Why doesn’t Mattress Lot carry the big name brands like Tempurpedic, Sealy, Serta and Simmons?
We have chosen not to carry the big national brands. We can find higher quality mattresses produced by local and regional manufacturers. Most American-made mattresses use components (coils, fabrics etc.) sourced from the same places. Mattress Lot mattresses have many of the same components found in the big-name mattresses. The difference is that we don’t have to pay for those big-name brands. Most of our mattresses are produced by locally-owned manufacturers. This means a quicker turn around for delivery and it means that if there’s a problem with a mattress, we can call the owner of the manufacturer and get it worked out quickly. The big brand mattress-makers are huge corporations owned by Wall St or equity buy-out companies driven by quarterly performance metrics. We get better service from our locally-owned manufacturer partners. They are committed to quality and results for us and our customers.
Does Mattress Lot have “sales”?
No, we don’t have sales. We do occasionally offer floor models, customer exchanges and factory clearance items at significant discounts. However, we keep our prices low every day of the year instead of doing a sale every other week. We believe that the “sales” you see at the big mattress stores are gimmicks. Those stores simply raise the prices and do a phony mark-down in order to create a “sale”. Have you ever seen those mattress commercials on TV? You’d think those stores were always having “sales”. At Mattress Lot we do not mark it up so we can mark it down. No disengenuious gimmicks. Just the lowest possible price every day of the year. We invite you to compare our prices with the “sale” prices at the bigger chain stores.
Can you take away my old mattress?
If you are purchasing a new mattress from Mattress Lot, yes we can usually take away your old mattress. We charge a small fee to remove a mattress and box set. Your old mattress will either be donated to Community Warehouse where it will be given to a needy family OR your mattress will be recycled at ECR in Portland. Mattress components (springs, foams, fabrics and lumber) can be recycled! Please know that before we can remove your old mattress, our drivers will inspect your mattress to be sure it is safe for us to handle. For the safety or our team and the health of our customers, we CANNOT take away mattresses that are contaminated, severely stained/soiled or badly damaged. If we can’t take your mattress we will give the names of services that will help you get rid of your old mattress.
What does “neighborhood owned” mean?
Mattress Lot is a true part of our neighborhood community. Our company owners, along with most of our employees, live in Eastside Portland neighborhoods. Michael and Mary Ruth (owners) live a few blocks away from our store. We are a true part of the neighborhood community. Our kids graduated from local schools. We contribute to numerous local service and education organizations. Much of our company expenditures, including payroll and a variety of services, stay right here in our neighborhood. Through our business we are creating opportunities and making contributions to the quality of life in our local community.
What’s the differences and similarities between memory foam and latex foam mattresses?
Generally, neither of these mattress have coils. They are both considered hypo-allergenic because dust cannot build up inside the mattresses. And both styles do a terrific job of blocking out the movement that a restless sleeper may cause. If you or your partner is a restless sleeper, foam mattresses may provide some relief since you won’t feel the movements of your partner. Latex and memory foam both offer excellent support, but also have significant differences. Latex in its purest form is natural rubber, tapped from rubber trees in Southeast Asia. Mattress Lot carries latex mattresses with no man-made additives and we carry “hybrid” latex mattresses which combine natural latex and synthetic foams to create various feels. Latex mattresses can feel rigid and can also feel like they are pushing back. Memory foam is typically a synthetic foam designed to conform to the pressure points of your body. Memory foam will usually provide some ”give” versus the rigid nature of latex.
Are your sales people paid commission for each mattress they sell?
No. We believe that commissioned sales people in a mattress store will result in a high pressure sales environment. Our entire team works together to make sure you get the right mattress for your body and your budget. Michael and Mary Ruth both worked in commission sales jobs before starting Mattress Lot. They just didn’t want to create a sales environment where the sales associates were compelled to push one product or the other onto customers who don’t really need that product. Our sales associates are the most knowledgeable in Oregon. We don’t train people on how to sell mattresses. We train people how to listen, show empathy and provide guidance to help people find the best mattress for their situation.