More mattress brands than ever displayed product at the High Point Market this year — from newcomers like Diamond and Customatic to show mainstays like Bedgear.
The market has offered bedding manufacturers an opportunity to speak with a new clientele while providing attractive deals and sales strategies.
The mood was cautiously optimistic. Nearly everyone is ready for the election to be over so we can focus on other things. And though business is down in many parts of the industry, bedding exhibitors at the High Point Market offered ways to give retailers an upper hand at a time when foot traffic is down and each sale is becoming increasingly important.
Customatic brought its technology-infused beds to the market for the first time this year. COO Bill Bush says the market gives the company an opportunity to gain more business on the East Coast and for retailers to see product early so they can fine-tune it before the big Vegas show in January.
Front and center in the showroom was the company’s Independence mattress, an answer to ugly hospital beds that have mechanical issues. The mattress can lift a user to a standing position or lean back completely flat.
The company also displayed its DreamTemp collection — which includes non-temperature sensitive foam as well as dual heating for the back and feet. DreamSense is a tech-driven line with unique heating and cooling capabilities. Rather than infusing the mattress with cooling materials, the bed has fans that pull heat down and push it out the side of the bed.
AW Industries has seen the biggest growth with its Highclere line, according to Vice President of Sales Adrian Wertz. He says there has been a big ask for private-label products recently as dealers are arming themselves against a potential Tempur Sealy/Mattress Firm merger.
“Dealers are tired of manufacturers telling them how they should price and merchandise mattresses,” Wertz explains. “It’s hard for the smaller retailers to compete, and with collections like Highclere we can help protect dealers from having to compete with the bigger retailers. Each dealer has a special lineup that gets them better margins and ensures a higher close rate.”
This year, a limited-edition Highclere collection is being offered — one that features wool from sheep sheared at the historic castle. AW Industries bought a year’s supply of the wool and will use it in the mattress along with other materials like silk, Theragel foam and 800 coils.
The company also introduced adjustable bases for the first time, along with attractive signage that helps explain the features and benefits of each model. With four tiers starting at $599 and going up to $1,499, the bases offer features like built-in speakers and vibrations that sync up to the beat of the music. The top-tier bases hook up to the company’s AW Motion app.
A similar story was being told at Magniflex, which recently moved its manufacturing to New Mexico and hired Ian Hays as its vice president of sales. The industry veteran was previously a retailer and owned multi-store American TV, which was then purchased by Steinhafels.
Hays told Bedding News Now that Magniflex is focusing more on technology since it’s no longer manufacturing in Italy.
“We’re repositioning the brand for retailers and offering programs that lead to profitability and distinctiveness,” he says. “We’re helping retailers strengthen their bottom line by lowering customer acquisition cost, offering margin-focused products and making sure our partners have exclusive product.”
He explains that retailers have fallen into two categories. The first is the retailer who offers low prices to beat online competition. They are the ones who are struggling the most.
The successful retailer is mixing both bigger mattress brands with unique offerings like Magniflex that tell a different story about value proposition.
Dorel Home has been quiet about its successful mattress business, and according to Luke Zei, vice president of business and product development, the company has gained traction recently because of its domestic manufacturing capabilities.
“We’re able to add value with our Signature line and do little things a little better,” he says.
Mixing case goods with mattresses is a prime example. Throughout the showroom, the company had several wall beds and stand-alone cabinet beds that they paired with their Signature mattresses. By pairing the two and offering an attractive price, the company is growing its bedding business.
“It’s about the evolution of the product — how do we evolve to offer more out of a mattress?” Zei says.
A little over six months after Ashley acquired Resident, Brad Rogers says the company has seen significant growth in its account base. So significant, in fact, that he could not share the numbers on the record. However, he says the integration of Resident into Ashley has gone smoothly and that the two teams work closely to develop new product and utilize manufacturing efficiencies.
“We have very synergistic and compatible teams,” Rogers adds.
Ashley introduced its new promotionally priced bed Peak 2.0, which comes in three foam and three hybrid options at 8, 10 and 12 inches.
Increasing business and reaching new customers – By Dave Perry
Bedding companies are focusing on ways to help their retailers boost their business in a challenging retail climate in which door swings are limited.
For MLily that means rolling out a new sleep accessories program that includes sheets, pillows, a comforter and two duvet inserts.
“Retail sales associates need to focus on selling the whole sleep experience, including sheets, mattress protectors and adjustable bed bases and other products, to build their tickets,” says Derek Leishman, national sales director. “Retailers recognize that traffic is down. They can’t just sell a mattress. Selling sleep accessories increases the ticket and helps consumers have a better sleep experience.”
Sleep accessories are also the story at Yatas Bedding, which is showing three new toppers retailing from $199 to $299 in queen. The offerings include memory foam and latex models.
Chad Turney, USA director, says the toppers will help retailers build their sales tickets and will give consumers the opportunity to customize their sleep systems. “They can literally make their own bed,” he says.
Mark Akerman, sales director at Flexx Motion, says his adjustable bases are helping retailers boost their tickets.
“Consumers are buying but traffic is down in many retail stores,” he says. “Retailers have to get better at closing the customers who come in. Adjustable bed bases help close sales and increase sales tickets.”
Bedding Industries of America is helping its retailers grow their business by giving them support on their online and social media programs, and by giving them additional selling opportunities with its “Fab 5” merchandising program, which offers five comfort choices at one price.
“We are making it easier for retail sales associates to close the sale,” says Steve Karns, BIA’s national vice president of sales.
Bedding exhibitors also said the High Point Market is helping them reach new retail customers and expand their business opportunities with designers, a growing force in High Point.
South Bay International is making its High Point debut in the Furniture Plaza, where the company is seeing new retailers.
“If you are not at the Las Vegas and High Point Markets you are losing some opportunities,” says Toby Konetzny, South Bay’s chief executive officer. “Here in High Point I’m seeing furniture retailers who also have bedding. It’s a different set of buyers.”
South Bay is based in Rancho Cucamonga, California.
Expanding distribution is also a growth strategy at Diamond Mattress, based in Rancho Dominguez, California. The company has been expanding its reach to the Eastern Seaboard, which brought Shaun Pennington, Diamond’s CEO, to High Point for his first market visit.
“Retailers are starting to realize where we are showing in High Point and are coming to visit us,” Pennington says. “This is also a good team-building market for me. The conversations I’m having with members of our sales team will help them when they are on the road and will help our company as we build our team.”
Diamond is making its second High Point showing, with a showroom at the Atrium on Main with Fashion Bed Group.
Saatva.com, a direct-to-consumer mattress retailer, is enjoying a good market in its Interhall showroom in the International Home Furnishings Center, where it is seeing traffic from designers.
“High Point has been a strong market for us,” a Saatva representative said. “We have incredible designer awareness. This market we are having deeper conversations with the designers who are visiting our showroom.”
Saatva.com is doing well in the marketplace with a compelling marketing message of great products handcrafted in the United States and priced appropriately for the market. “Our brand awareness is on the rise,” the Saatva representative said. “That is contributing to our growth.”
Saatva’s offerings included its Classic model, retailing at about $2,100 for a queen mattress.
