A good crib mattress is not cheap but this is likely the only place where you will leave your baby unattended. An infant will be sleeping as much as 18 hours a day and the mattress is likely to last for up to three years, so this is an important choice.
Don’t go second-hand
Second-hand crib mattresses are best avoided as you have no idea how one has been cared for, offering risks of mold and bacteria, nor do you know how many previous tenants it has accommodated. For this reason, many second-hand stores do not carry crib bedding. It has even been claimed that there is a link between used crib mattresses and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (crib death). Retailers, however, might stock mattresses that were returned due to some minor cosmetic defect. Probably, your choice is to go on-line or to a store. There is assistance available when it comes to the product to select.
Some companies are on-line only
When choosing a crib mattress for an infant, recent years have seen the arrival of a number of start-up companies selling crib mattresses on-line only, which began with BedInABox in 2006 and now includes Casper Sleep, Leesa, Lull, Tuft & Needle and Yogabed. What was initially a fad became a trend. The latest generation, not to mention many of those of the previous, is accustomed to ordering on-line. Major players are now following and selling on-line.
On-line is cheaper
Basically, on-line is cheaper. How could it not be when they have no rent, utilities bills, or shrinkage to fund? Use of a central warehouse permits a retailer to sell products for longer, allowing them to sit unsold. And on-line companies are obliged to keep prices low due to the ease of comparison shopping on-line.
… but stores are better in one way
Stores have the advantage that you can see and feel the product, although on-line outlets attempt to overcome this by means of generous trial periods and return policies. Surveys have demonstrated that there is precious little difference in customer satisfaction between the two avenues.
… and on-line in others
On-line actually has advantages beyond price: It may be possible to find crib mattresses on-line that no longer appear in stores or that are new and popular. Strangely, foam density will usually not appear on the packaging you see in-store but will probably be on-line.
Yes, the twain can meet
The two options are not entirely incompatible: You might go to a store and have a sales associate explain about some product and then rush home to compare on-line prices; if you have an Android or iPhone, you can check prices in-store by scanning the product’s barcode, giving you the option of asking the sales associate to match the price. Or there is “web-to-store” shopping, where consumers purchase off-line after comparing prices on-line: the Major Purchase Shopper Study by GE Capital Retail Bank found that 81 percent of consumers research on-line prior to a major purchase, with one reason for the preference being the availability of financing options; this is effectively a price consideration. Price is, anyway, not the be-all-and-end-all: A study by Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business found that on-line retailer ratings were more important than price.
About Jammie Morey
Great post! I agree that there are upsides and downsides to both but I really do think online is your best bet. You just have a wider selection and no sales person breathing down your neck. Thanks for sharing!