A Deep Dive Into Mattress Retailing In India

Objectives of Retail Development and Upskilling:

1. Create a world class store similar to that provided at the world’s top retailers like IKEA/ ASHLEY/ etc.

2. Fact Based Selling to build TRUST – Selling better sleep should be our mission statement

3. Superior retail experience to increase:
   • Conversions & Ticket Size

   • Customer satisfaction & Loyalty

4. Product, Marketing & Brand alignment with TRADE – replicate direct to consumer sales model in profitably

Mattress Retail In India – Work In Progress:

• Retail salesmen lack enough product knowledge & market awareness to educate the customers

• Do no capture or understand the customer need; resulting in push-sales, customer dissatisfaction & no scope of cross-selling (i.e.: pillows, protectors, sleep accessories, etc.)

• Most sales representatives don’t sell the sleep knowledge to customer, resulting to zero awareness of features & benefits against investments (which impact manufacturers branding)

• Retailers don’t want to invest on periodic employee up-skilling & trainings due to & unorganized nature of category

* Source – ISPF Dealer Certification Program Report

What consumers want from retailer:

• Wide Range of selection
• Product that is good for health
• Information on mattress comfort, firmness & support
• Differentiation between different materials and their benefits
• Comfortable Environment & Privacy for Mattress Trial

What retail salesmen are promoting:

• High Warranties
• Price & Offers
• Memory foam
• Memory foam
• Memory foam

* Source – Centuary Brand Track Survey 2019

Mattress Salesman – A Villain in Chief? – When you check online (YouTube in special) this content appears to your surprise.

1. Mattress Shopping is a Big Scam
2. Never trust a mattress salesman
3. Mattress retailers will totally rip you off.
4. Visit to a mattress retailer – most stressful experience

Today the biggest challenge for Mattress Industry is to build trust & credibility in retail development without 100 nights trail.

1. Upstream Alignment:
   

   Manufacturer/ Brand, Distributor/ Wholesaler are one side Retailer and Consume are on the other side. This has fuelled confusion and widen the communication gap. The only way to align it to bring Retailer to in line with Manufacturer/ Brand, Distributor/ Wholesaler and let consumer get better rather best information in terms of communication and best experience thus results in building trust and confidence

Retail Development – 5 Key Steps:

1. Technology – In store digitisation
2. Retail Styling – Experiential Store Design & Ambience
3. Upsell & Cross Sell – Display Selection Availability
4. Selling Skills – Technical/ Communication / Behavioural
5. Topical Communication – In Store Merchandising

Retail Development Opportunities:

• Unified selling code – upstream alignment / target the end consumers
• Consumer Connect – build loyalty & word of mouth
• Emphasize combo offers & add-on accessories to build tickets, add comfort. There is power in pillows
• Ride on the ‘wellness’ wave – promote natural materials
• Command a premium for customisation & bespoke brand offerings