Solved! The Best Time to Buy a Mattress 

Q: I need a new mattress, but I want to get the best deal. It seems that there are certain times throughout the year when mattresses go on sale. So when is the best time to buy a mattress?

A: The quality of your mattress affects the quality of your sleep, so a well-made product is worth investing in. Not to mention, a mattress should last for a decade or longer. That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t save a significant amount of money by waiting for the best time to buy a mattress. Prices tend to fluctuate, allowing you to snag a great deal if you time your purchase strategically.

While testing out a mattress in person may seem essential, many of the best deals are actually found online. Consider getting a feel for what kind of mattress you like by comparing models in person before making a commitment. The majority of online brands also offer lengthy testing periods, allowing you to try out the mattress for a certain number of nights before making a commitment.

Luckily, there are actually several key times throughout the year where mattress prices tend to drop. Read on to learn about all of the best times of year to buy a mattress.

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Buy between March and May: Because new products are released in the spring, companies want to clear out their inventory and offer cheaper prices.

Mattress manufacturers generally release their latest models in June each year. The period between June and September is incredibly popular for purchasing mattresses, and this is when prices tend to be highest. The best time to shop is actually in the months immediately preceding this peak period. Companies want to sell off as many of their older products as possible to make room for the newer models in their showrooms and warehouses. Unlike more high-tech products like computers and smartphones, mattresses don’t get significant upgrades from year to year, so there’s no reason to buy the latest model. Start shopping in March and plan to complete your purchase by May to get the best deal on one of last year’s models.

Buy on Memorial Day, Labor Day, the Fourth of July, and other holidays.

Many mattress brands and big box stores plan major sales events around holiday weekends. Memorial Day, which is celebrated on the last Monday in May, is one of the best times to buy a mattress because it coincides with new stock arriving in stores.

It’s also smart to look for sales around Labor Day, the Fourth of July, Martin Luther King day, and other federal holidays. For example, in recent years Mattress Firm has held “king mattress for the price of a queen” and “queen for the price of a twin” sales for Labor Day. In 2019, popular online mattress brands Casper and Leesa offered between 10 and 15 percent off for Veterans Day in November.

It’s important to note that many of these holiday sales actually kick off a full week before the holiday itself.

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Take advantage of online deals like Cyber Monday and Amazon Prime Day.

Now that so much retail activity takes place digitally rather than in brick and mortar stores, savvy shoppers should look out for the major annual online sales. Cyber Monday takes place on the Monday following Thanksgiving and acts as the digital equivalent of Black Friday. You’d be hard pressed to find an online retailer who doesn’t participate in this annual sales event, with many major brands offering 20 to 30 percent off certain models.

Amazon Prime Day, which celebrates Amazon’s birthday, is a great chance for Prime members to get a deal on a mattress. While Prime Day 2020 took place in October due to the pandemic, the salves event generally takes place in mid-July and lasts for several days. If you’re not a Prime member, this is a smart time to sign up for Amazon’s one-month free trial in order to take advantage of Prime Day deals.

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Search for overstock sales and closing stores.

If you prefer to shop in person, overstock and closing sales provide a great opportunity to get some deep discounts at your local mattress or home furnishing store. Overstock sales take place when a store doesn’t have any more room in their showroom and needs to liquidate older stock to make room for newer models. Overstock sales can also take place online, and follow a similar principle. Closing sales, on the other hand, occur when a retailer is going out of business and wants to quickly sell off their stock.

Do note, however, that mattresses sold in situations like these are often not returnable or exchangeable if you’re unsatisfied with your purchase.