The Fourth of July has historically been an important holiday for the bedding industry. It marks the halfway point of the year, kicks off the third quarter, and offers a chance to boost sales.
Despite weakened consumer confidence and economic headwinds, bedding retailers remain optimistic. To get a glimpse into the marketplace, I interviewed a handful of retailers across the country about their Fourth of July outcomes.
Jacksonville Bedding Mattresses & More, a two-store retailer in Jacksonville, Florida, ran a “Red, White & Snooze” event with brand-specific promotions rather than a blanket percentage-off sale. Depending on the manufacturer, consumers could save between 15% and 50%.
The retailer also offered a free $250 gas card with qualifying purchases, which owner RJ Williams said “tied in well with holiday travel and resonated with customers.”
Other offers included interest-free financing, which Williams said remains one of the strongest tools for helping customers invest in better sleep without increasing their monthly budget.
Throughout this year, retailers across the U.S. have found that flexible financing options are an important incentive for consumers, and that this remains true.
Williams said customers continue to gravitate toward premium products instead of shopping for the lowest price. He also observed that they appeared even more educated before entering the store, with specific brands and technologies in mind. Although there was more intentional shopping happening in the store, Williams said the retailer was down approximately 20% compared with last year’s Fourth of July weekend.
“The biggest factor was showroom traffic,” Williams said. “We saw noticeably fewer customers come through the doors than during the same holiday period last year. While our close rate remained strong, there simply weren’t as many opportunities due to lighter traffic.”
Similar to Jacksonville Bedding Mattresses & More’s promotion, Gardner’s Mattress & More in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, ran a 1776 Sleep Upgrade Event, where select purchases of $1,776 earned a $250 gift card for gas. Jeff Giagnocavo, co-owner of the retailer, shared that the store was up (in the low single digits) over last year. For the same period in 2025, the retailer broke its own sales records.
“Given the current headwinds, we were very happy with the results,” he said.
Giagnocavo also observed that compared to Memorial Day, customers during the Fourth of July weekend were a harder sell. “Memorial Day seemed to have more pent-up demand from customers ready to invest, whereas in July, we had to bring them along.”
He added that they had great tickets, with many between $7,000 and $10,000, and a few higher than $10,000. Giagnocavo said the retailer is consistently in the low to mid-70% range for conversion rates on first-time visits to close. That number typically dips on holidays, but it held steady.
As for Gardner’s Mattress & More’s results, Giagnocavo said: “We’ve stayed consistent with our better sleep messaging, and we’ve not taken our foot off the gas even in slower months that bookend Q2; we continue to build momentum and gain market share.”
Mattress Express, a retailer with 14 locations in upstate New York, has also been consistent with its messaging. Owner Kevin Fear said his investment in digital advertising influenced his results.
Over the same period last year, he said single-store sales were up 26%, and including the retailer’s stores that have opened since the Fourth of July 2025, sales were also up 26%. Fear described traffic and conversion rates as decent and said he observed customers gravitating toward premium products, with a notable shift toward customers purchasing more Tempur-Pedic products.
While retailers reported mixed results depending on their market, suppliers also saw encouraging signs during the holiday.
Bedgear participated in the holiday period with promotional offers across select products and categories, financing options and retail partner-specific promotions.
According to Eugene Alletto, CEO of Bedgear, the company’s sales were up compared to the same period last year. However, he did not disclose a specific percentage. Alletto added that the strongest categories were accessories, including pillows, mattress protectors and sheets.
Looking ahead to Q3, retailers are optimistic.
Alletto said that Bedgear’s results reinforce what they’ve been seeing throughout 2026: Consumers remain selective but are willing to spend when they see clear value and meaningful product differentiation. He added that brands also have a responsibility to invest in growing the category and driving traffic for their retail partners.
Williams echoed Alletto’s sentiments and said that he is cautiously optimistic heading into the new quarter.
“While traffic may fluctuate with broader economic conditions and the calendar, consumers remain willing to invest in quality products when they understand the value they receive,” Williams said. “I believe independent retailers who focus on education, provide a differentiated shopping experience, and offer premium products with strong financing options are well-positioned moving forward.”
Williams said that if consumer confidence improves and showroom traffic returns to “more typical levels,” there are meaningful opportunities for the remainder of the quarter. Giagnocavo, however, is looking even further ahead to Q4.
“Q4, I think, will feel like a presidential election year cycle, given the intensity of the midterms,” Giagnocavo said. “We will be planning a big anniversary event in October, building our list, and offering compelling values to bring the customer along in what will likely be an ugly election cycle on top of the current economic headwinds.”
While no single holiday weekend defines the year, this snapshot suggests consumers remain selective rather than absent. The challenge isn’t convincing consumers to buy—it’s getting them through the front door.
