A shocking proposal: Longer warranties
Here’s a novel thought: Let’s lengthen mattress warranties.
Yes, you heard me correctly. Why should we stop at 20-year and 30-year warranties when we can offer lifetime warranties? And why should we stop at lifetime warranties when we can offer legacy warranties that can be handed down from father to son and from mother to daughter?
I mean, we stand behind our products don’t we? Don’t we think we are making better beds today than ever before? So why not just amp the warranties up to the max?
There is a method to my apparent madness with these questions. It is this: We have repeatedly called on producers to offer
shorter mattress warranties. We have taken plenty of heat for that stance, but it is one that represents a more honest
approach with consumers and will help our industry sell more beds in the long run, we believe.
But a bad thing has happened since we’ve gotten on our shorter warranty kick: Warranties have actually gotten longer. One company went from 15 years to 20. Another went up to 30 years on some lines. I hear that some lifetime warranties are in the works. So my shorter warranty crusade has had the very opposite effect of what I have been advocating.
Thus I’m trying a new strategy. Let’s make mattress warranties longer!
(Note: I’m not serious, of course. But if I have to advocate longer warranties to get shorter ones, I’ll do that.)
Captain Obious commented:
If we want to drive consumers into the market we have to innovate. Consumers are not going to tell you that they want shorter warranties, bedding producers/retailers are not going to make themselves uncompetitive.
tommyb the beds selling daddy commented:
Why do they call them a manufacturers warranty. The only thing the factory does is stamp the law tag and attach a description thats is very vague at best. However most use a marketing survey to suck info from the end user. I don't know of any manufacturers that do any warranty work for the end user. None do inspections why!! why don't they represent themselves. They have 1800
Consumer Watchdog commented:
Dave,
What does ISPA do? I would think that a consumer advocacy group in Washington would work with the industry to provide warranty guidelines that are realistic.
sleeper commented:
it is time for small town manufactures to come back, like we used to have. to many co.s have too many suppliers of foam so consistence is not there.whats in the warehouse may not feel like the one on the floor
Tom commented:
Keep plugging Dave. It's time we give our industry a facelift. And, the truth is the first step.
ALT commented:
I suppose this is also Steve Fendrich's fault? JW has it right. It's a retailer's game manufacturers have to play to stay relevant and compete. With majority of claims in first year of ownership, the actual warranty period is moot point.
Another Comment commented:
Dave
This is and has been a great idea. Too bad with the current economy the chances of someone having the courage to do it are slim and none. But while you are at it, how about a comment on the retailers that are offering "extended manufacturers warranties". In other words their sales people can't explain the benefits to buy from their store so they mislead the consumer with a somewhat bogus longer warranty. I wonder how the manufacturers feel about this practice?
Gerry Borreggine commented:
Dave,
This is a fight that needs a champion. You get the nod. I agree withyou that warranties need to be trimmed to a more reasonable term -- something that is fair to the manufacturer, the retailer, and most importantly, the consumer.
As it stands now we are misleading and deceiving the consumer with elongated warranty terms, which far outstrip the useful life of the product.
Warren Littrell commented:
Dave, don't give up the fight for shorter warranties. These longer warranties nudge the client into to buying the wrong mattress. They don't buy what feels best for their body but buy the one with the longest warranty. This only drives uo the comfort returns as those retailiers who offer them to their clients. Stop the insanity before it is too late!!!
Warren Littrell commented:
Dave, don't give up the fight for shorter warranties. These longer warranties nudge the client into to buying the wrong mattress. They don't buy what feels best for their body but buy the one with the longest warranty. This only drives uo the comfort returns as those retailiers who offer them to their clients. Stop the insanity before it is too late!!!
Diego commented:
I'd go for an 8 hours of good sleep each night warranty.
Beats 20 years of poor sleep.
JW commented:
95% of consumers have warranty claims in the 1st year of ownership. Warranty length has become a game or advantage on the retail floor for some vendors. If all is equal, what customer wouldn't want a lifetime warranty, if only to forget in year 7 that they even had one.
Steve commented:
Legally we are bound for 10 years. Why do you think ISPA and the 4 S companies recommend replacing mattresses every 7-10 years? How many of us would like to keep our mattresses for 20 years, bodies change, tastes change etc. We sweat, eat, spill stuff in bed and all that builds bacteria whether it has the best antimicrobial padding or ticking. Lets just focus on selling quality sleep and a quality product and not just the length of the warranty or strictly on cost.
BIGLGOLF commented:
Warranties, were have we heard this before? I live in a world were it is most difficult to get a 1 to 3 year warranty on anything. Your take any product and get a 20 year warrany, who are we they kidding. I have bought many products and after 90 days it is hard to get someone to talk to me must less fix the problem. I have been in this Industry for many years and this promblem has never changed. I would like to give a 25 year warranty that we will still be talking about this for a long - long time.
FurnGuy commented:
Nice tongue-in-cheek story, David. Someone in the industry has to grow a pair, cut back to a realistic warranty and stick to it.We all know the comfort life of an innerspring
mattress is far shorter than the mfr. defect warranty.
