I'm relieved the mattress shopping is over. DH & I spent most of the day getting in and out of bed, but trust me, it wasn't as fun as that statement sounds like it should be. In total, we hit 6 stores a total of 8 times and had to fight off a total of 11 sharks, I mean salesmen. By day's end we had found our bed, at a price we could live with. I had a serious case of sticker shock, but we didn't end up too far off from our budget.
I really feel we chose the best quality bed that we could afford. We ended up with a Serta, which are manufactured to order in a city close to our home. It was the only bed that used a continuous coil instead of cut wires and it had the most foam padding around those wires. Their warranty also was the only one that stated they would replace your bed, not just take it apart, add more foam and sew it back up, if within the 10 years it starts to give out. The store we bought it from, Mattress America, also said we could exchange the bed after sleeping on it for 60 days for any other bed in the store, paying the difference or receiving credit for price differences. They will come pick up the mattress and deliver your new one no charge. They will do this as many times as necessary within the 60 days, not just a one time exchange. There also was no charge for initial delivery and no charge for removal of our old bed.
I'm amazed we were able to find a mattress we both liked. I lean towards firm, DH prefers soft. This mattress has a pillow top to give DH his softness, yet was firm enough underneath. Plus there is an extra reinforced coil system around the middle section, to support where "humans are most heavy."
I'm so happy we don't have to deal with sales-sharks anymore. Of the 11 we dealt with, only 2 were normal, respectable people. The sales-shark we ended up buying from, I'm not including in those 2, but I will admit, the second time we returned, he was less creepy to me and seemed to become more normal. When we met him as his store opened, I'm sure he was in full salesman mode, and when we returned just before closing, I think he had put his act away and was returning to his true self before ending his work day.
The worse sales-shark was a woman at Steinhafels. I think she wanted to crawl into bed with me literally. She would not leave me alone. I just could not relax and get a feel for any bed with this obnoxious woman standing directly over me. She would not shut up. I tried my best not to be rude, but at my breaking point, I told her, "I can't relax and chose a mattress with you hovering over me constantly!"
At the Mattress Firm, the sharks were more like a wolf pack. I knew we were going to be in trouble when we walked in with no other customers in the store and 4 salesmen staring us down.
For the most part, my wonderful husband dealt with the sales jerks while I laid down, got up, laid down, got up, rolled over, got up, laid down, rolled over, got up. etc. I could not have bought a bed without him playing defense that's for sure!
I was amazed at how many people shopping for mattresses would just sit on the bed or push on it with their hands but not actually lay down and get into their sleeping position. On the other hand, I could understand why. Its not easy to place your body in your sleep position and not feel vulnerable to the salesmen eyeballing your every move.
I do have to thank DH for being so willing to spoon in public! LOL! I guess mattress shopping did have it perks!
