Carson, Calif. — Sit 'n Sleep has found success in the ultra-competitive bedding marketplace by marching to its own drummer.
The company rarely advertises prices, a hallmark of many sleep shops. Instead, President Larry Miller delivers a pre-emptive strike.
"We'll beat any advertised price or your mattress is freeeee!" Miller says in the broadcast ads that constitute the bulk of the company's advertising.
With that out of the way, Sit 'n Sleep can concentrate on other messages: The company boasts that it offers the largest selection of mattresses anywhere in the country, a claim no one is disputing.
"We offer lots to choose from," Miller says modestly. That means a potent lineup of the leading brands: Sealy, Stearns & Foster, Simmons, Serta, Spring Air, Chattam & Wells, Nature's Rest and Tempur-Pedic. Miralux is a house brand produced by IBC. Another house brand is Best Bedding.
Together, those brands are represented by up to 150 beds per store. And at about 12,000 feet each, the units are several times larger than the typical sleep shop.
The sheer scope of the offerings is staggering. Miller figures that his stores carry five times as many mattresses as the average mattress store.
The Sit 'n Sleep stores also produce results that are many times larger than the average sleep shop. While $1 million per store is considered a good volume for a typical sleep shop, Sit 'n Sleep generated about $6 million per store last year.
Part of the magic at Sit 'n Sleep comes from a customer-focused approach to the business.
Building trust
"You have to spend enough time with consumers," Miller said. "The consumer has a favorite subject — and it's them. Shopping for a mattress is a grudge purchase. Consumers don't want to buy a mattress. But we focus on the consumer. We let them talk about themselves."
In so doing, the sales associates build trust with customers. And in that climate, with more than 100 beds for consumers to choose from, sales flourish.
In addition to the broad selection, Miller lists these strengths of his company:
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"The best trained sales associates. Our people are the best of the best. There are a long list of people who want to work for us."
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"The best customer service and back up."
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Some of the best marketing programs," including a recent emphasis on the Hispanic market. Key sales messages in the stores include signs in Spanish.
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A "very efficient delivery system," which provides free delivery by the company's "white-gloved team" within most of its market area, with a minimum purchase of $399. The team removes old bedding at no charge. That bedding is donated to a charity or recycled.
Miller sees additional growth opportunities in the Los Angeles market. Next month, the company will open its 13th store in the greater Los Angeles area. For 2004 and the beginning of 2005, plans call for four or five more stores.
At that point, Miller said, Sit 'n Sleep will have the L.A. market pretty well covered.
The stores, all in A+ locations, are strategically situated near the freeways that crisscross the vast Los Angeles market. None of the stores is in downtown Los Angeles. Instead, they populate the prosperous suburbs that surround the city.
The Culver City store generates the highest volume in the chain.
Sit 'n Sleep is considering locating stores in Hispanic communities. Los Angeles is a melting pot, Miller said, and some consumers are more comfortable shopping in their own neighborhoods.
