The Internet’s Favorite Mattresses have arrived at Gardner’s!

The Internet’s favorite mattresses arrived at our store the other day – Nectar, Purple, Tuft & Needle, Casper and Amazon Basics 10”.

Our reasoning to bring these in and offer them for display is three fold. First, we have a lot of customers ask us about these products and since they are sold only online for the most part we felt we could be a resource and place for people to experience these mattresses in person.

Secondly, we brought them in because of their interest. Understand these companies combined spend a TON of money each month advertising their products and the benefits of a great night’s sleep. So yes, we are hitching our wagon to their advertising dollar so to say. But the benefit is you get to try them out in person.

And third we so believe that once you can try these products out you will feel what we have to offer in our store along with our increased in home and in store service points you will easily see the value when you shop locally with Gardner’s. And if not, well we at least were able to help you along your way. We are big boys here at Gardner’s and understand we won’t win all the business that is out there but we at least would like to be a part of the conversation.

More back story to why we brought these mattresses in to our store for you to try.

About 7 years ago just as we were celebrating the one year anniversary of Gardner’s big move (we are now 29 years into serving Lancaster County) we started to hear about this amazing new thing – beds rolled up and shipped in boxes.

This was ironic to our co-owner Jeff as he has spent 20 years in the industry and at one point represented Zinus, yes that Zinus found on Amazon and Walmart, in a direct relationship offering their boxed product to retailers from 2004 – 2006. Heck he even opened up a small distributorship importing their pillows for resale. So of course this wasn’t anything new, at least not to him.

What was new was the mix of slick online advertising. A combination of supposed unbiased review sites, digital ads that seem to follow you everywhere online, celebrity endorsers and investors. In addition to all of this advertising was the bold statement that one size fits all and if and when it doesn’t (of course this is contradictory to one size fits all as a statement) these companies would offer free returns with the mattresses being donated to charity. Oh, and that ALL (as in every single one, everywhere) mattress stores are greedy rip off artists out for one thing and one thing only, your money. Of course our reviews say otherwise, you can check them out here. https://gardnersmattressandmore.com/reviews/

Well, fast forward 7 years to 2019 and here is what we now know to be true about the online mattress retailers.

All of those who began saying one size fits all, now in fact have at least 2 but in most cases 3 or more mattress types they offer for sale. Here is the breakdown of just the companies we brought in to our store.

Tuft & Needle has three mattresses – their namesake, The Nod (sold on Amazon) The Mint

Purple has four mattresses – their namesake and then also their coil hybrid mattresses too, the 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0. Which is funny because original advertising slammed coils as being painful, but now they offer them. To each their own I suppose.

Nectar has four mattresses – their namesake, but their parent company also markets the Dreamcloud, Level Sleep, and soon enough a fourth mattress type I’m not allowed to name yet.

Amazon Basics comes in three profiles 8,10, and 12”

Casper has three mattresses – their namesake, the Essentials and the Casper Wave.

Returns are not so easy. They attempt to get you to keep the mattress by offering toppers to soften up their too firm mattresses. Of course we knew this to be the case all along as you can easily fix a firm bed with a topper but a too soft mattress is just too soft and nothing can be done. Once we understood that most of these mattresses are built to be firmer in nature we knew there would be high returns and dissatisfaction. Additionally it left to you to source the donation place and or arrange for pick up and transport. At Gardner’s when we sell a mattress we service it for life and when you need it delivered and set up, even when you make an exchange we have two strapping young lads who are excellent at what they do and they do all the heavy lifting for you.

Read more about our Wake Up Happy Guarantee here – https://gardnersmattressandmore.com/wake-up-happy-every-morning/

More often than not your mattress will not be donated, instead picked up and junked. Did you know we recycle more than 95% of all mattresses we remove from homes? We make 1-2 trips to the landfill each year with our 18’ box truck, that’s it. And more often than not those trips are with metal based store fixtures that have no more use to us, so they too are recycled in some fashion.

What is also interesting to us (given we write the checks for everything here) is the insane amount of money being spent on advertising. One brand listed here with a retail price of $699 freely share with us that they spend $260 to acquire a customer. This means that about 37% of the purchase price of this mattress is advertising.

As if high cost of advertising wasn’t enough the return rates also must be factored in. In total because of our expertise here at Gardner’s we exchange about 2% of our mattresses sold here. Online the consensus is that the return rate runs about 10%, with some reporting returns as high as 20%. This means with a 10% return rate that 9 out of 10 customers are paying for the 1 customer that returns their mattress.

