Because you only need a new mattress every seven to 10 years, it’s pretty likely that you’ve never had the opportunity to buy a mattress online before. Now, there are hundreds of options available that you can order with the click of a button and have it show up at your doorstep.
So how do you buy a mattress online without actually trying it out in person? Don’t worry — it’s easier than it sounds. I’ll explain everything you should know about buying a mattress online and help you decide if buying an online mattress is a good option for you.
Should You Buy A Mattress Online?
Buying a mattress online can be intimidating, especially for the first time. Although it may seem like too big of a purchase to make online, there are actually a ton of great benefits when you purchase a mattress on the internet.
Pros of Online Mattress Shopping
- Save money. When you shop online vs in-store, you cut out the cost of the middleman. You’ll be able to get a high-quality mattress for a fraction of the price by purchasing from a direct-to-consumer, online mattress company.
- Shop conveniently online. No need to carve out time to drive across town and hit up your local mattress or furniture store. Instead, you can shop from the convenience of your home. Plus, you don’t have to deal with a salesperson trying to push products at you to make a commission.
- Browse an unlimited selection. There are hundreds of online mattress companies to browse online. You can truly do unlimited comparison shopping, unlike the experience you’d have in a store.
- Better warranties. When you shop online, you can expect to find warranties that last 10 to 20 years. In fact, some companies even offer lifetime warranties. It’s difficult to find these kinds of terms at traditional mattress stores.
- Long trial periods. Online mattress brands also offer in-home trial periods that range from 90 days to one year. This gives you ample time to test out the mattress at home and see if it works for you. If you change your mind, you can easily return the bed and get a full refund.
- Delivered right to your doorstep. No need to hire movers. When you order online, the mattress is conveniently shipped right to your home. Some companies, like Saatva, even offer free white delivery. This means delivery professionals unbox the mattress and place it on your bed frame.
Cons of Online Mattress Shopping
- You don’t “try before you buy.” You won’t get the experience of actually feeling the mattress before you charge your credit card, which makes some people nervous. Luckily, many online mattress companies offer generous sleep trial periods with free returns (more on that later).
- Browsing on your own may be overwhelming. Some online mattress companies have great customer service and chat functions to help you out, but some may offer a lackluster customer experience.
- You don’t get help from salespeople. Instead, you’ll have to do the research yourself. Fortunately, there are a lot of great resources online. My mattress buying guide tells you everything you need to know.
- Returns can be a hassle. Some companies require a pickup fee if you decide to return your mattress. This means you won’t get a full refund.
- Can’t negotiate price. At traditional mattress stores, you can haggle with the salespeople. When you shop online, the price is fixed. It’s important to note, however, that many mattress stores inflate the initial price. Most of the time, you’ll get a better deal if you buy the mattress online.
RELATED: What’s the Best Place to Buy a Mattress?
Steps To Buying A Mattress Online
If you decide buying an online mattress is right for you, here’s the steps you can take.
1. Research
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t know much about mattresses. Or maybe you think there’s not much to know. It’s just a mattress, right? Aren’t they just a one-size-fits-all product?
Surprisingly, there are a lot of distinguishing factors between mattresses, and depending on your sleeping position, body type, and other preferences, some mattresses will be much better for you than others.
Some of the main factors to look into include:
- Which type of mattress (i.e. memory foam, innerspring, latex, hybrid) will be best for you based on your sleeping position?
- Which type of mattress will be best for your body type?
- Do you need a mattress with certain cooling factors?
- Do you need a mattress with certain qualities that are good for pain relief (i.e. pressure relief, spine alignment)
2. Take the Mattress Quiz
To make things simple, we created a mattress quiz. Simply answer basic questions about your body type, sleeping position, and preferences, and we will match you with a mattress that should meet your needs. The whole process only takes about five minutes, and it saves you hours of online research.
3. Browse Online Mattress Brands
Once you’ve done your basic research and taken our mattress quiz, you’re ready to start narrowing down your options.
The truth is, there are probably several mattresses that will meet your needs. But you spend a third of your life asleep, so it’s important that your mattress exceeds expectations. If you run hot, you may want to find a mattress that’s particularly breathable. If you share a bed with a partner, you may want to find something that isolates motion well.
You can also check out my mattress guides to help you discover the top brands for each mattress type:
- Best memory foam mattresses
- Best innerspring mattresses
- Best latex mattresses
- Best hybrid mattresses
- best cooling mattresses
Now you can start learning about some of the top online mattress companies like Casper, Purple, Tuft & Needle, Nectar, Saatva, Brooklyn Bedding, and more.
4. Read Online Mattress Reviews
When you’re ready to start learning about specific mattresses (sometimes brands offer upwards of 10 different mattresses!) you can read online mattress reviews.
