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Why Are Mattresses So Expensive? 10 Contributing Factors

Mattresses can range in price from a couple of hundred dollars to far into the thousands, depending on the model and brand. But why are mattresses so expensive? Knowing what goes into a mattress’ price is important before you buy one.

Below, we have prepared a list of reasons why mattresses come at such high costs so that you can better understand the matter.

10 Reasons Mattresses So Expensive

An inexpensive mattress typically costs around 200 dollars. More pricey mattresses, however, can run over 5,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

These bedding items can be extremely costly depending on a number of factors, including added features, cushion type, and longevity. Let’s take a closer look at these elements.

Materials

The price of the various mattresses is influenced by the expense of the raw ingredients. Naturally, beds manufactured with costly materials cost more money.

Manufacturers frequently build them from a variety of materials to increase their comfort and longevity. This contributes to the mattress price going up even further. Unfortunately, a mattress’s quality and longevity may not always be guaranteed by its greater cost.

Tips for a cheap mattress: go for memory foam, poly foam, gel-infused foam, polyester, or cotton materials, as they are the most affordable.

Size

Your mattress’ size has a say in its price tag since larger mattresses require more materials. The manufacturer must raise their pricing to cover the greater production costs. 

Shipping them also costs more due to their size and weight. In essence, the price increases depending on the bed size you purchase.

Tips for a cheap mattress: Various measurements are offered to assist you in selecting the ideal bed size for your requirements so that you may shop based on your needs. When you don’t need such a large sleeping area, there would be no sense in investing in a king-size bed that costs you significantly more money.

For a single person, a lesser size might still be cozy. A good tip is to estimate your space to avoid purchasing a bed that would make the room appear cluttered. It’s important to strike a balance between practicality and comfort.

Read more: Best Super Single Mattress

Duration

A decent mattress can serve you for 7 to 10 years before it starts to sag or exhibit other wear-and-tear indicators. Additional indications that your bed needs to be replaced include aches and pains the morning after sleeping or a lack of relaxation.

Tips for a cheap mattress: the price and time it takes for a bed to need replacement directly depend on the quality of the materials. 

A higher-quality mattress is more durable and is a wise long-term investment when you consider how important your mattress is in your daily life. It won’t need to be changed as frequently, and your sleep will be of higher quality.

Special Features

Temperature control, edge support, and cooling gel are add-ons that add up to a hefty price. Some mattresses even have unique features due to modern technologies; the more features and benefits the bed has, the higher the price.

Popular premium features also improve your sleep quality while raising expenditures. Popular attributes of luxury mattresses include cooling layers, adjustable features, etc.

Some brands even offer the Zoned Support feature, which means several materials are used to create the products. For instance, one mattress’ lower edge can be softer than its middle, which is where your back requires extra support.

Tips for a cheap mattress: weigh up your demands and health status first; for example, there is no need for a temperature control mattress if your room already has an air conditioner. 

Use Of Technology

Modern mattresses are made with a variety of technological advancements for improved comfort. Heaters, pressure-relieving devices, and sleep sensors are a few technologies used.

The type of technologies employed has a considerable impact on the price of the mattress. These technologies are incorporated into beds to increase consumers’ sleep quality, making them more soothing and healthy.

Some manufacturers even have started to offer technologies that can heat or cool your bed. This feature can be helpful for folks living in harsh regions or those who have trouble falling asleep if their environment isn’t warm enough. However, using this technology will increase a mattress’ cost.

Tips for a cheap mattress: our advice here is to make a priority list and set a budget before shopping to see what you need first.

Impact On Health

The well-being and health of a person can be considerably enhanced by a high-quality mattress, according to Healthline. A good item improves sleep quality and makes users feel less supported and more relaxed.

When used for both sleeping and other activities, a high-quality mattress provides consumers with more comfort and support. Playing with pets or kids, enjoying free time with lovers, or simply lying down to relax and feel better on a higher-quality mattress. A more costly mattress has a higher chance of boosting your health. So don’t be too upset if you bought a slightly more expensive mattress because you might be pleased with its benefits in the future. 

