If you do a search for “factory direct” on any item you’re shopping for do the results always take you to the actual manufacturer of the product? Not hardly. Those two words are pretty straightforward and used to mean that you were dealing with the factory that made the item and as soon as it came off of their assembly line—you could purchase it directly from them. The importance of this is that purchasing your item direct from the manufacturer cut out the additional steps required to take the product to the retail market AND more importantly it cut out the price markups that go along with that all along the way. All of those additional costs were categorized as “cutting out the Middle Man”.
And so you hear the term FACTORY DIRECT a lot in the mattress industry. I’d like to discuss what really qualifies a company to say they fit that mould. Because as I stated earlier the very nature of buying direct–without adding additional profit layers at each stage of the distribution chain–implies that the consumer will experience SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS by buying direct from the manufacturer.
Mr. or Mrs. Consumer are the ones who pay for the additional profit layers when they purchase from non factory-direct sources! What does this tell you? It should tell you that if you want to enjoy the best price you should take the time to “find the factory” and make your purchase direct.
It is surprising to me, in my 35 years as a true manufacturer of innerspring mattresses and latex mattresses, that so many consumers hear or see the words factory direct used by a mattress retailer and don’t actually verify the claim. My experience in this industry has shown me that the general public has grown so used to hearing the term factory direct used in advertising that they very often fail to recognize an “actual” factory direct manufacturer–and conversely they fail to recognize a retailer who “claims” they are factory direct but doesn’t meet the factory direct criteria.
Asking lots of questions is always good. With that in mind, here are four questions to ask if you’re shopping for a new latex mattress and you want to properly identify the source you’re dealing with:
- Do you have equipment necessary to make the mattresses?
- Does your company have employees skilled and dedicated in mattress construction and assembly?
- Does your company have a dedicated manufacturing facility for this product?
- Does your company sell direct to the public via your own factory showroom or your own factory internet site?
All four of these questions require yes answers to pass the factory direct test. If any answer is a no… you’re not dealing with a factory direct manufacturer.
The ultimate goal of the consumer is to get the best product at the best price. Today’s consumers have many resources available to help them shop. I share this information to give the consumer one additional resource to help them in their quest.
Please visit our website today http://www.sleepez.com to view in depth information in our LATEX MATTRESS CONSUMER BUYING GUIDE. You’ll find a complete explanation to all your questions on the different types of latex. Sleep E-Z is a third generation mattress manufacturer. We have 35 years of experience behind us. We introduced latex mattresses into our line early on because we realized all the benefits of latex. We offer a complete line of latex mattresses to fit any budget.