Here at Mattress Clarity, our team of experts personally test each mattress we review, so you can see a personal account of what each mattress is like. We test out the mattress in different sleeping positions and evaluate its comfort and support levels based off of our extensive industry research.
You can also check out my video reviews to see me test these mattresses in real-time!
5. Compare Your Top Picks
At this point, you’ve probably got a couple options in mind. Comparison shopping is easier than ever when you’re doing it online.
Take a look at my mattress comparisons to see how different mattresses stack up side by side. This will help you figure out where each mattress shines, and you can learn which one will be best suited for you.
6. Check For Savings To Get A Good Deal
One of the benefits of purchasing a mattress online is that you get the mattress for a better price by cutting out the middleman. You also can scour the internet for the best deals and coupons.
Before buying a mattress, you may want to check out our mattress coupons page that is regularly updated with the best deals. If you have some patience, you can also learn about the best time to buy a mattress (hint: mattress companies offer big discounts during holiday periods like Presidents’ Day, the Fourth of July, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and even New Year’s mattress sales).
What to Consider When Buying a Mattress Online
Buying a mattress is a big investment, and there are a lot of things to keep in mind.
Firmness
The firmness level affects how supported you’ll feel on the bed. Unsupportive mattresses can force people out of their natural spine alignment, which can lead to back pain.
Here at Mattress Clarity, we have a firmness scale that ranges from 1-10, with 6.5/10 representing the industry standard of medium-firm. Back sleepers typically do best with medium-firm beds, while side sleepers often need something softer to cushion their shoulders and hips. Stomach sleepers need firmer mattresses that support their hips and keep the spine in a neutral alignment.
Body Type
A person’s weight plays a large role in how supportive a mattress may feel. For example, the same mattress could feel firm to a lightweight person and soft to a heavier person.
For a detailed breakdown of the best mattresses for different body types, check out my picks for lightweight people and heavyweight people.
Feel
The mattress’s materials greatly influence how it feels. Memory foam mattresses tend to feel plush and slow-moving. These type of beds often make people feel like they’re sleeping “inside” the bed rather than “on top of it.” They can offer great body contouring and pressure relief, but they are sometimes difficult to move around on.
Hybrid and latex mattresses tend to feel bouncy and responsive. They usually don’t offer much pressure relief, but they are easy to move around on. These beds are often quite breathable as well, making them good options for hot sleepers.
Budget
When it comes to cheap vs expensive mattresses, there are a lot differences. “Cheap” mattresses cost less than $1,000 for a queen, and they usually work well for lightweight people. Heavier folks might not get the support they need on a cheaper mattress. That said, cheap mattresses are good options for guest rooms, because they won’t get used as often.
“Expensive” mattresses cost more than $2,000 for a queen. These beds typically have advanced edge support, motion isolation, and cooling features. They also tend to last longer, so even though they have a higher upfront cost, they are often some of the best mattresses for the money.
Couples
If you share a bed with a partner, you may want to take a look at my list of the best mattresses for couples. All of the mattresses on this list scored high in my motion transfer and edge support tests. This means that couples shouldn’t notice their partner’s movements during the night, and they should be able to sleep closer to the edge of the mattress without rolling off the side.
Mattress Size
It’s also important to consider what size mattress you’ll need. There are pros and cons to all options. For instance, twin-size mattresses are more affordable, but they don’t offer a lot of space to spread out and relax. King-size mattresses are great for couples, but they cost more and take up a lot more space in the bedroom. If you need help narrowing down your search, check out my guide to mattress sizes and dimensions.
Important Tips For Buying A Mattress Online
Before you buy a mattress online, there are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Check the sleep trial and return policy. When you’re buying a mattress online that you haven’t had the chance to try out in person yet, it’s especially important that you know what the sleep trial and return policy looks like. Most brands offer at least a 100-night risk-free sleep trial period, during which you can return the mattress for a full refund if you’re unsatisfied.
- Know that it may take up to 30 days to adjust to a new mattress. It’s totally normal for it to take some time for your body to adjust to a new mattress.
- Be sure to check the warranty. Warranties aren’t the most stimulating reading material, but it’s important that you know what voids your mattress warranty. If you void the warranty by something as simple as using an improper foundation, you’ll wish that you read the warranty before bringing the bed into your home.
- Read customer reviews. Customer reviews are a great place to look for an honest review of the mattress from someone who has completed the purchasing journey. You can also see some of the benefits other customers experienced (i.e. back pain relief) to learn whether the mattress will give you what you’re looking for. Just remember to take some of the negative reviews with a grain of salt.
If you follow this basic advice, you should be setting yourself up for success. The decision to buy a mattress online can be a great one, as there are now a whole lot of great options out there.
