BSC Sub-Study: Mattress Shopping Behavior During COVID-19

New research explains how COVID-19 affected consumer shopping behavior - especially when it comes to buying mattresses

Learn how people shop for mattresses in the current COVID-19 environment.

BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY

The goal of this study is to understand the details of people’s shopping, buying and receipt of mattresses in the current (COVID-19) environment.

There were 501 online surveys completed October 31 through November 5, 2020, with adults 18 years and older.

  • 314 (63%) respondents had purchased a mattress within the last two months.
  • 187 (37%) respondents planned to purchase a mattress within the next one to two months.

Respondents who purchased a mattress within the last two months received questions about their recent mattress purchase (Q1-Q10). Respondents who were planning to purchase a mattress in the next two months received questions about their planned upcoming mattress purchase (Q11-Q20).

Detailed findings are also included in the PowerPoint presentation report (BSC Sub-Study: Mattress Shopping Behavior During COVID-19, November 2020).

REPORT SUMMARY

This summary encompasses combined overall results from both mattress purchasers and those who plan to purchase a mattress.

  • Consumers are shopping both online and in-store for mattresses and looking at an average of three to four different channels on their shopping journey.
  • Shoppers who want to shop in-store are willing to travel up to 20 to 40 minutes to do so.
  • Online reviews are an important part of the shopping and purchasing journey, but there is not a real distinction between the various review sources.
  • About half of all mattress shoppers search for and read online reviews and visit an average of three to four review websites during their shopping journey.
  • Online reviews are an important factor in the final purchase decision for all mattress shoppers, and even more so for those who purchase their mattress online.
  • Consumers are more likely to purchase online, but more than one-third are still buying or planning to buy in-store because they want to try out the mattress, see it in person, etc.
  • About 61% of consumers who shop online do so because of COVID-19 concerns; other reasons include a better price, it’s easier and fast/free shipping.
  • The buyer journey lasts a week or less for about half of all mattress shoppers, and those who purchase in-store are more likely to have a shorter journey.
  • More than half of all consumers will set up their mattress on their own.

QUESTION BY QUESTION RESULTS

Mattress Purchasers (respondents who purchased a mattress in the last 60 days)

Q1. Which of the following were part of your shopping experience BEFORE you purchased your mattress? Select all that apply.

Looking at online retailers/websites 56%
Google searches 54%
Searching for and reading online reviews 51%
Asking friends/family for recommendations 44%
Visiting a brick-and-mortar mattress retailer 41%
Visiting a brick-and-mortar retailer/department store that also sells mattresses 39%
Social media 39%
Reviewing miscellaneous online resources 28%
Looking through miscellaneous books/magazines/pamphlets 19%
Other, please specify 2%

Q2. Where did you go online to read reviews when you were shopping for a mattress? Select all that apply.

Retailer websites 60%
E-tailer websites (e.g., Amazon, Wayfair) 52%
Mattress manufacturer websites 54%
Mattress review websites (e.g., Sleepopolis, The Mattress Nerd) 52%
Social media (e.g., review on a brand’s Facebook page) 52%
Consumer review website (i.e., Consumer Reports) 49%
General review websites (e.g., Yelp, Trustpilot) 42%
Other, please specify 1%

Q2A. Please rank the following in order of usefulness, with 1 being the most likely to be useful, 2 being the second most likely to be useful and so on.

  Ranked #1 Ranked #1 or #2
Consumer review website N=78 26% 62%
E-tailer websites N=82 33% 59%
Social media N=83 28% 55%
Retailer websites N=96 26% 53%
Mattress review websites N=83 29% 52%
Mattress manufacturer websites N=86 31% 47%
General review websites N=66 20% 37%

Q3. You said in your shopping journey you visited at least one brick-and-mortar store. How long did it take you to get to that store? (If you visited more than one store, please think of the store that was the farthest away and/or took the most time to get to.)  

10 minutes or less 9%
10-20 minutes 31%
20-40 minutes 40%
40-60 minutes 12%
More than an hour 7%

Q3A. You said in your shopping journey you did not visit any brick-and-mortar mattress stores. Which of the following best describe why? Check all that apply.

COVID-19 concerns 61%
Better price online 41%
Lack of time to shop in person 23%
Mattress store is too far away 22%
Other 3%
Not sure 4%

Q3B. You said there were not brick-and-mortar mattress stores close enough for you to shop at. How far away was the closest mattress store to you?

Less than 20 minutes away 29%
20-40 minutes away 39%
More than 40 minutes away 29%
Not sure 4%

Q4. Where/how did you purchase your mattress?

Online 54%
In-Store 46%

Q5. What kind of mattress did you purchase?

Foam mattress made without springs or coils 48%
Spring mattress 25%
Sleeper/sofa 11%
Air/adjustable air chamber 6%
Waterbed 4%
Futon 4%
Other 2%

Q6. How important were the following to your final purchase decision?

Price 82%
Free delivery 76%
Long-term warranty 74%
Online reviews 73%
Easy returns 71%
Mattress brand 62%
Free setup 54%
Family/friend recommendations 54%
Free removal of old mattress 53%
Financing 53%
Free trial at home 46%

Q7. About how much time did your entire journey last? Think of when you first started shopping for a mattress until you purchased it. (Do not include delivery and setup.)

