studies that tell us how consumers feel about our products.