Archive for the ‘My Favorite Things’ Category

High-margin and low overhead

It’s reported that mattresses offer one of the best profit margins in retail, with a markup in the 40 to 50 percent range, according to Consumer Reports.  That’s a pretty HEFTY profit. If you research online, some say even higher! I’ve been told on average it costs around $300 to make a mattress. Do the math in your head… ouch!

You can shop specialty stores and big box stores, but be aware many give the same mattresses different names in different stores or they set up exclusivity agreements by mattress line in certain stores. This makes it impossible to comparison shop.

Why Order Online?

Now I’m sure many of you “showroom” – which means a customer examines merchandise in a traditional brick and mortar retail store before buying online. However, what if you were given a super deal on an awesome bed direct from a manufacturer and your satisfaction guaranteed or the bed ships back for free? Yep, now you’re speaking MYDFWMOMMY’s language!

In reality, I think we are all familiar with what kind of bed feels good to us. Personally, I can’t tell the difference between a $4,000 mattress or a $1,000 mattress and it’s nearly impossible to comparison shop since manufacturers sell exclusive lines to different retailers.

Geno and I wanted a 5-star quality hotel kind of mattress with a Walmart kind of price. Yep, we wanted high-quality and luxury!  One that was plush, but that provided ample support. When Crave Mattress contacted me to check out their mattress, I was thrilled as it was exactly the kind of mattress I had been looking for.

How to Order Online

It’s SUPER simple to order online and it arrives in about a week.  Crave Mattress offers two different options.  A memory foam mattress starting at $480- $930 and 12″ innerspring luxury plush starting at $525-$990. Oh, and right now they are offering $50 and free shipping with promo code: SAVE50.  Crave Mattress also offers a box and whole sleep system in addition to the mattress. The Crave Mattress box is called a Foundation and the bed frame is just a basic bed frame – only made very sturdy, unlike those new flimsy ones.

They compress, roll and ship directly to your door. The 2 options took the complexity and exhaustion of comparing mattresses while running from store to store.

Picking the Mattress

My biggest suggestion is deciding what type of mattress you prefer before you shop online.  For me, I wanted plush so Crave Mattress was my choice. I chose the 12′ innerspring. Also, make sure and read the reviews as this will help you narrow down your decision on which bed is right for you.

I think the Crave mattress is an excellent choice for people that want a mattress that will cradle and envelop their body, yet still provides great support.  Basically, it feels like a traditional innerspring mattress with extra cushioning on top and I love the fact that the beds are made in the USA!  If you want to learn more, I suggest reading the FAQ’s!

Unboxing the Mattress

So my doorbell rang and I hear a “plunk”.  To my delight, there sits my bed.  My daughter runs out and says, “what is this?”.  I told her it was my new bed.  Honestly, she couldn’t wrap her head around it!

Check out the video!

You essentially cut (or in our case, tear) the vacuum sealed plastic wrapper and voilà… the mattress expands! It sits for a couple of hours and your bed is ready.  The smell is a little “interesting” at first, but it airs out after a few hours.

Note:  Be sure you have good box springs before you put the mattress on your bed as the warranty is not applicable if there are signs that it’s on a faulty spring.

The whole process is actually cool to watch and still a bit mind-boggling how it can be done. I didn’t have to deal with any delivery dates or charges and our trash guys hauled away the old mattress.

The Trial Period

Here’s the fun part! You have a 100-day trial to see if you really like it or you can return it if it doesn’t work out.  You get to just sleep on the mattress and decide how you feel about it. Crave Mattress will have someone come pick up the mattress and issue a full refund. Pretty simple and shipping is FREE, which is a pretty killer deal!

My New Bed

My first night in the bed was literally “dreamy”.  No joke, I slept like a rock and didn’t even move.  I am more than pleased with this mattress, I’m ecstatic and so is my husband! The only bad part… I’m writing this post in MY BED now as it has become my new office :)!

This mattress, the one I’d spent almost zero brainpower to pick out, the one that I spent very little time shopping for, is PERFECT and a GREAT PRICE.

Oh, and look who got to try the bed first?  Yep, Rylie dog did and she gives it 4 PAWS up!

NOTE: If you are one that needs a special bed built exclusively for you, this might not be your match, but realize you will pay high dollar.  I also know there are retail outlets – Costco, Ikea, that buy from mattress companies in bulk and sell generic mattresses cheaper.  If you chose this route, be careful of the warranty and return policy.  My brother-in-law bought one recently this way and it was a huge hassle trying to return the mattress, plus he had to borrow a truck to bring it back. I found the online option a much easier and hassle-free option for me!

CRAVE MATTRESS PROS:

• Both mattresses are eco-friendly and all of it is handmade in the USA (including all components).
• No ridiculous retail markups
• Direct to consumer, no middle-man, no haggling
• Ten-year life span made with convoluted latex and open-cell memory foam technology or the second mattress with the same technology paired with individually pocketed coils, that are comfortable yet cost effective