Industry trade shows have evolved in various ways since Covid and continue to change and progress in unique ways as we face new global challenges. For the summer Las Vegas Market, face-to-face interaction and networking are king, and that was evident at the market last week.
Chris Taheny, VP of sales for Cariloha, summed it up in a recent LinkedIn post: “Market doesn’t reward attendance. It rewards positivity, excitement, preparation, discipline, and positioning.”
This idea ran through the market as exhibitors brought out fresh, updated and redesigned products to help retailers bring something unique and different to their floors so they can win the rest of the year.
Serta Simmons Bedding (SSB) debuted its new partnership with Skechers in style by opening a small showroom dedicated to the brand. In addition to mattresses, it also had shoes and athletic wear, showing how the brand aims to tie its product categories together to further its message as a lifestyle brand.
The mattress line incorporates innovations from Skechers footwear, making it a true collaborative effort. Skechers is the third-largest footwear brand behind Nike and Adidas, and SSB aims to leverage the partnership to drive Skechers customers to retailers nationwide.
“We are hitting on the wellness factor by letting people know they can slip off their Skechers shoes at night and slip into their Skechers mattress,” said Jamie Wallis, SSB’s VP of communications. “We will provide tools to our retailers to harness the power of the brand and drive store traffic. We are also offering deals like a free pair of shoes with the purchase of a mattress.”
The collection includes 9 beds, 7 flat-pack and 2 mattress-in-a-box models. Wallis said the next step is protectors, pillows and sheets, which he said are coming for the January market.
Adaptiv Sleep, a new mattress company formed by industry veterans Greg Jent and Jason Farrugia, launched its five model collection. The line features mattresses ranging from $1,499 to $3,499.
Jason Farrugia, co-founder of Adaptiv said the company has a unique business model: A direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand that favors brick-and-mortar retailers.
While the brand plans to have the online presence and power of an online brand, it will focus on driving traffic to retailers. Four of the company’s models will be available online and in stores, but the flagship model — the Summit Ultra Plush — will only be available in select retail stores.
Englander refreshed its entire 21-line-up collection this market, addig sleek new fabrics as well as its first-ever hand-button-tufted mattress, which CEO Lou Paige said was very well received.
“We continue to focus on our latex story and how we can make the Englander story better,” Paige said. “We are investing in our retailers with updated products that offer retailers aggressive margins.”
Elite Comfort Solutions unveiled a new white-label line of mattresses ranging from $299 to $1499. The price range offers retailers multiple options, and the company’s strategy is to help drive all types of consumers to their retail partners.
At the lower end, the line features beds that are of higher quality than your average online retailer, but at a price that can compete with Amazon. Then, retailers can walk customers up within the same line by explaining the added features and benefits of each.”
“We’re worried about retailers at the middle tier,” said Scott DeSantis VP of sales of Elite Comfort Solutions. “They need to think differently about their business model and build a line that’s theirs—and one where they can trade up.”
DreamFit has perfected its patented Grounding Sleep technology that moves static electricity out of a person’s body and through the bed. Static can disturb a person’s sleep by causing discomfort throughout the night.
To show the power of the innovation, a small console with a handprint on top is placed next to the beds. Touching the console first, it reads the levels of static electricity your body gives off. If you hold your hand on it and touch a light, it shoots up to 999. But as soon as you touch the bed, the number instantly drops to zero as it is drawn through the bed.
“We will start sending out the Grounding Sleep models to retailers this year,” said Chealen Martin, president of DreamFit. “Business is up for us thanks to our retail partners. People are understanding the power of the system.”
The company also unveiled luxury bamboo sheets, and Martin said it’s difficult to make bamboo that can stay feeling like-new after 200 washes. “We have achieved this, and we believe these top-of-the-line sheets will raise ticket prices for retailers,” he added.
Most adjustable bases only have head and foot reclining action, but Nisco has taken bases to another level with RippleFlexx, an innovation it calls the future of adjustable sleep.
Five bars in the base raise and fall in a ripple effect controlled by airflow. The immersive experience stretches out a person’s body and relaxes them. An app controls the settings and the system includes features like auto shut-off.
At market, a screen next to the base displayed the results of a sleep sensor, showing which areas of your muscles are weighed down most. When you move on the mattress, it automatically adjusts to relieve the pressure points in real time. The system does this continually throughout the night.
Though some retailers chose to skip the market this summer, those who attended were not disappointed with the opportunities it provided.
