A good night’s sleep is extremely important for overall well-being and health. However, there’s a lot more to getting proper sleep than going to bed on time. Hence, it’s suggested to always opt for a comfortable mattress. That said, it is not very easy to ensure you’re picking up the right mattress since there are lots of things that can confuse you. Read on to know more about the sales traps used to sell mattresses.
Buying the right mattress – Sales traps to avoid
Most people buy mattresses as an investment for at least a decade. This means while buying the mattress, these customers ensure that the product serves its purpose for at least the warranty period mentioned. However, retail sellers usually focus more on selling their mattresses than on the welfare of their customers. Thus, they come up with a few traps to force or cajole their customers into buying the goods. Here are some of the traps and tips on how to avoid them.
Claims about the premium quality of the mattresses
Most mattress retailers, both online and offline, often use the word “premium” to describe their goods. Moreover, they may also use the word to detail the quality of the mattress’s materials. This may include coils, cover materials, and even foam. Furthermore, some other vague words used to describe the mattresses are “high performance,” “natural,” and “advanced.” These words are often employed as traps to lure in customers. Hence, experts suggest that the customer always ask for specific information regarding the mattress; this can include the number of layers, the number and gauge of the coils, and even the density of the foams. As different people have different needs, retailers must provide the customer with the information needed to help them choose the best mattress.
Pillow top softness that does not last
Usually, when one goes to the store to select mattresses, they may find the pillow top mattresses incredibly soft and comfortable. This happens because the mattresses have soft and thick layers of fiber above the springs. However, these soft layers are prone to developing deep indentations, which can affect the sleeping posture. Hence it’s suggested to opt for “plush top” mattresses instead. These mattresses have two or three layers of blended foam and fiber. Furthermore, they are less prone to indentions and are quite cost-effective compared to pillow tops.
A promise of exclusive products
In most cases, departmental stores and mattress chains offer their customers exclusive mattresses from a certain brand. Moreover, the sellers may also add that the products are available only with them. However, these exclusive mattresses are often a clone of the brand’s product, and the original ones can be found elsewhere for a far lesser price. This may often make shopping for mattresses quite difficult. Hence it’s advised to always conduct a thorough study of the brand, its products, offerings, and also its basic components. This may help one spot similar models in different stores, which can then be bought according to the analyzed needs, wants, and budget.
Product warranties and guarantees
At times, when one walks into a mattress store and voices their concerns about a certain mattress, the seller may provide information about the satisfaction guarantee offered by the store. During these times, the customers can quiz the seller about the guarantee details, such as the availability of a cashback or exchange, the presence of a restocking fee, and the amount charged for pickup/shipping of the products. This not only ensures the customer makes an informed decision but also helps them see right through the loopholes of the product’s guarantee. In addition to the above, one should also pay attention to the warranty, as it may only cover major defects during the warranty period.
Provision of discounts after an increase in prices
Most mattress sellers often increase or decrease the prices of their products throughout the year. Sometimes they even sell the mattresses at a price higher than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), only to slash it down after a few days. Furthermore, online retail stores market these instances as a sale across their website to lure in more customers. Hence, experts suggest researching the MSRP of the mattresses across brands and stores to decide the minimum price one is willing to pay for the products. Furthermore, customers can also try shopping for the needed mattress towards the end of the month, when salespeople are more willing to negotiate prices and fulfill their set targets.
An oversell of user reviews
One must always take online reviews, either positive or negative, with a grain of salt. However, it’s equally important to read through them carefully and weed out the products or stores with negative reviews. These reviews may help one know more about the mattress’s size, durability, overall quality, and edge support. But, the reviews do not aid prospective buyers in knowing about the mattress’s subjective qualities, such as firmness and comfort. Hence one must always be aware of user reviews and steer clear of making decisions based on the number of positive product reviews they find online.
In addition to avoiding the sales traps mentioned above, one must also lie on the mattress for at least 10-15 minutes in the store. This gives the customer an idea of the spinal support and comfort provided by the mattress.
