frequently shop in several stores for bedding. Recent studies show that
60 percent of specialty store customers seem to switch from one store
to another each time they purchase. Regardless of your enthusiasm for
quality equipment--regardless of your sincere desire to recommend only
the right equipment--you will still hear that "Blank's have one just
as good and $10 cheaper." Your best defense for this is to know what
Blank's actually are offering. If it is a promotional item with cheap
padding and fancy ticking, show the customer that you, too, have a
mattress of similar quality but that the one you are recommending is
superior and explain why it is a better value.
If, in spite of your best efforts, the customer walks out to shop in
the bedding departments of your competitors, let her go gracefully.
She is going to do it anyway in spite of what you say and if you
impress upon her the strongest arguments for your goods as she leaves,
a surprisingly large percentage will return--particularly if you have
shown her you were recommending the equipment that satisfied her
particular needs.
MATTRESSES AND SPRINGS
MATTRESSES
The bedding salesman is concerned principally with those articles of
bedroom equipment which most directly determine the sleeping comfort of
the user. These are mattresses, bedsprings, and pillows. In addition,
the bedding department generally includes studio couches and sofa beds
into which mattresses and springs have been built.
The mattress may be considered the department's basic item. Not only
are more mattresses sold than any other article, but also a properly
made mattress sale frequently leads to the sale of other pieces.
Consequently, it is of utmost importance for the bedding salesman to be
able to talk authoritatively about mattresses.
MATTRESSES AS OLD AS CIVILIZATION
The mattress dates back to early Egyptian civilization. The first
mattress consisted of large bags stuffed with reeds, hay, and wool.
"Feather beds" were used by the Vikings in northern Europe in the
eighth century. Their mattresses, stuffed with feathers, were similar
to those favored by our grandparent.
Thus it can be seen that for centuries there was little progress made
in increasing mattress comfort. The development of inner springs and
the felting of upholstery materials are of recent origin. The modern
mattress is a twentieth century innovation.
THE INNER-SPRING MATTRESS
The inner-spring mattress derives most of its resilience and buoyancy
from a unit of many coiled springs. Covering this unit on top and
bottom are layers of upholstery. In most types there is a thin layer
of protective insulation, often of sisal (a tough, white vegetable
fiber), between the spring unit and the upholstery. This keeps the
padding material from being forced down into and between the springs
and prevents the springs from pushing through the upholstery.
In some models the spring unit is padded only lightly and the
upholstery is encased in a separate pad for greater ease in handling.
The spring unit, naturally, is the heart of the inner-spring mattress,
as it determines the sensitivity with which the mattress conforms to
the sleeper's body. How it stands up under use largely determines
the wearing age of the mattress. These factors are influenced by the
quality, tempering, and size of the steel wire used and the way the
coils are designed.
There are so many different types of inner-spring mattresses now
manufactured that it is impossible to take up each individually.
Mattress and steel companies have devoted a great amount of research
to determining such small but important details as the shape of the
spirals, the proper number of turns of wire that each spring should be
given, how the coils should be fastened together and the temper and
gage of the wire.
[Illustration: Figure 23.--Cut-out mattress sample showing wire-tied
inner-spring unit.]
This experimentation has produced the many different construction
designs. These, of course, are protected by patents. The bedding
salesman should familiarize himself thoroughly with the distinctive
features of the mattresses in his store and be able to show the
customer, through the use of cut-out samples, just what purposes they
accomplish.
In this connection, it should be remembered that it is the independent
action of the individual coils that gives support to the various parts
of the body and allows the muscles and nerves to relax completely.
The salesman's duty, therefore, is to show how his products give this
support.
There are two general types of inner-spring mattresses; those in which
the springs are tied together with metal, and those in which the
individual springs are encased in cloth pockets.
