Bedding producers offer hot values
By David Perry -- Furniture Today, August 4, 2008
Las Vegas — A blockbuster bedding market unfolded here for buyers seeking to put zip into sluggish mattress sales.
Retailers found sharply priced and value-added lines galore, as well as some spectacular showroom presentations designed to inspire and entertain.
Producers were generally pleased with traffic, but said the industry has a long way to go to resume its growth. "This is a survival year," said Simmons CEO Charlie Eitel. He advised retailers to keep promoting, push better bedding, and seek to raise sales tickets.
But for all the talk of a challenging economy, some producers took exceptional steps to stand out here.
Serta, riding a strong sales surge, was the co-sponsor for the Rod Stewart concert Monday night and hosted a lively showroom at market. "Traffic has been absolutely phenomenal," said President Bob Sherman.
Five Star Mattress, which cut prices on all of the beds in its line shortly before market opened, did better than officials there had expected. "We are so excited," said Donna Zett, president. "When retailers came in here their faces lit up. They were very pleasantly surprised by what we have done."
Zett said action was strong on products retailing from $499 to $749, and said memory foam beds were especially popular.
Comfort Solutions unveiled a dramatic and stylish showroom. The Grid2-designed space spotlighted several new products, including a design-your-own mattress line called Sleep Identity and the Perfect Contour Green line, which features soy-based foams and natural latex.
"We are very excited and enthused by the reaction to what we've done here," said Dave Roberts, president of Comfort Solutions. "Traffic in July is always a little lower than in January. But all the big guys were here and they did visit our space."
Tempur-Pedic, in a larger showroom in the World Market Center's new Building C, developed with the aid of design firm Info Retail, unveiled what it said was its most significant product rollout ever. Rick Anderson, president of Tempur-Pedic North America, said the new beds retail at $1,599, $2,599 and $2,799 and offer added value.
"Value trumps price every day with our consumers," Anderson said. He said the beds each meet specific consumer needs, and added that he was "pretty pleased" with traffic.
Sealy took steps to bolster its business at high-velocity price points. Three Special Edition Sealy-brand beds, with 10-year limited warranties, retail from $599 to $699, while the new Posturepedic Six Series retails from $699 to $799. In addition, Sealy introduced four dual-comfort Posturepedic beds, retailing from $899 to $1,299.
Philip Dobbs, senior vice president of marketing at Sealy, said he though the company had a good market. "Those retailers who did come are looking for ideas to build business and weather the storm."
Simmons unveiled its Beautyrest Studio line, retailing from $599 to $899. The beds have polka dots on the tape edges and offer European styling, Simmons said. And the company's new Natural Care Elite line of latex bedding retails from $2,799 to $4,999.
Spring Air showed a new "greener" bed in its Nature's Rest lineup. "We have been busy," said Bob Hellyer, CEO. "The feedback we are getting is that attendance overall is disappointing."
Tony Smith, president of International Bedding, said market was "a real success." The company touted an organic line and also did well with its Classic collection, which emphasized bedding retailing from $599 to $799.
Gerry Borreggine, president of Therapedic, said the growth of the World Market Center campus is changing traffic flows. "People are spread out across a bigger canvas," he said. "But you can see that there are fewer people here."
"We had a good market," said Earl Kluft, president of E.S. Kluft. "The right people came in. Those were retailers we wouldn't have seen otherwise." Kluft scored with new organic and natural bedding lines.
South Bay, showing a line of Chinese-made mattresses and sleep accessories, reported a good market. Other producers pleased with their markets included Gold Bond, Classic Sleep Products, Hollandia, Magniflex, Kaymed, Comfortaire, Natura and Eastman House.
