Welcome to the Bedding Roller Coaster, a disquieting ride featuring plenty of twists and turns and ups and downs.
This, for better and, yes, for worse, is the nature of the mattress business these days. Business is down. Business is up. Here’s a report of tough times ahead. But here’s a report of a surprisingly strong sales bump.
How does the industry navigate this uncertain, ever-changing environment? We’ll have some thoughts on that in a few moments, but first let’s check out some recent industry reports that illustrate the nature of the mattress business these days.
Let’s start with some good news: an early, positive look at Memorial Day sales, which mark the traditional kickoff of the key summer mattress selling season.
Piper Sandler’s preliminary checks for furniture and mattress sales over Memorial Day weekend suggest sales were up in the low single digits. Retailers told the firm in late May that they were experiencing better sales for the second quarter thus far than in the first quarter.
And in another report, this one on its monthly mattress retailer survey, Piper Sandler found a notable improvement in April sales from February and March. April, the firm found, was “one of the strongest months in the last three years.” Sealy sales “showed notable improvement,” Piper Sandler reported.
That improving business climate is encouraging, but it may not be enough to lift the industry into positive sales territory.
The spring forecast issued by the International Sleep Products Association’s Statistics Committee, just released, suggests a tough year for the industry in 2025. The ISPA forecast calls for a 5.5% decline in total mattress units this year and a 3.5% decrease in shipment value.
But ISPA is forecasting a return to growth next year, when it sees total mattress shipments growing by 3.0%, with the value of those shipments expected to rise by 5%.
ISPA also released its 2024 annual sales report, which says the total mattress market (U.S.-produced and imported mattresses and stationary foundations) posted a 5.9% decrease in the wholesale dollar value of shipments in 2024, with units dropping by 5.7%.
So ISPA is confirming that 2024 was a down year and is now forecasting another down year in 2025.
That leaves us with this smorgasbord of good news and bad news, one that can be jarring.
What are bedding leaders to do?
The same thing those leaders have been doing the past few years: Keep their seat belts buckled, know that turbulent times lie ahead and stay focused on what they can control, namely their own business.
A while back, I asked leading bedding executives what their greatest opportunities will be in 2025. I still think that’s the best way to operate in the mattress business, to look ahead. There are always opportunities to be seized, even when business is up at the moment, but could be headed back down again before long.
Good luck weathering the storm. Remember: Things should be better next year.