METAL-TIED UNITS
In the metal-tied units the springs are held together by helical (small
spiral) springs or metal clips. As a rule, there are fewer coils in
this type of inner-spring unit, but they are usually larger and of
heavier wire than the cloth-encased variety. The number of springs in
this unit may vary from 180 to 360 or more (one model contains 1,000)
in the full-size models. Essentially, however, comfort is determined by
the quality of the construction and not necessarily by the number of
coils.
[Illustration: Figure 24.--Inner-spring mattress showing pocketed coil
construction.]
The shape of the coil varies, too. Some are like hourglasses, others
like cylinders or barrels. Special merits are claimed for each design
by its manufacturers. The salesman should be able to explain what these
are.
CLOTH-POCKETED UNIT
The cloth-pocketed unit consists of many small, light coils, each of
which is encased in muslin or burlap. Full-size units of this type
usually contain more than 800 individual coils, although the number
may vary. In this general classification are mattresses in which the
individual coils are not completely encased but are secured at both
ends by flat horizontal pockets. In some mattresses of the pocket type
the coils are tied together; in others they are not.
CHARACTERIZATION OF A GOOD INNER SPRING
Regardless of its unit construction, an inner-spring mattress of good
quality has certain characteristics which can be easily recognized and
described. Chief among these are resilience and buoyancy. A mattress
with the proper resiliency will give readily when pressure is applied
and spring back to its original shape when this pressure is removed.
Resilience may be thought of as "plenty of give." Buoyancy is the
power to support and sustain the sleeper's weight. A mattress which is
buoyant will cradle the body comfortably without letting it sink too
deeply into the mattress.
UPHOLSTERY OF INNER-SPRING MATTRESSES
[Illustration: Figure 25.--Convolute coil designed for inner-spring
mattress.]
The upholstery used to pad the inner-spring unit and give it added
comfort conforms in general to that used in solid-filled mattresses.
The most widely used upholstery material is felted cotton. In the
better grade mattresses the cotton fiber is of good length, permitting
easy felting. In those of lesser quality shorter-fibered cotton is used.
Curled hair makes an excellent but more expensive upholstery material.
It is used alone, or in combination with cotton or lamb's wool. Lamb's
wool alone or in combination with curled hair is used in the most
expensive types. Some manufacturers use lamb's wool on one side for
winter use and curled hair on the other for summer.
INDEPENDENCE OF ACTION
The purpose of an inner-spring mattress is to supply maximum resilience
and buoyancy, plus independence and freedom of action which will enable
the mattress to adjust itself immediately to the varying weights of the
different parts of the body. Learn why the coils in the springs will
not turn, will not push through the upholstery, will not collapse and
entangle themselves one with another, and why they will give service
for many years. Having learned these things yourself, study the art of
making that clear to your customer.
Lasting comfort is dependent upon structural design, the quality of
construction, the grade and tempering of the wire, and the strength
of the materials used. The manufacturer has made certain service
guarantees. Learn what these are. Be sure to make them clear.
THE SOLID MATTRESSES
All-Cotton Mattresses.
Eighty percent of solid mattresses are filled with cotton. These range
from inexpensive models to ones which match inner spring styles in
cost. Cotton mattresses come in three classifications--felted, loose,
and combination felted and loose.
[Illustration: Figure 26.--All-cotton felted mattress.]
The cheapest cotton mattress is that in which short-fibered cotton is
blown into the ticking by air pressure. These "blown" cotton mattresses
are an inexpensive product and generally recognized as such. They will
give adequate service for a time, but eventually the cotton will pack
down unevenly and form lumps. The salesman in fairness to his customer
should refrain from making any claims for these mattresses other than
that they will be comfortable for a limited period of time.
In the best grade of solid cotton mattresses a longer-fibered cotton is
used. These fibers are picked apart and interlaced by a felting process
into thin layers, which are placed one upon the other. This felting,
plus tufting or quilting, keeps the upholstery in place and retards the
tendency toward lumping. A good felted mattress will give service for
many years, but constant use eventually will destroy its resilience and
produce lumps.