But the most insidious part of all of this is the so called unbiased review sites. Most run afoul of proper disclosures as mandated by the FTC letting you know they earn a commission when you click their links. Other sites that do disclose their intentions do so with the smallest of fine print buried on their site. Maybe this isn’t an issue for you, maybe it is. At least you are now properly informed.

We also brought these mattresses into our store because these other companies have made it personal, taking direct shots at our integrity and how we choose to provide our employees, their families and ours.

These companies have taken some serious shots at traditional mattress retailers and while we certainly can agree with some of the statements that have been made – the mattress industry is full of deception and made up marketing words, what we can’t agree with are two main points they also attempt to make.

Point #1 – Mattress stores are evil profiteers swimming in money with a 7-8x mark up. Both Ben & Jeff (co-owners) of Gardner’s Mattress & More have a combined 30 years experience in the industry. Ben in retail, and Jeff in the manufacturing and wholesale side too, Jeff’s retail experience dates back to his partnership with Ben in Gardner’s Mattress & More.

Understand first that none of these online companies, are 501c3 non profits. Second, Casper specifically, has taken on over $55 million of big money from Wall Street since inception. Now I’ve never made money on Wall Street but we all know that Wall Street is not a very forgiving place when it comes to lackluster profits.

Further, from my experience (Jeff) I’ve found that the materials cost of most of these online mattresses range from $200 – $300 meaning that most all online companies enjoy a very healthy mark up too! Convenient how they are more than willing to assume what my store’s markup is, yet not walk you through that example isn’t it?!

Let me ask this, do you care about any of this? Likely Not.

(But hey, I (Jeff) am not one to just sit back when outright misrepresentations are said about how I choose to put food on my family’s table along with the 6 other families that look to Gardner’s for a steady paycheck.)

Which brings me to my next point and likely more valid point for you.

Point #2 – Do you really feel there is a one size fits all mattress for everyone? If so, show me your cookie cutter house, your same color, speed, and features car, your khaki pants and polo wardrobe and your same as everyone else hair style.

Not the same thing you say? I agree 100%! Here’s why.

We are all unique, we all have different shapes, different body sizes and most importantly different internal and external body structure and demands. Oh, and unique aches and pains too.

Show me a one size fits all mattress that 100 people love and I’ll show you 100 people who A) have been sleeping on the floor B) who have never had a quality mattress C) have such a poor quality mattress they can’t tell the difference D) all of the above.

Which brings me to my final point. Almost none of the reviews you read about on any of these online mattresses state the context and circumstance in which they were purchased.

No one states “I love my new mattress I can’t believe I was too cheap not to invest in a new one for 20 Years!” Just like no one says, “You know what, prior to sleeping on a futon I had leftover from college I thought sleep was just a formality, now it’s great!”

Truthfully anything that is new will feel great. And you know what maybe for some, not all, these online internet mattresses do feel great and for that we are grateful.

But you know what? If you really wanted, if we here at Gardner’s, felt that selling you a 10” piece of polyurethane foam much like the stuff found in your couch cushions and the seat of your car was the solution to sustained happy and pain free wake ups, we would sell it. It’s not. And for the record if we did, it would be about $499– Imagine that!

Want to know something else? We have a very nice selection of queen mattresses priced from $600 – $1000 (same price range as the online companies) and we can have them in your home very quickly too.

At the end of the day, we truly believe in the power of a good night’s sleep and all that it can do for you personally, for your family and for your community and that is why we decided to show these on our floor.

So come on in, check out what we have to offer, compare our mattresses to other options available to you. And if after that is done and you still want to buy one of these internet mattresses, be our guest we have free WIFI in the store!

Buy the online mattress, don’t buy it. At the end of the day we go to sleep just fine knowing we offer great sleep systems here at Gardner’s Mattress & More that truly transform our customers lives and deliver on the promise of a happy and pain free morning.

If that is what you are looking for, then we look forward to seeing you soon!

Number Bed from Instant Comfort

The Number Bed by Instant Comfort is the bed that adjusts with you and gives you Less Snore & More Cuddle!™

As you age your body changes and your quality of sleep suffers. Gardner’s Mattress & More is the exclusive retailer in Lancaster, PA of The Number Bed by Instant comfort the bed that changes with you to give you less snore and more cuddle!

This is a great mattress for all types of sleepers who suffer from:

• Back & Neck Pain
• Sleep Apnea & Snoring
• Poor circulation
• Acid reflux

Adjust your side of the bed to your own preferred level of comfort and support, keep the cuddle zone, reduce the snoring and take back your sleep!

Add a power base to maximize the benefits of this amazing Number Bed by Instant Comfort – watch TV, read, improve your health and get an increased quality of sleep like you never have before.