1-3 days 21%
4-7 days 28%
8-14 days 20%
2-3 weeks 11%
About 1 month 10%
1-2 months 3%
More than 2 months 5%
Not sure/I don’t know 2%

Q8. How did you get your mattress home?

Delivered 82%
Picked up 18%

 Q9. How did you receive your new mattress?

Folded, rolled or compressed (boxed) 64%
Not folded, rolled or compressed (unboxed) 36%

Q10. After your mattress was delivered, how did it get set up?

Set it up on my own 55%
Set it up for me 44%
Other 1%

Plan to Purchase a Mattress (respondents who plan to purchase a mattress in the next 60 days)

Q11. You said you plan to purchase a mattress in the next one to two months. How will you shop for this mattress? Select all that apply.

Looking at online retailers/websites 55%
Google searches 40%
Searching for and reading online reviews 39%
Visiting a brick-and-mortar retailer/department store that also sells mattresses 39%
Visiting a brick-and-mortar mattress retailer 36%
Social media 31%
Asking friends/family for recommendations 26%
Reviewing miscellaneous online resources 22%
Looking through miscellaneous books/magazines/pamphlets 18%
Other, please specify 1%

Q12. Where will you go online to read reviews when you are shopping for a mattress? Select all that apply.

E-tailer websites (e.g., Amazon, Wayfair) 58%
Retailer websites 52%
Mattress manufacturer websites 48%
Consumer review website (i.e., Consumer Reports) 48%
General review websites (e.g., Yelp, Trustpilot) 45%
Mattress review websites (e.g., Sleepopolis, The Mattress Nerd) 45%
Social media (e.g., review on a brand’s Facebook page) 38%

Q12A. Please rank the following in order of usefulness, with 1 being the most likely to be useful, 2 being the second most likely to be useful and so on.

  Ranked #1 Ranked #1 or #2
Social media N=28 50% 71%
Consumer review website N=35 37% 66%
E-tailer websites N=42 36% 65%
General review websites N=33 18% 48%
Mattress review websites N=33 21% 48%
Retailer websites N=38 18% 44%
Mattress manufacturer websites N=35 31% 44%

Q13. You said in your shopping journey you will visit at least one brick-and-mortar store. How long do you think it will take you to get to that store? (If you plan to visit more than one store, please think of the store that is the farthest away and/or will take the most time to get to.)

10 minutes or less 7%
10-20 minutes 30%
20-40 minutes 42%
40-60 minutes 15%
More than an hour 5%
Not sure 1%

Q13A. You said in your shopping journey you will not visit any brick-and-mortar mattress stores. Which of the following best describe why? Check all that apply.

COVID-19 concerns 61%
Better price online 31%
Lack of time to shop in person 28%
Mattress store is too far away 16%
Other 2%
Not sure 4%

Q13B. You said there are not brick-and-mortar mattress stores close enough for you to shop at. How far away is the closest mattress store to you?

Less than 20 minutes away 36%
20-40 minutes away 29%
More than 40 minutes away 14%
Not sure 21%

Q14. Where/how do you think you will purchase your mattress?

Online 54%
In-Store 34%
Not sure/other 12%

Q15. What kind of mattress do you think you will purchase?

Foam mattress made without springs or coils 37%
Spring mattress 29%
Sleeper/sofa 11%
Waterbed 6%
Air/adjustable air chamber 5%
Futon 3%
Other/not sure 7%

Q16. How important are the following to your final purchase decision?

N=187 Top 2 Box
Price 84%
Long-term warranty 79%
Free delivery 75%
Online reviews 72%
Easy returns 72%
Mattress brand 69%
Free setup 63%
Free removal of old mattress 60%
Free trial at home 58%
Financing 57%
Family/friend recommendations 55%

Q17. About how much time do you think your entire journey will last? Think of when you will first start shopping for a mattress until you purchase it. (Do not include delivery and setup.)

1-3 days 16%
4-7 days 32%
8-14 days 17%
2-3 weeks 15%
About 1 month 9%
1-2 months 4%
More than 2 months 4%
Not sure/I don’t know 4%

Q18. How will you get your mattress home?

Delivered 78%
Picked up 13%
Not sure/I don’t know 9%

Q19. How will you receive your new mattress?

Folded, rolled or compressed (boxed) 53%
Not folded, rolled or compressed (unboxed) 24%
Not sure/I don’t know 23%

Q20. After your mattress is delivered, how will it be set up?

Set it up on my own 53%
Set it up for me 44%
Not sure/I don’t know 3%

All Respondents – Profile Questions 

 

Gender %
Male 49%
Female 50%
Other/prefer not to answer 1%
Age %
18-24 10%
25-34 28%
35-44 29%
45-54 14%
55-64 10%
65+ 9%
Marital Status %
Married/live together 65%
Single 26%
Divorced/separated/widowed 9%
Education %
Some college or less 43%
College graduate 34%
Postgraduate education 23%
Ethnicity/Race %
Hispanic/Latino 10%
White 78%
African American 15%
Asian 4%
Other/prefer not to answer 6%
Employment %
Employed full time 63%
Employed part time 11%
Unemployed (includes homemakers and students) 17%
Retired 9%
HHI %
< $35,000 21%
$35,000 to $49,999 14%
$50,000 to $74,999 17%
$75,000 to $99,999 19%
$100,000+ 28%

Survey Details: Better Sleep Council November 2020

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