Between the blown cotton and the felted cotton mattresses in price
range is found a combination mattress consisting of top and bottom
layers of felted cotton, with a center of loose cotton. As the
description implies, it is better than an all-blown cotton mattress and
inferior to an all-felted one.
Curled Hair Mattresses.
Before the advent of the inner-spring unit, the curled hair mattress
was the aristocrat of the mattress field. It is still favored by many
persons who prefer to sleep on a comparatively firm foundation.
Animal hair, when permanently curled, has considerable resilience, as
each hair is turned into a tiny spring. Four types of hair are used for
mattresses. In order of value, they are: Horse-tail hair, cattle-tail
hair, horse-mane hair, and hog hair.
These types of hair frequently are mixed to produce mattress fillings
of varying degrees of resilience and softness. They vary in price and
quality according to the percentage of each type that is used.
An advantage of the curled hair mattress is that it can be opened
whenever desired and rebuilt, restoring the original resilience. Some
new hair is usually added with each rebuilding. To give satisfactory
service a curled hair mattress should be rebuilt every 5 to 7 years.
Kapok Mattresses.
With the exception of cotton, the only vegetable fiber used in making
mattresses is kapok, which comes from the pod of a tropical tree. Kapok
mattresses are soft, are moisture and vermin proof, and are light and
easy to handle. The fibers, however, have a tendency to pulverize and
form lumps. This tendency may be retarded by sunning the mattress
frequently. Packing the kapok into compartments adds to its durability.
Long life, however, should not be emphasized in selling a kapok
mattress.
Latex Mattresses.
The latex mattress was introduced to the general public in 1938.
Latex is the milk of the rubber tree. It is whipped into a foam-like
consistency and then vulcanized or heat cured into a mattress mold.
Air is sometimes injected under pressure. The resultant mattress
is honeycombed with large cells which add to its resiliency. In
its original form it was 3 or 4½ inches thick and more expensive
than the better inner-spring models. Because of their comparative
thinness, these latex mattresses usually are sold with special
higher-than-average box springs. This type of mattress should be
referred to as latex, not as rubber.
A later development was the introduction of inner-spring units with
layers of latex used in place of the usual upholstering material.
THE COVERING MATERIAL
Most of the features that make a really good mattress are concealed
from the customer's eye and must be explained by the salesperson.
However, the buyer can actually see and judge the mattress cover. The
pattern is important, because superficially it has most to do with
attractive appearance. Mattress covers usually are identified either as
ticking or damask.
Ticking.
Ticking, usually thought of as a strong, twill weave, may have a plain
or sateen finish. The twill is made by weaving diagonal lines from
right to left on the face of the fabric. The pattern may range from a
traditional blue and white to novelties of many widths. Eight-ounce
ticking is considered the standard of quality. It is so named because 2
yards of 32-inch width weigh 1 pound. Ticking also comes in 6-ounce and
4-ounce weights. These lesser weights may be adequate for certain uses
but it is obvious that they will give service only in proportion to
their strength. Tickings which are moisture and bacteria repellent are
now being extensively advertised.
Damask.
Damask is woven on a jacquard loom in many different patterns.
Mercerized cotton and rayon often are used to add effectiveness to the
patterns. Damask in good grades will give satisfactory service though
its wearing quality is not equal to 8-ounce ticking. That part of the
mattress which covers the sides and joins the top and bottom mattress
covers is known as the border. Borders should be strong and firm enough
to keep the sides in shape and the edge straight. To accomplish this,
borders are embroidered, quilted, and otherwise reinforced for added
strength.
UPHOLSTERING AND TAILORING DETAILS
Prebuilt border is one in which the cover cloth, a layer of cotton
felt, and a lining are stitched, embroidered, or otherwise sewed
together, with eyelets or ventilators properly placed.
An inner-roll border frequently is used on the better type of mattress.
A reinforcing roll of cotton felt is turned in, close against the
padding of the inner-spring unit, both top and bottom, to give a neat,
well-defined edge.
