MIDLAND, Mich. – The consumer mattress research site GoodBed says its new partnership with Dow will help crack the secret to measuring comfort and better guide mattress shoppers to the right bed the first time.
That information could help lower returns, a costly thorn for mattress retailers and online brands, by marrying consumers with the right bed for them the first time.
GoodBed, an online information resource for consumers looking to buy a mattress, was founded in 2008 by Mike Magnuson. The site boasts evaluations of more than 800 mattress models and more than 600,000 customer reviews. The new collaboration with Dow marries GoodBed’s mattress knowledge with Dow’s materials science and testing prowess to put mattresses through a 50-item checklist examining key characteristics of a mattress, including temperature control, spinal alignment, pressure relief, durability and support.
Magnuson said the partnership is an extension of what GoodBed has been doing since its inception. “We already provide detailed assessments of mattresses in which we break down their DNA,” he said. “The partnership allows us to more accurately and consistently deliver relevant information. We can now be more confident in the measurements we present to mattress consumers.”
He expects to see the return rate of mattresses drop over time as the new testing protocol is shared across GoodBed’s website.
“This will help people make the best choice the first time and help them figure out what it is they like, dislike,” Magnuson said, adding that he sees the program as a valuable tool for retail sales associates in helping guide consumers through their mattress shopping journey.
By teaming GoodBed’s Mattress DNA evaluation framework with Dow’s ComfortScience Studio, the two companies see a layer of benefits for consumers and mattress retailers through a standardized testing protocol.
“Dow is a well-established global leader in materials science and testing. Over the past three years, we’ve worked hand-in-hand to develop scientific tests that can accurately measure the attributes we know to be most important in determining the performance and suitability of a given mattress for different sleepers,” Magnuson said. “Together, we’re excited by the unprecedented quality of mattress information that we can now provide and our ability to give consumers confidence in choosing the best possible mattress.”
Magnuson pointed to the confusion and challenges consumers face when shopping for mattresses as catalyst for teaming up with Dow.
“There are so many characteristics of a mattress that makes it challenging for a consumer to assess the product in a store or online,” he said. “Now, we will have data, measured in a lab on testing equipment, to help them find the best mattress for them.”
“Our ComfortScience Studio was established to study the different properties of bedding products and their contribution to comfort,” said Kevin Meyer, associate technical service and development director at Dow. “By joining forces with GoodBed, the most knowledgeable and trustworthy source of mattress information in the market today, we’re transforming the mattress industry with a first-of-its-kind standard of testing. This will offer numerous benefits for key audiences, from consumers all the way to raw material suppliers.”
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