“I wanted to create an online experience where customers could define the attributes, so they know exactly what they’re getting, and in just a few steps can arrive at a singular recommendation.”

What is your dream mattress? Evan Saks, Founder/President of Create-A-Mattress.com wants to help you to make it a reality! Create-A-Mattress asks you if you would like Pillowtop, Memory Foam, Latex and then lets you choose from a variety of materials, features, and softness, in standard and custom sizes. Then they create your custom mattress made-to-order mattress.

The best part about Create-A-Mattress.com is that they deliver the mattresses nationwide for 20%-40% less than mattress stores!

MO: Tell us about your background and how it led you to creating this custom mattress company?

Evan: I worked at one of the big companies for years, and it always bothered me that mattress web sites are a sea of white rectangles. Most have rows and columns of mattresses that all look alike, with descriptions that all sound alike. There’s no telling why one would be $500 and another would be $2,500. In fact, it was common practice to re-use the same photographs, since nobody can tell the difference anyway. It’s hard to make a choice. I wanted to create an online experience where customers could define the attributes, so they know exactly what they’re getting, and in just a few steps can arrive at a singular recommendation. I also wanted to simplify and demystify the process by providing clear explanations of the materials and key feature choices.

MO: How are you able to provide the mattresses at such a lower cost than the national stores?

Evan: Stores are famous for doubling the prices then running “half price” sales. We buy the same materials from the same suppliers and follow the same production methods using the same equipment as the major brands, so there is no quality difference. Our overhead is dramatically lower because we don’t have store leases, and we don’t stock any inventory. It’s all just-in-time manufacturing and delivery. And because we serve the whole country, we can balance demand patterns more easily and staff appropriately. We also don’t work on commission, so there is no incentive to keep prices higher; we’re glad to make a profitable sale at a lower price.

MO: What about the people who don’t really know what kind of mattress they want, they just know once they feel it. Do you offer consulting on your website, or ways for them to research what the best mattress is for them?

Evan: We have lots of good information on the site. And we are available by phone, chat, and email to answer questions. Some people find something they like at a store, and with the right details, we can make a comparable mattress for less, and deliver it faster. We realize our model is not for everyone, and some people will never feel comfortable buying this way, and that’s OK.

MO: How do you believe you have managed to maintain 100% customer satisfaction and had zero replacements?

Evan: Our product quality is second to none, which gives us confidence that if we properly qualify customers’ needs, they will be thrilled. In fact, we have an unusually high number of customers who love their mattress so much they re-purchase the same configuration a second time for another bedroom. We’re very aware that we have to provide superior customer service to earn trust since customers don’t meet us in person. Traditional mattress shopping can be frustrating and confusing, so everything we do is designed to make it simple and easy for our customers.

MO: Tell us about the possibility of partnerships with co-branding. What types of companies would you be interested in co-branding with?

Evan: I can’t be too specific as those discussions are ongoing with several potential partners. Suffice to say that we anticipated co-branding and designed the website to be very flexible in accommodating those needs both on the front-end and the back-end.

MO: How often do people need to purchase a new mattress? Why do you think many people put off this purchase?

Evan: Consumer Reports recommends replacing a mattress every five to ten years, though we don’t sell any that would be expected to last fewer than ten. People also purchase for children, parents, college students, guest rooms, vacation homes, divorces, accidents, etc, so there are many purchase occasions within that time. Some people put it off for the same reasons they put off going to the dentist: they know it will be good for them, but the traditional experience can be so unpleasant and so expensive, it causes avoidance. For people like that, the opportunity to purchase superior quality at a lower price from Create-A-Mattress – without the high-pressure tactics or shenanigans of the traditional store – is reason for celebration.