In recent years mattress/bedding retail dealers have become more and more knowledgeable about the various options available to today’s mattress consumer from traditional innerspring choices and latex and temperature sensitive foam to air, water, gel and adjustable beds. As new bedding products have come into the marketplace, retailers have also become increasingly informed about the components and materials that go into these beds from all-natural , organic or sustainable materials to new technology synthetic foams, fibers, gels, barriers, non-wovens, woven, and knit mattress covers to name a few items. With health, performance and fire retardant issues coming to life, a growing number of retailers have not been content simply buying standard, finished mattress lines from manufacturers. Retailers are working closely with their manufacturers to obtain just the right product mix. They want to protect their interests and those of their customers, and they have been playing an active role in the design, development and production of the mattress lines they purchase.

Retailers are increasingly aware of the health, performance and life-renewing aspects of new mattresses including a better understanding of posture/full body support, conformance, and comfort. Recently retailers have also become aware of the fact that a really better night’s sleep starts from the floor up. Place a new mattress and foundation on a poor bed base or support system and before long the entire performance of the new mattress will be severely compromised.

For mattress, bedding and bedroom furniture retailers the worst nightmare (perhaps even worse than not making a sale) is a mattress/box spring return. Returns involve myriad problems: dealing with angry, frustrated customers, loss of goodwill, wasted time and service personnel and loss of revenue . . . dealers all know the drill. Returns are a royal pain in the lumbar! Many returns can be prevented in the first place, and retailers could even increase their profit margin while giving the customer better support and greater satisfaction with his or her mattress/box spring purchase.

The heart of the problem:

Over the past decade, furniture stores, department stores, sleep shops and specialty sleep shops have sold a significantly higher percentage of heavy, premium and ultra premium innerspring and specialty sleep systems. High profile luxury beds, sometimes over eighteen inches deep, can weigh anywhere from 180 to 300 lbs or more. According to a leading new technology bed support system company, Knickerbocker Bed of New Jersey, "the problem is precipitated by the increased weight of the mattresses and box springs being sold. As the mattress industry has developed new and improved features that enhance the sleeping experience (think visco-elastic and latex foams and extra comfort layers of quilting), the average thickness of a higher end mattress has grown by almost 40%, and its weight has increased in some cases to almost 300lbs. This additional burden is transferred initially to the box spring and ultimately to the bed frame or support system."

It is not just the weight of the higher-end or new technology mattresses and foundation systems. Often people purchase these premium-priced, heavy sleep systems and place them in an old-fashioned bed (perhaps a family heirloom) that was never designed to hold a 200 or 300 lb sleep system. In recent years imported beds from Asia and other parts of the world have been purchased for American bedrooms. However the support systems in the bedroom ensembles are actually inferior even to the old wood slat system. Frankly one top "S" brand executive recently noted that neither the imports, nor the old wood slat systems, are really sufficient to provide proper support for today’s new, heavy mattresses and box springs.

In order to help retailers and manufacturers better understand what bed base, adjustable, foundation and support systems are available, we are featuring a few companies and their products (there are many more foundations not shown here):

Knickerbocker Bed Company

"The nation’s largest manufacturer of premium bed frames" offers a full range of frames and support systems ranging from $49 to $199. The company has the most robust research and development program in the industry, resulting in more than 12 patents—the most bed support patents awarded in the last five years. All of Knickerbocker’s products are manufactured in the United States from domestic raw materials. All the bed frame and support systems were designed for easy installation, either by the consumer directly or by the delivery company. According to Knickerbocker and published reports, their bed support systems are sold by such well recognized bedding, mattress and bedroom furniture retailers as: Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Strawbridge and Clothier, Filenes, Bon Marche, Burdines, Jordan’s and HOM Furniture.

