Mattress retailers face complicated operational problems when it comes to returns.
Consumers expect to keep a mattress around nine years, and 81% are satisfied with their mattress, according to the International Sleep Products Association. But those shoppers who aren’t content with a newly purchased mattress must enter into a return process that is full of friction for both retailers and consumers. Processes on how to dispose of returned mattresses may depend on the state a consumer lives in, and items must be in perfect condition to be eligible for donation. Those conditions lead to Americans disposing of an estimated 20 million mattresses and box springs every year — the vast majority of which end up in landfills or incinerators.