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4 credit card processing services tailormade for small businesses
Read moreCredit card processing appears to be an easy process, wherein a card is swiped on the machine and an immediate deduction reflects on the buyer’s account. However, there are several more parties involved in this transaction apart from the consumer, the seller, and the bank. There are also credit card processing services that enable the transaction to take place. The payment of funds is a wireless transaction that is conducted between a consumer, the merchant (seller) who processes the transaction, and a catalyst (processing services) that brings about the transaction.
The transaction occurs when card details flow through the vendor’s processing company and through the credit card networks which connect to the cardholder’s bank. The payment is then processed depending upon the bank’s approval or denial.
Top credit card processing services
Below are our recommendations for the best credit card processing services that are transparent, have fair pricing, and provide excellent solutions.PayPal
PayPal does not charge any extra or surprise fees such as installation, compliance, and monthly maintenance. The charges made to you wholly depend on the number of transactions that take place through PayPal.While PayPal charges less for transactions that process through the platform, various added features are locked and can only be utilized when the specified fees to acquire the feature is paid.
Helcim
Helcim has charted out the exact cost and pricing of their services on their website. Training guidelines are also available for newcomers. They also accept all credit cards that are extensively used. Helcim also provides excellent customer service.Helcim is not recommended for small-time vendors who have small transactions and low revenue.
Square
Square follows a flat-fee system, which is ideal for small vendors thanks to its affordability. The pricing structure is very transparent and available on their website.The gateway may be affordable as it follows a standardized pricing system for all its customers. However, it may be expensive for big businesses. There have been complaints of accounts being shut down or frozen over dubious fraudulent activities.
CreditcardProccessing
There are no cancellation fees levied by this credit card processing company.Unlike the above-mentioned credit card processing companies, CreditcardProccessing is not as clear with respect to its pricing structure. This is because prices vary depending on the equipment used for processing the payment.
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Emphysema symptoms: What you ought to know
Read moreEmphysema is caused by continuous exposure of the bronchioles to irritants such as cigarette smoke, passive smoke, industrial solvent fumes etc. This makes the muscles of the bronchioles contract. Chronic exposure to irritants make these muscles contract permanently. Then, the mucus membrane lining the bronchioles start secreting mucus in order to wash away particulate irritants. Both these body reactions are to restrict the entry of the irritants into the cavities of the bronchioles and alveoli.
The next reaction is to cough out the irritants and the mucus. Severe forceful coughs can raise the pressure in the alveoli considerably and can rupture their exceedingly thin walls. The reduction of area for gas transfer and the loss of elastic tissues in the lungs reduces the capacity of the lungs to expel air. This reduces the intake volume of fresh air during breathing and can also lead to infections. These conditions produce the characteristic symptoms of wheezing, tightness in chest, labored breathing and coughing. These are also indications as well as symptoms of severe asthma.
The symptoms of emphysema are exceedingly severe and cause considerable damage to the lungs before the symptoms even show up. Generally, one feels a lack of energy and the tendency to skip some of the common daily routines. It progresses from slight difficulty in breathing to wheezing and then to a persistent cough that does not go away. One starts to feel a tightness in the chest and feels short of breath on exertion. Tiredness and persistent cough become constant.
Infections can set in, turning the sputum yellow, which also leads to loss of appetite, further aggravating tiredness. One will lose sleep and even sexual function. All this constant suffering and ill health lead to depression which would in turn lead to the patient needing psychiatric help. The lips and fingernails turn blue or gray due to lack of oxygen in the blood. One may get into a condition called hypoxia and may have to resort to oxygen therapy.
As the deterioration continues, the alveoli lose their strength and start rupturing. In extreme cases, there may be large scale destruction which leads to empty spaces in lungs called bullae. This would reduce the functional area of the lung which in extreme cases call for surgical removal. In an extremely rare condition, large scale rupture of alveoli can cause a condition called pneumothorax and the collapse of the lung, a very serious condition, which can be fatal. The best thing one can do is stop exposure to irritants.