We fearlessly predict where our industry's headed in 2012

I agree Helen - Ammique is even steam cleanable with all padding removable and washable at 60 degrees - pure bliss!

Another trend to watch is that an increasing number of consumers are going to be asking more pressing questions about the content of their sleep products and insisting upon products containing certified foam. Consumer calls to our CertiPUR-US® offices -- and website traffic -- has skyrocketed and we haven’t even launched our national consumer awareness campaign yet – scheduled for this spring.

Gee Dave - you left us out. What about Ammique -after all it is a bed [and a brand] like no other. A truly unique designer product with springs like no other. High end niche at this stage. If you think that the future of sleep should look a whole lot better; we're looking for Joint Venture partners in the US. If you want to know more please email me marlene@ammique.com

The intense aroma of a new car smell encased in a delicious bamboo infused stretch knit zippered cover! This is the gel infused memory foam mattress you have been salivating for.

Geeze, delicious covers? This guys worse than mark the marketer Quinn!

So all of you crystal ball gazers are somewhat correct. There is no one mattress on the market today that is perfect for everybody. The future of the industry is in giving the consumer selection at the retail level. At our retail store "Get-A-Mattress" we offer the customer a choice of over 170 mattresses to try from 20 different vendors. My most interesting observation has been that all mattress types and formulations still sell!!!
Part of the future of the industry is that push for smaller and smaller and more profitable stores, that sell the consumer what they the retailer want the customer to buy. "Starbuck McMattress chains" the small footprint high power chains will soon direct the mattress industry and tell manufacturers what to produce.
Still while we can find and carry 170 great varieties of mattresses then the industry is still healthy. Every mattress manufacturer is working diligently and thinking and dreaming of the perfect mattress.
Time will tell if products fail...but as for Latex we have recently removed from homes several Sears & Roebuck latex mattresses, from the 1960's, and they were only changed out because the covers had become soiled. So I have high expectations for today's latex product.
I personally think that today's younger customer wants what we call any "Dead mattress." That Visco and or Latex, with or without springs minimum movement surface with a delicious cover.
The pillow top will give way to the 2 piece mattress set (smaller profile mattress designed to be sold with and removable 2 or 3 inch topper.) Consumers loved their old pillow top mattresses...but are tired of the body impressions. A changeable pillow top is the solution.
If we really want to look further into your crystal balls watch out for the clogging of landfills... when yesterday's today's and tomorrow's Visco products hit our dumps. That is really where our industry needs to do some serious predicting.

Thanks Joe, we will bang the drum for you. I appreciate the feedback.

Mark Quinn: Thanks for pointing out the site to read about springs what I, as a retailer, already know. Read my post from January 11, 2012. Solid core foam/latex beds soften up on the retail floor!! Just do the sit test I reference in my post. Just wait... for the onslaught of complaints on solid core beds. It's coming. Also, if you work for L&P, get the sales reps out there pushing this story more... about using the mini pocket springs in the top of mattresses. I suggest this to my vendors all the time and they do nothing. Vendors think retailers don't know much about what is a well made bed, etc.

Flirting with Gimbal Lock: I do work for Leggett and Platt and there are many ways to show that innersprings help improve quality sleep. We have done research with Kansas State University to prove that innersprings sleep 28% cooler which can drastically improve quality of sleep. In addition, under the innersprings section of beddingcomponents.com take a look at SofTech. You can look at our research and testing data that shows how that unit loses firmness at a much slower rate than other materials that are used to provide comfort in a bed. Ask someone at retail how much fun it is to take back returns because of a body impression due to foams and fibers breaking down. We try hard to back up what we do with science. I hope you take the time to look. If you have any more questions let me know.

Eventually the rocket ship disintegrates Chuck. It's obvious you really are uninformed.

In my opinion, if you have not sold mattresses directly to the consumer over an extended period of time, you have no credibility as to what works a what does not work in regards to the benefits to the consumer of a particular type of mattress for good sound sleep.

Let me guess mark, you work for legget & platt. It's no wonder consumers are so confused when buying this product...all marketing, no substance. In a past post, David Perry mentioned the plethora of gel beds coming to market, and when someone blogged what was the benefit, no answer. This is a smoke and mirrors industry, with little or no proof of anything except that manufacturers keep putting out cheaper and cheaper quality products. So, Mark what proof do you have of any benefit of innerspring mattresses, and David, what proof if any do you offer that shows that gel is anything but more than marketing hype?

Now now Chuck. I am an innerspring guy so allow me to defend the honor of this category. To group all innerspring into a category with those created in "1865" is crazy talk. Fabric encased coils are growing fast and create a great opportunity for a fantastic feeling bed. I have seen many consumers pick that with a visco topper (so the hybrid Dave is talking about) over just visco in comfort testing. I will agree that specialty products have momentum without a doubt, but lets not forget that the innerspring segment still accounts for 70-80% of the market. :) So let's land that rocket ship you talk about, throw away the laundry rock, and go take a nap on this hybrid product Dave is talking about. Comfort matters and these beds get it done.

Let me give some insight to solid core beds whether latex or any type of the various foam beds. I have been selling these types of beds since 1996 and all of these beds loose support in the middle third of the sleeping surface which results in customers coming back after a relatively short period of time, defined as between two to six years, complaining of sleep issues such as rolling into the center of the mattress and waking up with backaches. They are not happy. They spent good money on a bed that has a ten to twenty year warranty which does not cover normal softening let alone sleep comfort. I predict the next big thing retailers will face will be dealing with these returning customers who purchased solid core latex/foam type mattresses.Just like is the case with the ridiculous body impressions which develop in mattresses within a year. Result... customers will go back to spring beds, more modern types along with the the heavy duty 12 and 3/4 spring coil that was used widespread in the industry back in the day. How to I know this? I know because I experience it every month in my business with excellent results. Don't knock the spring baby! Oh, and by the way go sit on the middle edge of your best selling solid core foam type mattress. Get the feel. Now go sit on end edge of this mattress at the head and foot. Big difference right? Imagine how that would feel after a few years. Spring beds do not loose that much support.

Great information as usual David. I agree that the Gel market is taking off like a rocket and specialty sales will continue to gain market share. Sleeping on springs is like going back to beating your laundry on a rock and in the near future demand for spring bedding will like the market for laundry rocks. lol. My prediction is that as younger consumers grow up with newer materials to choose from, they will go for the specialty bedding products. I think the bed spring patent was granted in (from memory) 1865...we've moved from plowing with oxen to men living in space in that same time period. Bedding choices will follow suit.