Mattress shopping just got a whole lot more fun—and affordable.
Tuft & Needle co-founder JT Marino explains that his idea for starting the business came after a horrible mattress retail experience—one “even worse than shopping for a used car.” Afterward, he vented to friend Daehee Park, and the two decided to quit their Silicon Valley jobs to bootstrap T&N in Phoenix in 2012.
The result? “A digitally-native company that’s leading the revolution against unfair mattress markups, commission-based sales models and information asymmetry by creating exceptional, honestly-priced products. ” Clearly, they’re doing something (or many things) right; last year generated $100 million in revenue—a stat that becomes even more impressive when learning it was accomplished with no debt and no investors. They also boast the lowest published return rate in the industry.
Beginning today (October 9th), Seattle residents can visit T&N’s new, first-of-its-kind, Amazon-integrated retail location and product suite located in Belltown. Inside the bright and airy 6,000-plus-square-foot showroom, shoppers get to experience the company’s vibe and ethos, and they can test out products in a delightfully friendly and “customer-driven space.”
So as to eliminate a sense of overwhelm, only one model of mattress is available (sold in different sizes; the queen costs $575). The team describes the precise design as “the next evolution of memory foam,” meaning those who like hard mattresses and those who prefer softer ones will be content.
They’ve tailored the shopping experience to fit “whatever the customer wants” (when it comes to offering various forms of payment, for example), and staff members don’t work on commission, meaning no pushy tendencies or overzealous sales folks here. There’s a convenient queue system when you show up; if there’s a wait, you can wander the neighborhood until you get a phone call that there’s space for you to browse. An iPad next to each of the five display beds features interactive FAQ programming.
Though they’ve been a single-product company for five years, T&N now also sells sheets (made of high-quality fiber) and one-size-fits-all pillows; soon, an expanded repertoire will include other items like bed frames, described as being both economical and sustainable. Be sure to attend the downtown Seattle store’s grand opening event on Saturday, November 11.
Added bonuses: The mattress is conveniently compressed into a small box and shipped free of charge to the customer’s door. Each mattress comes with a 100 Night Sleep Trial, free returns and a no-gimmicks 10-year warranty.
What are you waiting for? If you ask us, a wonderful night of sleep is far too important to overlook for any longer.