Mattresses + Secondhand Purchase

Found a Great Deal on a Used Mattress? Here's What to Check Before You Buy.

Millennials are savvy secondhand shoppers -- but mattresses have unique hygiene and safety considerations. Know what to verify before bringing any used mattress home.

Mattresses · Millennials · Secondhand Purchase

86.6%
cite warranty as primary motivation for registration
UMich UMTRI-2015-26
56%
register products primarily for warranty access
Registria/GlobeNewswire 2017
30%
register for recall notification access
Registria/GlobeNewswire 2017

The Secondhand Mattress Safety Checklist

Mattresses have unique secondhand considerations beyond what applies to other products. Before purchasing any used mattress, work through this checklist.
10-25
year warranty on premium new mattresses -- not transferable in most secondhand purchases
Industry Standard

When a Secondhand Mattress Makes Sense

Secondhand mattresses make financial sense in specific circumstances: premium mattresses with minimal use from verified sources (estate sales, friends or family, certified refurbished programs), and situations where the mattress history is fully known and verifiable. Online mattress brands including Casper, Purple, Saatva, and Leesa have disrupted mattress retail with competitive pricing on new products. Entry-level new mattresses from these brands often cost less than a high-quality used mattress from a retail brand -- factoring in setup fees and any cleaning required.
A secondhand mattress without a law tag and clear history is a risk you sleep on every night. Run the checklist before you buy.

Secondhand Mattress Buyer's Guide

Registering a Secondhand Mattress in Your Name

If the mattress passes your checklist and you decide to purchase, register it in your name using the serial number from the law tag. Most mattress manufacturers accept new owner registration and will update recall notification to your contact information. Warranty terms for secondhand mattresses are typically non-transferable -- but recall notification registration has no transfer restrictions.

Know What You Are Buying Before You Sleep On It

A secondhand mattress from a known source with verified history can be a great find. One without clear history and an intact law tag is a different proposition entirely.

The Mattress Math: Used vs. New

For millennials doing the math on a used vs. new mattress, the calculation includes: purchase price difference, platform/brand quality considerations, hygiene risk mitigation costs (professional cleaning), and the fact that a new mattress comes with a 10-25 year warranty, a trial period, and no unknown history. For a product spent 8 hours a night on, the new mattress case is often stronger than it initially appears.
86.6%
of consumers cite warranty as primary motivation for product registration
UMich UMTRI-2015-26

How Bawte Makes It Simple

Hygiene and Condition Checklist

New Owner Registration

New vs. Used Math

Key Takeaways

1
Used mattresses should pass a hygiene checklist before purchase: no stains, no sagging, intact law tag, smoke-free and pet-free home confirmed
2
Register a secondhand mattress in your name using the law tag serial number -- recall notification transfers regardless of whether the warranty transfers
3
New direct-to-consumer mattresses often cost less than high-quality used retail mattresses when all factors (cleaning, risk, no warranty) are included in the comparison

Register Your Mattress After Purchase

Find the serial number on the law tag and register at the brand website in your name. Recall notification transfers immediately with your registration.

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Sources

UMich UMTRI-2015-26: Consumer Product Registration Study
Registria/GlobeNewswire 2017: Product Registration Motivation Survey
Clyde/Cover Genius: Post-Purchase Engagement Report