The outer-roll edge was the original method of finishing a mattress. It
has a roll on the outside of the top and bottom of the mattress. This
is not extra padding, but results from the outside stitching of the
regular upholstery. It strengthens the edge of the mattress without
giving it the smooth edge of the inner-roll. One disadvantage is that
it is likely to catch more dust.
Tufting is the process of running twine or tape through the mattresses
at various points, the outer end being secured with buttons or clips.
These tufts serve to keep the inner materials in place and prevent
shifting. The tufting material should be strong enough to last the
lifetime of the mattress and the buttons should be firmly attached.
Fasteners such as rubber, plastics, metal, and the like are usually
employed instead of the cotton and leather tufts which were formerly
used.
Tuft-less mattresses are those in which the upholstery is held in place
by stitching or quilting the layers or by placing it in compartments or
between muslin.
Ventilators, which range in size from eyelets to holes ¾ inch in
diameter, are necessary to permit the passage of air through the
interior of the mattress. The larger openings are screened. The borders
in good mattresses are built so that the ventilators are left open.
BEDSPRINGS
The ancient Greeks are said to have been the first to discover that it
is more comfortable to sleep on a foundation which "gives" with the
sleeper's movements than on solid wood. They ran braided thongs of
stout leather from one side of the bed to the other. These were the
first bedsprings and were the only type known until about 80 years ago.
This type of spring, with rope substituted for leather, was in general
use in America until a few generations ago.
The metal bedspring as known today dates back to about the time of the
War between the States. It was invented by James Liddy, of Watertown,
N. Y., who so enjoyed a nap on a springed buggy seat that he purchased
a supply of buggy springs and put them on his bed. The salesperson
should remember that the bedspring is the foundation of the bed and
shares with the mattress the job of supplying complete sleeping
comfort. To function perfectly, springs and mattress should be matched
carefully.
There are four general types of bedsprings: Metal-fabric, open-coil,
platform-top or convolute-coil, and box springs.
Metal-Fabric Springs.
The least expensive, and the least serviceable, are the fabric springs.
They consist of a flat layer of crossed or meshed wires which are
fastened to the frame with helical springs. As they are subjected to
continuous downward pressure they will soon develop a sag. These should
be used only with solid-filled mattresses. Another type of fabric
springs consists of steel bands fastened to the ends of the frame by
helical springs and to each other by short helical cross ties or wire
locks. The higher priced models of this type provide a good foundation
for an inner-spring mattress.
[Illustration: Figure 27.--(Upper view) Platform-top coil spring.]
[Illustration: Figure 27a.--(Lower view) Open-coil spring to be used
with solid mattress.]
Open-Coil Springs.
The open-coil springs are built to provide flexibility and are
particularly designed for use with solid-filled mattresses. They
consist of spiral coils, larger and stronger than those used in
inner-spring mattresses, set into a metal frame. Each coil usually
is held to its neighbor by four small helical springs. The coils are
supported at the bottom by metal strips running from one side of the
frame to the other.
Platform-Top and Convolute-Coil Types.
The convolute-coil or platform-top springs are similar to the open-coil
type except that additional features are added to provide a firmer
resting surface for the mattress. In the platform type, the open spaces
in the top of the spring are partly covered by flexible metal bands
running both the length and breadth of the springs. The convolute
coils have several extra turns of wire as each coil approaches the top
of its spiral. When slightly compressed these turns flatten out in
the same plane, providing a broader supporting area. The platform-top
and convolute-coil springs are designed specifically as a foundation
for inner-spring mattresses. If an inner-spring mattress is used with
an ordinary open-coil spring the smaller springs of the mattress are
likely to force their way down into or between the larger spring coils,
with a resultant premature breakdown of the mattress. The platform-top
and convolute-coil types close up the open spaces and eliminate this
hazard.
