Tempurpedic

New York Times published a very thorough article on the complexities of sleep, which deals with one’s prefence, habits, lifestyle, disorders, the mattress industry and a whole other factors. The article is extensive and loaded with facts and stipulations and here are some excerpts:

Furniture Today’s David Perry: “the mattress is not nearly as sexy a part of the equation as drugs or sleep-disorder centers. It just kind of lies there.” For generations many consumers perceived the innerspring beds of the three dominant “S-brands” — Sealy, Serta and Simmons — to be interchangeable. A Gallup poll 10 years ago found that nearly half of Americans didn’t know what brand of mattress they slept on. The industry blamed itself, often ruthlessly.

Craig McAndrews knows the business of mattress selling like the back of his hand, having been involved in it for more than fifteen years. He provides tips that will help every mattress retailer serve their customers more satisfactorily and thereby improving the “image”, via Furniture Today:

He noted that a car dealer in New Jersey has boosted business by giving consumers yellow “just looking” tags that they wear when they are browsing the lot and don’t want to be interrupted by salespeople. They take off the tags when they are ready to do business.

Check out the mattress section of epinions.com before going to your mattress retailer. They also have comparable prices so you know you are not getting ripped off at the store.

Sales for Sleep Country Canada has been very brisk in the three past months that, despite unfavorable general market conditions…

Sleep Country Canada Income Fund says its third quarter profit increased nearly 14 per cent on higher sales.The Toronto-based mattress company said net income was $10.9 million or 78 cents per share in the three months ended Sept. 30 compared to $9.65 million or 69 cents for the same period last year. Sales in the quarter were $104.7 million compared to $97.75 million in the 2006 period.

America’s fifth largest mattress retailer, Mattress Giant, is celebrating it’s 25th year in Miami Florida and the company is holding a Giant Bed Makeover sweepstakes. The winners of the draw will each get three beds complete with bedding sets and accessories, valued at $30,150. To enter the sweepstakes, you can registers at any of the stores 50 locations across Miami, and you will be made to answer why your bedroom deserves a make over.

Mattress Giant first opened its doors in Miami in 1983 and has since expanded  to over 340 locations all over United States.

Via Furniture Today 

Houston-based mattress company, Mattress Firm, is now closing on the acquisition of Mattress Pro, a mattress retailer that has about 36 stores in the Texas/Nevada area.

CEO Gary Fazio believes this latest development further stabilizes Mattress Firm’s position and growth in the market.

Mattress Firm, which retails Tempur-Pedic, Sealy, Simons and Select Comfort, began operations in 1986

via Biz Journals

In this trying times, companies like Sleep Country, which is currently experiencing a slump based on this report below, is expected by market analysts to continue to underperform and has been given a downgrade rating.

Analyst Adam Clark of BMO Capital Markets has lowered his rating on mattress retailer Sleep Country Canada Income Fund and cut his target price on the units to $18 from $23.

“We are downgrading Sleep Country to underperform (from market perform) based on our increased concern that consumer spending could slow in Canada due to a slowing U.S. economy, slowing housing market and tightening credit markets,” he wrote in a note to clients.

Mattress Firm would have to take over 53 stores in California, had its plans with Mattress Gallery take off. But as Furniture Today reports, the company has decided not to pursue the business saying the timing was off.

“Mattress Firm has withdrawn its letter of intent to acquire Mattress Gallery. We have worked closely with them for the past several weeks through the due diligence phase and we appreciate the time and effort they put into the process. However, we ultimately decided the timing was not quite right. We remain focused on organic growth in our current markets, as well as expansion into new geographies, and we will continue to look for future acquisition opportunities” — Gary Fazio, CEO