Too many mattress retailers missed great business-building opportunities at the recent Las Vegas Market. And that’s a shame.
Yes, savvy bedding retailers showed up in Las Vegas and were rewarded for their market visits. But the mattress showrooms were, generally speaking, lightly attended, an outcome that leaves me puzzled.
Sure, I know that business is challenged these days, with double-digit retail declines far too common. But I would think that in a sales climate like that, retailers would be more anxious to go to market and to make changes in their bedding lineups. I like this definition of insanity: doing the same things but expecting different results.
I heard a number of excuses for the light bedding turnout, all of which are easy to dismiss, as excuses always are.
The most common refrain was that business is tough these days. But isn’t that when the tough are supposed to get going? And if your response to tough business is to do nothing to improve it, get ready for even tougher days to come.
I also heard that bedding manufacturers were to blame because they didn’t introduce any new products. While it’s true that the January Las Vegas Market is the traditional launch time for major introductions, there were some notable new mattress lines at the summer market. Serta Simmons Bedding, for example, rolled out a total of 32 new Beautyrest and Serta models. So don’t tell me there was nothing new in Las Vegas.
And, of course, I heard that it is hot in Las Vegas in the summer. Two things need to be said about that. One, there is this thing called air conditioning, and it’s prevalent all over Las Vegas. Two, it’s a dry heat. Deal with it.
The mattress industry has invested too much in the Las Vegas Market to turn it into a once-a-year event. My quick look at the summer market buyers guide revealed that about 100 mattress and sleep accessory brands were on the scene and that more than a dozen seminars for home furnishings retailers were offered.
The excellent list of topics included insider sales strategies, how to use AI in advertising and marketing, and how to maximize media plans during the election season. Any mattress retailer would find those topics compelling.
We all know that the January Las Vegas mattress markets are blockbuster affairs, with major launches across the market. But the sheer breadth of those introductions each January creates an obvious opportunity in the summer for retailers to focus on something just as valuable as new products: new ideas.
Do we really think the key to success in Mattressville is solely a function of new products? Strategy, sales training and execution also play critical roles, and the summer market is a great time to focus on those issues. One mattress exhibitor told me he enjoyed a “phenomenal” summer Las Vegas market because he spent time digging into retailers’ digital marketing programs.
Personally, I had a spectacular summer market. I renewed long-time friendships, saw dozens of new mattresses and sleep accessories, was wowed by several showroom displays (more on those in a future column) and had long, thoughtful conversations about where the mattress business is headed — and why.
So I don’t want to hear any nonsense about skipping the summer market. If you are serious about the mattress business, there is plenty you can accomplish in summer trips to Las Vegas.