Better grade springs, whether of open-or closed-coil type, usually are
of double-deck construction. Between the top and bottom of the frame
there is a center wire with supporting bands running both the length
and breadth of the springs. This support makes possible the use of a
longer coil, which acts as a double spring. The lower half of the coil
is more tightly wound and is stiffer for the support of the sleeper's
weight. The upper half then contributes the resilience. Another mark
of a good spring is the use of two or more steel braces, known as
stabilizers, which prevent sidesway and border sagging.
Box Springs.
Box springs consist of spiral springs attached to a foundation, usually
of wood, and cushioned with a layer of upholstery. The coils are
larger and heavier than the usual open-coil springs. The entire unit
is enclosed in a box-like frame and covered with ticking. Box springs
originally were designed to give much resiliency so that they could be
used with solid-filled mattresses of hair or cotton. Most box springs
today, however, are constructed with the firm tops which are necessary
for use with inner-spring mattresses.
Each coil in the box spring is set into a slat of wood or steel. The
coils are held upright by being tied one to another, to the border,
and to the foundation. The borders usually are of wire or rattan. In
the better types, the springs are hand-tied with a special twine. A
wire-tied-spring unit is used in the cheaper models.
Box springs usually are sold with covers which match certain mattresses
in the same price range. This permits the sale of mattress and box
springs as a single unit.
SUGGESTIONS FOR THE SALESPERSON
[Illustration: Figure 28.--Box-spring construction.]
Let us suppose you have sufficiently impressed the customer with the
importance of buying quality sleeping equipment and with your sincerity
in recommending what she should have. You have shown her several
mattresses and springs and, after eliminating those to which she voiced
objections or paid little attention, you are now ready to concentrate
on the one or two models in which she expressed interest.
Point out that the mattress will be used 8 hours every night and that
for her satisfaction she should buy only the one carefully selected to
give the comfort and wear that she desires. She should never consider
bedding without having satisfied herself as to its qualities and its
ability to serve her and her family correctly. She should be encouraged
to make whatever test she likes and should be made aware of the store's
policy permitting her to do so.
If she has become convinced that she should purchase one of your
mattresses; if for instance you have sold her quality and comfort,
you should show her how springs and pillows will complement what she
has already bought. If you fail to do this, much of the sales effort
which you have invested will have been denied its opportunity to serve
you in making a sale of these allied goods. The reason that persuaded
your customer to buy a good mattress should lead her to seek complete
sleeping equipment. It is almost impossible to sell a good mattress
properly without discussing springs because the resiliency of the one
depends considerably upon that of the other. A soft mattress on very
soft springs may unduly emphasize this quality to the customer's
ultimate dissatisfaction. Consequently, in showing various mattresses,
you should explain the kind of bed springs to which each is adapted.
When the mattress has been selected, it is time for you to emphasize
the importance of the springs. The beauty of matched units with box
springs, designed specially to go with the mattress is something you
should stress. But if the customer is not box spring conscious and many
are not, show her the newer models of coil springs and explain their
characteristics, their protection of the mattress against wear, their
construction to avoid sidesway, and similar interesting features.
Often you will hear, "Our old springs will be satisfactory." With such
a customer, to insure that the new mattress will give satisfaction, you
must learn what type of old spring is going to be used. It will usually
be a resilient open-coil spring, probably satisfactory when used with
an all-cotton or all-hair mattress, but unsuitable as a foundation for
an inner spring.
Avoid future complaints of premature mattress breakdown and
uncomfortable sleep by showing how the small coils and the upholstery
of the inner-spring mattress push down into the larger openings of old
coil springs. Demonstrate the increased resiliency of springs designed
for cotton mattresses and why inner-spring models need a fuller base.
Thousands of spring sales have been neglected merely because the
salesman was satisfied with the mattress order. Many customers, too,
have become dissatisfied with their new mattresses solely because the
salesman failed to explain the importance of springs. Take advantage of
this attitude always to complete the sale by selling the right spring.
PILLOWS