For information, call (800) 526-6294 or visit www.bedbridge.com

The SMART BASE^™ Steel Bed Frame

With over 50 years of experience supplying the furniture industry with steel bed products, the name Glideaway is synonymous with quality, service and reliability. With 11 patents to their credit, Glideaway has always been involved in creating innovative, problem-solving products for their dealers. Their history of innovation made it a natural with the specialty bedding; Glideaway owners felt that there was an opportunity to expand the products they offered to their dealers. From this opportunity came the Glideaway Sleep Products line of specialty bedding products. Glideaways’ network of dealers responded very favorably to the initial rollout of products and as a result their facility and logistics system has been expanded to accommodate the increase in business.

The newest specialty sleep innovation presented this fall by Glideaway is the "Smart Base"^™. The Smart Base takes the place of both the bed frame and the foundation while providing many exciting benefits. The all-steel construction is made with 12 legs of support (queen and king) making it one of the strongest support systems available. The Smart Base allows for 13" of storage under the bed giving customers an unheard of amount of extra space in the bedroom. The Smart Base comes in a box that can be sent via UPS, saving on warehouse space and allowing for internet sales fulfillment. An optional bracket set allows the customer to attach a headboard and footboard. Easy, quick assembly makes it a very attractive add-on sale for any customer. Since the system is all-steel, there is no worry of CFR1633 compatibility. The Smart base is also available in twin and full size which is perfect for back-to-school bedding packages offering extra storage under the bed to offset inadequate space in dorm rooms.

For information call Larry Bourneuf at (314) 724-4482 or visit www.glideaway.com

Flex-A-Bed’s base is the answer to improving a good night’s sleep. Hand built by expert craftsmen in the company’s LaFayette, Georgia factory, using the same principles of care and consideration on which they have built their reputation since 1969, Flex-A-Bed’s quality beds are welcoming, durable and comfortable. Flex-A-Bed understands that the foundation for a good night’s sleep begins with the base.

"Consumers are looking for a whole lot more between the foundation and platform and that is why we have four inches of polyurethane foam on top of our base, which adds to the comfort of our beds," says Max Morrison, Flex-A-Bed president. "In addition, we fabricate and use AC motors to power our beds, as they are proven to be more durable, and they are American made."

Those interested in an adjustable bed also need to look at the where and how a bed flexes as not all beds are created equal. "Customers have told us for years that our beds have flex points that truly make a difference in the quality of their sleep and the comfort of the overall bed," says Morrison.

For additional information call (800) 421-2277 and ask for Sandy or Brenda

or visit www.flexabed.com

Port-A-Foundation

Spaldin Sleep Systems

Spaldin Sleep Systems, a European manufacturer of unique and innovative mattresses and adjustable beds, introduces a new portable metal foundation which replaces both the bed frame and the bed base. The all-in-one "Descanso" unit is constructed of a metal frame with beech wood slats, which are positioned horizontally, adding support for the rows of pocket coils in a mattress. The slats are flexible and function as a spring, adding comfort and over-all support for the mattress. This portable foundation is an open base unit, allowing foam mattresses to breath. The frame is an all metal unit with metal legs for extra support.

The "Descanso" Foundation folds, can be shipped in a box and is transportable via UPS or FEDEX, reducing time and costly freight. The unit can be placed into an SUV or Van by the customer, carried home and assembled without tools. It can be transported through narrow doors and around corners for ease of handling. The "Descanso" Unit is offered in all standard sizes.

Sto-A-Way Bed Base and Storage

As evidenced by a number of top 100 retailers that carry the Sto-A-Way, the bed base and storage system has proven to be a viable asset to any bedding retail store. According to Nelson Bercier, Vice President of Sit n Sleep, "The Seahawk storage foundation is a quality foundation that, as a retailer, helps us raise our average ticket but also gives our customers a good solution for extra storage that is always needed." With as much storage as a six drawer dresser, the Sto-A-Way is an option that can be sold with most any mattress. It is fully CFR1633 compliant. The Sto-A-Way is an up-sell item that increases sales and profits without using any additional floor space. The Sto-A-Way is a quality piece of furniture that is covered in a neutral colored micro fiber and uses a standard metal frame. The Sto-A-Way is available in all sizes and carries a 10 year warranty.

To see the Sto-A-Way, please visit building "B" space B-0970 in Las Vegas or call for an appointment to learn how you can add more profit dollars to your bed sales.