Right now take your choice of 5 years no money down, no interest-FREE financing – with your approved credit just sign sleep and dream.

Or pick our Number Bed Bundle with free sheets, free mattress protector and 10 years extended parts and labor warranty a $470 value yours FREE

You will only find the Number Bed by Instant Comfort, the less snore more cuddle bed that changes with you only at Gardner’s Mattress More.

Location Details:

Gardner’s Mattress & More

30 Plaza Blvd (Behind Park City Mall)

Lancaster, PA 17601 717-299-6228

Confused, do I need a bed frame or box spring, both? Help!

Yes, I share just under 10 minutes worth of knowledge all about bed frames, foundations and box springs. What each item is and how to evaluate if you need a new one or can just use your old one.

If you’re investing in an entirely new mattress you’ll learn what you need to know so you have the right pieces to properly enjoy all the benefits your new mattress offers you.

Learn more about Gardner’s Mattress & More by visiting www.GardnersMattressAndMore.com/about

How do I find the best support and comfort in a mattress?

Support vs. Comfort – which one is best when choosing a mattress?

Both! You must have both. A great mattress offers you a mix of both. The support found in a quality mattress will provide durable support for the heaviest parts of your body. Comfort will cushion and fill in to offer comfort and relieve pressure points will reducing tossing and turning.

But… There is a third component to finding a great mattress and getting a good night’s sleep so you wake up happy, and that is your sleeping posture. Watch the video to see me demonstrate what I mean when it comes to proper sleeping posture in bed.

Learn more about Gardner’s Mattress & More by visiting www.GardnersMattressAndMore.com/about

Why are two sided mattresses hard to find, do flippable mattresses exist?

The answer is YES! Two sided, flippable, or “old school” type mattresses still do exist and at Gardner’s we have an exciting assortment of them, 12 in fact on display for you to test out. From budget level to luxury level hybrids we have a great selection hand picked by Jeff & Ben for the perfect blend of comfort and support.

Two sided beds will no doubt extend the comfort life and enjoyment of your mattress versus a one sided mattress. You have four total sleeping zones in a two sided mattress versus a one sided mattress. This is not to say one sided mattresses are bad they offer value and some hold up and perform very well.

Your latex and memory foam type mattresses are better when made as a single sided option because the offer increased stability and support while being super comfy and if two sided the prices would be 30-40% higher. Value oriented beds are one sided as well and because of the need for value priced mattresses they are made one sided too.

Name brand level mattresses are one sided for a number reasons, mostly because they are most cost effective to manufacturer across their large scale operations. Additionally a one sided mattress is actually easier to pass when it comes to the government strict fire retardancy standards. All of this adds up to increased efficiencies when it comes to cost of manufacturing, materials and the price you pay.

If you’ve ever been let down by a one sided mattress that failed you prematurely be sure to seek out and try two sided mattresses, what is old is new again at Gardner’s Mattress & More in Lancaster, PA!

Gardner’s Mattress & More $5,000 Disney Vacation Contest

For more contest details visit – www.GardnersMattressAndMore.com/disney

As a small business we have any number of options available to us to grow our business and get the word out. Typically most businesses choose to spend money on advertising. However, advertising is very expensive and costly and truth be told even the advertisers, in our opinion, don’t have everything figured out and still very much rely on the ways of old to advertise the ads we pay for.

So….we realized that we have own advertising platforms we control 100%. Like this one, right here on YouTube. And our email marketing list. And our Facebook page. We can take the money we would otherwise spend on advertising (and let’s face it the last thing the world needs is more mattress advertising) and pay it back to our customers in the form of a fun, exciting and valuable contest!

Here’s the catch. It’s free to enter. You gain entry by referring your friends and family and coworkers, there is no purchase necessary to win. However, we are funding this 100%, this is a form of advertising. Therefore in order for us to award the prize we need to generate to $50,000 in sales from those you refer to Gardner’s Mattress & More for us to afford this prize.

In actuality this is very doable and we very much want to award the prize. So help us help you! Refer your friends, tell everyone you know about this contest. The holidays bring in guests to your home. Evaluate every mattress in your home, maybe it’s time for an upgrade. Sheet sets and custom made, custom fit pillows and gift certificates make great gifts too! All of these sales, when referred to us, will help us “tip” this contest over and award an amazing $5,000 Disney Vacation!

Full contest details can be found by visiting, www.GarndersMattressAndMore.com/disney

Pillow Fundraiser for your school and PTO fundraising needs!

Learn more about Gardner’s and Fill Station pillows by visiting https://gardnersmattressandmore.com/f…

We understand the needs for your school & organization to fundraise and want to help. If you’re tired of the same old fundraisers – subs, chocolate bars, coupon books and even more frustrated with diminishing returns and chasing money and inventory – then you should consider a turn key pillow fundraiser with Gardner’s Mattress & More!

