Mattress Buying Guide For Newly Weds

Getting married? Buying a mattress would be one of the first things you need to think of in the run up to the big day.  If you have limited budget and having a lot to spend on, do you know that you can actually make substantial savings if you had all the required information about the mattress industry in Singapore. Remember, a cheap mattress can be a good mattress too. A few tips would be so helpful in getting the best mattress deal ever.

So let’s cut out the marketing gimmicks of the mattress world and get equipped with facts:

1. Qualities of a Good Mattress

According to the Better Sleep Council, six factors have to be considered before buying a mattress:

Comfort- A purely personal choice that differs from person to person. Some may find a firm mattress comfortable, while others may love the “sink-in” feeling to feel comfortable. Thus comfort can be selected by using the mattress firmness scale uniquely designed by www.beds.sg.

1.Ultra Solid- An exceptionally hard mattress comparable to sleeping on a carpet on the floor. Unsuitable for those who have not used it before since you may wake up with an aching body.

2.Super Firm- Recommended by Orthopedic Specialists or people with back problems needing firm support. Considered hard by most users.

3.Medium Firm- The ideal in-between mattress that is neither so hard as to be hurtful, nor too soft. Provides gentle support and meant for all those who do not have any specific firmness preference.

4.Cushion Soft- A soft mattress that provides comfort and support. Meant for those who add feather covers for a softer top.

5.Ultra Plush- The softest mattress, giving the luxurious feeling of supreme comfort.

Support- This is directly related to the mattress firmness scale. According to Nation, a mattress must provide support to the back by adapting to the curve of the spine. His helps in avoiding back problems and getting relaxing sleep.

Durability- While manufacturers profess to provide mattresses that last a lifetime, a good one should last 7-10 years, and not sink in the middle after a year of use. However, this cannot be checked while buying, since it has to stand the test of time, and may be valid for a second time mattress purchase.

Warranty- This may just be a gimmick because a 20 or 30 year warranty is meaningless for a mattress likely to last for 7-10 years. It is a marketing strategy to show that the mattress is perfect. For more details see this post

Space- the space in the bedroom needs to be planned according to the mattress

Matching the mattress and value-the value derived from the mattress must match the price paid for it. The ideal is to pay less and derive more value.

2. Mattress Buying Options- The Mattress Search

Mattresses are available in retail as well as online furniture stores. While many buy beds and mattresses together, they can be bought separately as well. Buying beds in Singapore is easy with furniture sales publicized round the year. Advantages of buying from retail stores are:

Opportunity to see the mattress varieties

Plush, air conditioned environment

Perfect lighting that enhances product appeal

Attentive salesmen to guide you through mattress varieties

While these make the shopping experience enjoyable, they may not help in selecting the best mattress. The following is a list of things newly weds need to be cautious about:

Looks can be deceptive-the ambience makes a plain mattress also look attractive

Bear in mind that salesman are offered $$ incentives if they manage to sell the mattress with the highest profits and the most expensive mattress may not be the one with the highest profits.

The same mattress is sold under different names in different stores. For instance, “Supreme Comfort Classic” might be sold as “Supreme Comfort Platinum” in another store. The idea is to protect profit margins and prevent the customer from comparing prices for identical mattresses.

Features like thickness, higher coil count, silk quilting, box springs, certainly increase costs but do not enhance mattress quality, durability or comfort

Many stores ask for a deposit while placing the order. So even when you come across a better or cheaper mattress in another store, there’s nothing you can do.

Customers often forget to check benefits like warranty or a return/exchange policy if they do not like the mattress after using it, and may be stuck with a mattress they hate to sleep on.

3. Buying Mattresses Online

Over the last few years shopping over the Internet has become increasingly popular for all the benefits online shopping offers. These include:

More variety is available online since space is not a constraint

Reasonable prices-since they have no overhead costs of running and maintaining big stores, they pass on the benefit to the customer

Better quality is offered since their reputation and repeat customers depend on what they provide, and never get walk in customers like retail stores

Offer benefits like free home delivery, free installation and COD

Service staff is available online to provide assistance and answer queries

Transparency in operation since prices are listed, and customer reviews are available to see other people’s satisfaction after using the mattress

Time saving and convenient to browse on the Internet, compare various online stores, rather than driving from store to store and spending hours, if not days, to select a mattress.

The only disadvantage of online shopping is that customers are not able to physically see the mattress. Some customers feel uncertain if they cannot see the mattress before purchasing it. However, many people still get fooled even after seeing them in stores.

4. Mattress Varieties Available

Once newly weds have decided whether they would prefer buying from a store or online, the next step is to know the mattress varieties available:

Inner spring -these have wire coils as the support structure and a strong wire border

Pocketed spring – contain individual springs that can move independently according to the irregular shape of the human body. Help to reduce partner disturbance

Memory foam- is made from visco-elastic polyurethane foam and is denser than other foam mattresses, it adapts to the body shape and heat, and springs back into shape when pressure on it is removed

Latex is made out of natural rubber, or can be synthetic. It makes the most comfortable and lasting mattresses that are resistant to dust mites

Coir/jute -made out of natural dried coconut fiber, this type is meant for people with bad backs needing firm mattresses.

5. What size to buy

The type of mattress decided, the next step is to know what size to buy. In Singapore beds and mattresses typically come in four sizes though some brands offer multiple sizes. These are:

King- Very large mattresses requiring spacious bedrooms

Queen-Practical, space saving and adequate for two

Super Single-for single use

Single-for single use

Equipped with even more information the newly wed couple will feel that they have all the ingredients required for the right selection. But wait, a few inputs on the Singapore mattress industry will help even more.

Singapore has a well-developed, highly competitive mattress industry selling world famous brands like Sealy, Simmons and Serta, locally manufactured brands like Wasaly and MagicKoil and some international brands that are assembled in Singapore from imported parts.

Retail chains like Courts, Ikea, Simmons Gallery, Robinsons and hundreds more, compete with online mattress stores like Beds.sg  to offer dozens of mattress varieties

Retail buying is all about the salesman’s marketing skills, and the customer must cautiously examine mattress varieties and their differences, add-ons like taxes and delivery charges, return or exchange policy, warranty etc

The best tips about a mattress can be read online on various mattress forums which detail customer experiences

6. The Price factor

As mentioned before, mattresses range from $150 to $3000. The idea is to balance the price and related factors like:

Down payment

Extra taxes like GST

Delivery charges

Any hidden costs

Compare prices in different stores and checking online-the Internet puts a world of information in front of you

Tip- If asking for a discount or price reduction is not your style, simply ring up two or three other shops, and ask for the rate of an equivalent model. Most likely, the identical mattress will be available at a lower price. For more details, check out this post called The Secret of Mattress Shopping

7. Warranties and Exchange

Most mattress brands come with warranties against manufacturing defects, but it is for the customer to get the warranty details and documents. Make sure to do so before making the payment.

Often in the buying frenzy at the store, you may forget to enquire about the return policy in case you are not happy with the mattress. Will the store take it back? Will it refund your payment? If after one week of using it, you find that it is not suitable for both of you, and the store refuses to take it back, you might be stuck with a uncomfortable mattress till you can afford to buy another one. But take heart, online stores like Beds.sg take back a mattress after one week of use provided the plastic cover is not removed.

8. A few Reminders

Remember to check the measurements of your bed frame before buying the mattress

Fix a budget and do not get carried away by a nice looking mattress that costs more

Read the fine print before paying for the mattress

Bargain for a discount on the selected mattress

Check out the return policy

Keep a copy of the invoice

Do not believe all that the salesman says, read customer reviews to verify facts and experiences. And, most importantly, trust yourself!

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