Have you ever driven by a mattress store and noticed a sign for a “One Day Only Mattress Sale”? Was the same exact sign up a few days later on a separate trip? Did you ever stop to consider that perhaps, the One Day Only sale is nothing more than a retail trick?
One of the things that separates Gardners from it’s competitors is this unscrupulous practice: They do it, we don’t.
Let’s take a look at the 5 most common “sales slogans” that you’ll see in Mattress Store adverts:
1. One Day Only Sale
2. Almost all mattresses ___% off
3. 50% off
4. The $79 mattress
5. Free Pillow with Purchase
Now let’s take the same Sales Slogans and translate them into what the mattress store is really saying:
1. One Day Only Sale, until tomorrow, and there’s not really a sale, we just need get you inside.
2. The phrase “Almost all mattresses” is like a child taking the first, small scoop of peas from his dinner plate, eating them and exclaiming “I ate ALMOST ALL of my peas!” Any discount on “Almost all mattresses” really means “We have a few mattress in the back that are really cheap but most of the prices are set by the manufacturer”.
3. 50% off = We doubled the price and offer 50% off the doubled price (which is always, in turn, the everyday price).
4. The $79 mattress is a mattress that a scoundrel wouldn’t give to their worst enemy. It’s the mattress that requires an “air quotes” before saying it. The $79 “Mattress”. It’s a 5-inch thick motley crew of springs, cotton balls and stitching (if you’re lucky) and it only serves as a placeholder; A few months down the road, when you’re in another mattress store explaining “I bought a mattress a few months ago and it really didn’t hold up.” It isn’t meant to be bought, it’s meant to UPSELL.
5. The Free Pillow with Purchase is a way to make someone come away from the situation thinking they got something when they really didn’t. Sure, it’s a pillow and you can use it. It’s usually the cheapest of pillows, even the pillows with the brand names on them, and there is a small chance that you will actually be comfortable using it.
Now, what do we do about this?
Gardner’s has sales and pricing specials that work in concert with what our vendors provide. We work on the honor system of pricing. 90% of our showroom floor is set by the manufacturer and is at the lowest possible price. We do not offer “50% off mattress sales” because it is a straight up untruth and we respect our customer’s intelligence. We do offer lower cost mattresses, however, unlike most mattress retailers, we are upfront with you: Two adults will be comfortable on a $200 mattress for a few months to a few years and should be considered only a temporary sleep solution.
Instead of dumping a free pillow on you as a gift, we offer something called “Bonus Cash”. Bonus Cash is an accessory credit, good for any accessory in the store. Pillows, sheets, mattress protectors, or even frames. It is a way to say “Thank You” to our customers and is designed to enhance your new and exciting mattress purchase.
The next time you are perusing the newspaper for mattress sales and come across one of these dastardly catch phrases, realize that some things, especially in the retail world, are to good to be true. Buying a mattress takes time and patience and we provide skilled and honest consultation. We don’t want to take as much of your money as possible, we want you to get a better night’s sleep.
If you find a better deal than what we can provide, get a written quote and we’ll gladly match it. Supporting small businesses supports the local economy. Buying local has other benefits too, including great customer service before and after your purchase. We have many, many satisfied customers that gladly back us up. Can our competitors say the same thing?
Stop by one of our stores (located at 830 Plaza Blvd, Lancaster PA 17601 or 2481 Lincoln Hwy East, Lancaster PA 17602), give us a call at 717.299.6228 or visit us online.