We offer you the ability to:

Bring our unique and one of a kind Fill Station Kiosk to you and your supporters.

Custom logo your pillows (school logo, sport, band, etc.) should you choose to do so.

Send out (to your email list, on your website, on your social media pages) a unique & secure online order form so we can process payment and simply write you a check for the total owed to you.

Full reporting of all sales will be provided as well. This means you never chase payments, bad checks, or have children that lose or misplace cash.

Hold a fun fill party at the school – you might even consider a pillow fight too!

We can even help you to create marketing pieces and video to help promote your event!

The best part of our pillow fundraisers is that Gardner’s is a local business who will support and service what you sell long after the sale. If the pillow anyone purchases isn’t to their 100% liking they can visit our stores and have the pillow adjusted, re-fluffed, or have the firmness changed for up to 5 years.

No more disappointed supporters of your fundraiser who are unhappy with their soggy subs, smaller quantity of pizza ingredients in the pizza kit, outrageously priced popcorn and coupon books that don’t stretch the dollar as far as they once did.

If you’d like more information about our fundraisers please contact us using the contact form on our website found here – https://gardnersmattressandmore.com/d…

Get your mattress shopping journey off on the right foot

Futons vs. Sofa Beds vs. Daybeds

In this video post we discuss the differences between futons (not at all made you like you thought they were) versus sofa beds and daybeds.

Today the futons we offer at Gardner’s Mattress & More come in a variety of styles, comforts and even fabric choices. To begin with a complete futon package is comprised of three different components. Your frame, your mattress and the finished fabric.

Frames we offer are all wood frames for durability and style. Sure, there are cheaper metal frames out there, but they are cheaper. As such we wouldn’t put those items in our home so we won’t sell them to you for your home. We offer two different types of wood frames – solid hardwoods and solid oak frames with different arm styles to meet your design and style preferences.

When it comes to mattresses this is where our expertise to help you find the right fit in a mattress is immensely helpful. First consider will your futon be used for mostly sitting or mostly sleeping? Or will the time be split between both sitting and sleeping, and if so how often will you open and close your frame? All of these questions are best answered in person when you visit our store so we can help you find the right blend of comfort and support in your futon mattress as well as how your comfort choice fits the frame you choose for ease of use.

Lastly, when it comes to fabric there are no shortage of futon cover options available to you. However, we have found that most prefer a fabric cover that is tufted to the mattress so it presents as a crisp and finished piece of furniture. We have about 20 different solid color fabric options to choose from. We suggest selecting a color that fits your base decor and then if you want to spice up the style choose a futon cover that ties into a season, holiday spirit or other design choice you may like.

Compared to sofa beds futons are bar none far more comfortable simply because there is no metal bar in your back as is found in every sofa sleeper ever made. A quality futon mattress will be at least 8” in profile, sometimes up to 12” in profile and has many attributes you might find in premium mattresses. Additionally, a futon will fit easily in a basement or upper floor where turning corners in hallways and stairwells would present a problem for a traditional sofa sleeper.

Daybeds can certainly be great solutions for guest rooms with tight spaces but really only work well as a sleeping surface. To sit on them comfortably is not an option as you would need to sit over 40” back, or deep, into the daybed to rest against the back rest of the daybed. Compare this to most premium sofas or futons that sit about 25” – 28” in depth to the back cushion.

And while the premise of daybeds with a rollout pop up trundle & mattress in theory are nice, the reality is that the trundle mattress often needs to be less than 7” in profile. This means to have a usable “king size” mattress once the daybed is used with the pop up trundle & mattress combo you need to have both mattresses be 7” in profile which isn’t comfortable at all to sleep on or sit on. The alternative would be to have a nice quality mattress on the daybed side but this leaves you with an uneven combination when used as a “king size” set up.

In the end futons are far more versatile, comfortable and cost effective – plus, if one piece wears out, for example the mattress, you can simply replace the mattress. And should your style choice change, keep your mattress but replace the frame.

Why are good mattress reviews so hard to find?

If you’re looking for great advice when it comes to buying a new mattress go to www.GardnersMattressAndMore.com/about

Let’s talk mattress reviews.

Where do you go, who do you listen to? Can you trust review sites? What about Consumer Reports aren’t they unbiased, think again!

In this video I reveal why mattress reviews are so frustrating and conflicting. In this episode I share some insights as to why good reviews on mattresses are hard to find. Leave your feedback in the comments and if you have any questions about this video or would like to schedule a time to meet with us please connect via the contact form on our website.