Tips for a cheap mattress: you can exclude the mattress’s effect on health when considering buying a new mattress unless the final users are the elderly.

Warranty

A warranty is a promise made by the company regarding its post-purchase support. So manufacturers who offer better guarantees are willing to raise mattress pricing. A decent warranty will cover all repairs, returns, and replacements.

Businesses usually offer a 5-year warranty at the very least, although 10 years is considered a lifetime warranty. The price will be higher if you choose a brand that provides a trustworthy warranty.

Tips for a cheap mattress: a 5-year guarantee is not half bad if your budget is tight now.

Delivery And Shipping

The high delivery cost is another major factor in the mattresses’ high price. You don’t just buy one when you make a purchase; there is a shipping fee. You will be required to pay a quite high delivery or shipping fee regardless of where you purchase it.

The shipping cost is ultimately incorporated into the mattress’ price, even if you purchase it from a mattress retailer. Because mattresses are so enormous and heavy, mattress shops and other online furniture businesses charge a lot for shipping or delivery services.

There isn’t much room for them to be transported on trucks. As a result, they are limited in how many they can distribute or carry each day. They have to raise their prices to compensate for their efforts.

The truck’s durability is also affected by the mattress’ weight. Because of the strain, the truck will deteriorate more quickly. The mattress store charges a steep premium for its shipping or delivery services to cover routine maintenance.

Tips for a cheap mattress: if you want to cut down on the delivery fee, invest in bed-in-the-box products, which means they come in assembling parts in small boxes and will expand to their true size when you open and work on them. Smaller parcels allow you to drive them home (if you can) or at least reduce the shipping cost.

Brand Value

Many customers now pay attention to the brand image and reputation before placing any order. Mattress producers invest tons of effort and time in shaping a unique benchmark for their products.

Such activities call for a lot of money, enhancing the mattress cost, so goods from renowned names are frequently more expensive than those from less reputable names.

People often take mattress shopping seriously when it comes to their sleep. They would rather pay higher prices for products from a reputed brand than a lower price for a mattress from an unknown manufacturer, and a mattress’ price can increase just due to the brand name.

Tips for a cheap mattress: reliable local brands might be a good place to shop for comfy and affordable bedding items instead of world-famous names.

Read more: Molblly Mattress Review

Marketing Tactics

Mattress manufacturers must employ the most innovative and distinctive ideas to make their products stand out from the crowd. These businesses apply various PR and marketing tactics to help sell mattresses.

And the budget channeled into these advertising campaigns will level up the average mattress cost.

Furthermore, the price of operating a business may rise due to the marketing and promotion required to make mattress vendors noticeable. These factors all speak volumes for the pricing you see while looking for a new bedding item.

Tips for a cheap mattress: you’d better buy one on holiday weekends, late winter, or early spring for more discounts. Or you can save money by purchasing a new bed online and avoiding some of the extra fees associated with in-store purchases.

Conclusion

Why are mattresses so expensive? Though more pricey than ever, mattresses today are also better made. The high cost of a new one is due to a number of factors. They employ better materials than in the past and gear towards catering to individual needs.

Though mattress items are pricey, you will find them way better than cheap ones, as shown in this video: 

FAQs

Is It Worth Spending Money On Expensive Mattresses?

Yes. A premium mattress is a terrific investment because it is created with the highest standards of quality and is built to last a lifetime. Considering how much time you spend in bed, buying a high-quality mattress that promotes and supports sound sleep is always worthwhile.

How Much Does It Really Cost To Make A Mattress?

It is hard to say the exact amount as it depends on many factors during the making process, such as the material, cost of labor, etc. The mattress’ true cost may never be known by anybody other than the manufacturers and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Are Mattresses More Expensive Right Now?

Yes. If you have been seeking a mattress recently, you’ve probably noticed that prices have risen significantly since March 2020. There are certainly legitimate causes for these price rises now, but few industry executives or retailers are going into great depth on them.

David Elkie

David Elkie

David Elkie is the CEO at Banner Mattress. He has been in the writing and editing business for the mattress, bedding accessories and décor industries for over 20 years.