If your mattress is past its lifespan and doing your body more harm than good, you might be in the market for a new one.
Perhaps you have an idea of what you’re looking for with your purchase—in terms of price, mattress features, sleep trial period, warranty option, delivery and returns—but are having a hard time finding a vendor that can deliver what you need.
To help you on your hunt, we compare online and in-store shopping options, looking at the pros and cons and taking you through retailers you can shop from.
Where Should You Buy a Mattress?
You can shop for a mattress online or at a physical store, and whichever path you take can uniquely shape your shopping experience and satisfaction.
If you’re shopping online, you can buy your mattress directly from the manufacturer or third-party retailers like Amazon and Wayfair. Some mattress companies may only sell online, while others might allow you to choose between online shopping or visiting a physical store near you.
Let’s look at some pros and cons of shopping online and in-person.
Online Shopping
When shopping online, you can look through a company’s available models, features, price list and customer reviews with just a few clicks. The company’s delivery and return policy, as well as its warranty period, will also likely be readily available, and some company websites may also let you in on its production process.
If you’re having problems picking a mattress, you can often compare different models side by side or even contact a customer service representative to answer your questions. If you end up choosing a mattress that doesn’t meet your sleep needs, you can usually return it—in some cases, for free—if it’s within the sleep trial period.
Here are the pros and cons of shopping online:
Pros
- It saves you time, transportation costs and sometimes delivery costs.
- You can shop for your mattress from anywhere.
- You can review and compare as many models as possible.
- You can look through customer reviews to gauge the likelihood of getting what the company promises to deliver.
- You can find detailed information about the mattress you’re buying that you may not hear from a salesperson at an in-person store.
Cons
- You might only be able to test the mattress after you’ve paid for it and it’s been delivered.
- Some companies might require you to use its mattress for a certain number of days before you can return it.
- You might have to sift through many options before you find what you like.
- You might not understand how some of the mattress’s features listed on the website translate to real-life use.
In-store Shopping
Would you rather see a mattress in person and test it out before committing to buy it? If this sounds like you, in-store shopping could be the way to go.
Rather than shuffling through the seemingly unlimited options online, you can walk into a mattress store and speak to a salesperson about what you’re looking for. The salesperson will likely tell you what mattresses are available, their features and why one might be better than another for you.
You can also speak to the salesperson about any other questions you may have, perhaps regarding mattress use, the warranty or return policy and how to best care for the mattress to increase its lifespan.
Here are the pros and cons of in-store mattress shopping:
Pros
- You get to speak to a salesperson who’s likely knowledgeable enough about mattresses to help you choose what’s right for you.
- You can test as many mattresses as you want, depending on what’s in stock near you.
- You’re less likely to regret buying whatever you choose from the store.
- You can ask for help with installing the mattress.
Cons
- You may not have a lengthy sleep-trial period when you shop in person.
- You’re likely responsible for delivery and delivery costs when you go to a physical store.
- You might only be exposed to what’s available—and not what you need.
- You have fewer options to choose from.
- Prices at the store may be higher than online prices.
Best Places to Buy a Mattress
Here are a few places to consider checking out when shopping for a mattress.
Amazon
Amazon is an online marketplace for nearly anything you can think of, including mattresses. Some mattress companies sell on their website and through third-party retailers like Amazon, but you may also find some that are sold on Amazon exclusively.
To find a mattress on Amazon, go to its website and click on the mattress category. The website will allow you to build the mattress you want by showing you options to filter your searches, like the mattress feel, firmness, construction, size and thickness. It’ll then show you recommendations that match what you’re looking for.
By choosing your budget range, you can also shop for a mattress without overextending your wallet. And if you already know the brand you want to shop from, you can also search for them on Amazon.
After making your choice, you can skim through the product description, customer reviews and answers to customer questions before purchasing a product.
Wayfair
Wayfair is an online marketplace for home items such as furniture, appliances, decorations, lighting and more. You can shop for a mattress by clicking on the Bedding & Bath category on the website or just searching the term ‘mattress’ on its homepage.
The website will display different types of mattresses and mattress brands. Wayfair also offers its own mattress collection, and each model comes with a payment plan and a 100-night sleep trial period.
You can also look through customer reviews of each mattress to help you know if it’s worth buying. Many of the mattresses on the website also come with free shipping.
Mattress Firm
Founded in 1986, Mattress Firm is one of the most prominent U.S. mattress retailers. Aside from mattresses, you can also shop for bedding and sleep products like pillows, pillow cases, mattress toppers and bed frames.
Mattress Firm allows you to customize your mattress based on features that are ideal for your sleeping needs through its MattressMatcher tool. The website also shows you a list of mattresses that match what you’re looking for when choosing the size, comfort level, brand, sleeping position, height and other specifications.
Many of the mattresses come with a payment plan and free delivery. You can also look through verified customer reviews on the website to help you decide on your purchase.
Sleep Number
Sleep Number is a retail mattress company that produces nine different adjustable mattress models. It also sells other bedding, pillows and bedroom furniture.
Its mattresses come with features that respond to your sleeping position and movements, the ability to adjust the comfort and firmness of a mattress and an app that offers insight into how you sleep every night.
This mattress brand also has over 600 retail stores in 50 states. If you don’t want to shop online, you can walk into any of the stores closest to you.
All Sleep Number mattresses come with a 100-night sleep trial period, 15-year limited warranty and free home delivery and set up. The company also offers 12-month, 24-month and 36-month financing options if you meet specific criteria.
You can also scroll through reviews at the bottom of each mattress page to help guide your decision.
Avocado
Avocado is a mattress company that likely appeals to health-and-eco-conscious shoppers. The brand has more than 10 certifications that speak to its eco-friendly process and organic, non-toxic mattresses.
Avocado produces five mattress models for adults with features that cater to the requirements of different sleepers. They also have four mattresses for kids, plus other sleep and home items.
You can shop for its mattresses directly from its website or visit its retail stores in California, Washington, New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. All mattresses come with a 25-year limited warranty, 365-night risk-free sleep trial and financing options where you can pay for any of their mattresses over six, 12 or 18 months.
Plus, you can read what previous buyers say about its mattresses by looking at the thousands of reviews on the company’s website.
Casper
Founded in 2014, Casper is another giant, bed-in-a-box company that offers five mattress models designed with comfort and support regardless of your sleeping style and position.
It offers a quiz that asks questions about your current sleeping situation, comfort needs, sleeping style and preference, budget and mattress requirements. The quiz result recommends the mattress you should get based on your answers.
All Casper mattresses come with free, no-contact delivery, a 100-night sleep trial period, a 10-year warranty and a financing option with Affirm.
You can look at reviews on the company website to help finalize your decision to buy any of its mattresses.
The Bottom Line
Buying a mattress is no small endeavor. Since you’ll likely only buy a mattress once every seven to 10 years, buying from a reliable retailer is one of the best ways to ensure a hassle-free purchase and longtime use.
You can shop online from any of our recommended stores or other mattress companies that have received positive reviews from websites like ConsumerReports, Trustpilot, Better Business Bureau and Amazon. If you already know the brand you want to buy from but want to test the mattress before purchasing, look at its website to find the physical stores nearest to you.