Market Mood Swings
Every Las Vegas Market has its own personality. Some are remembered for big launches. Some for attendance (good or bad). Some because a major supplier disappears… and then shows back up later. Maybe it was that seismic merger or acquisition that went down, or a bankruptcy that was declared. Or, in this Market’s case, defined by what Mother Nature decided to bury us with, literally.
Having attended every Market since 2016, you start to realize there’s no single “normal.” If you were there during the height of COVID, you probably hope you never experience anything that surreal again.
This year, there’s no getting around the impact of the winter storms. Across large parts of the country, travel was tough—or impossible—and a meaningful number of would-be attendees simply couldn’t make it. The halls were quieter than they should have been.
Here’s where I assure you that the remainder of this column will be loaded in positivity.
Buyer and Seller Ingenuity
Whether they made it or didn’t, dealers were still very engaged. In fact, there was a noticeable uptick in retailers proactively communicating that they wouldn’t be able to attend, many of them asking for virtual showings so they didn’t miss critical showings and conversations. That level of intent says a lot. Special shout-out to Matt Wolf of Mattress Lux in Georgia—also a father of four—who initially planned to cancel altogether, then found a way to be there Tuesday to make sure he could still get into showrooms. That kind of determination doesn’t show up by accident, and his local shoppers will inevitably benefit from it.
Market also delivered some real moments of pride. One that stuck with me was seeing dealers from across the country gathered together on a Saturday night in an otherwise empty suite. Networking. Learning. Building relationships. Leaving with a fresh perspective and renewed commitment to elevating what they deliver back home. Credit to Jeff Giagnocavo and Ben McClure of Mattress Retailer Toolkit for hosting a Retailer Boardroom Dinner and roundtable that genuinely moved the needle for mattress dealers big and small.
From an exhibitor’s standpoint, there was a paradox that some of you will empathize with. I didn’t get out and walk floors the way I always intend, simply because I couldn’t. Until nature called and I didventure out, it became very clear what this Market was all about. You could see exactly where retailers were choosing to spend their limited time and energy.
Busy Showrooms
Showrooms like Shifman, E.S. Kluft, and Specialty Sleep Association (home of difference-making industry citizens like PranaSleep, First Direct, Geli Sleep, Naturepedic, Williams and Co., W. Silver, Beaudoin Beds, among others) – beacons for premium and ultra-luxury options and services – were busy. Even without stepping one toe into Building B, King Koil was coming up repeatedly in conversations thanks to their continued ingenuity, their launch of PranaSleep distribution, and the opportunity to rub elbows with Drew and Jonathan Scott. It sounds like South Bay International dazzled their visitors as well.
In general, retailers weren’t rushing through appointments. They were sitting down. Asking real questions. Investing time. These weren’t “I’m morbidly curious to see what a $6,000–$10,000 mattress feels like” visits. These were “we need to build something special with this manufacturer” conversations.
Differentiation Matters
It matters because of the four years where many dealers have worked incredibly hard just to hold the line, if not survive outright. In a climate shaped by economic headlines, tariffs, political noise, and consumer skepticism, retailers weren’t gravitating toward “safe” pricing. They were gravitating toward reality. Brands that deliver premium and ultra-luxury experiences are giving retailers something far more valuable than short-term volume: differentiation, margin integrity, and stories that resonate.
Some BedTech execs I’m friendly with couldn’t get out of their showroom either. That was because of the magnificent job they’ve done protecting their dealers from volatile tariff concerns. It was exciting to finally catch up with them at the most generously attended Mattress Industry Network party on record. Permit one more shout out for both Steve Houk and Greg Jent for their contributions towards elevating our industry and organizing this highly anticipated gathering that more and more look forward to as one of their Market highlights.
Cariloha
I’ll ask for your forgiveness for a moment while I reference our own experience at Cariloha. I promise that it reinforces what this Market was signaling.
Among our current retail partners, there was almost a happiness around the fact that together, in partnership, we oversold our ultra-luxury Retreat sheets collection prior to Market. A horde of orders that had to be “holding-patterned” because demand exceeded projections. What excited us wasn’t the sell-through. It’s what it represented. The celebration of selling out a product. Dealers are now confidently selling $350 sheet sets with a frequency that would have sounded unrealistic not that long ago. Five years back, many retailers weren’t even in the sheets business at all, let alone selling at luxury price points with regularity. Sheets were an afterthought, a giveaway, or something reserved for promotional pricing. That mindset has clearly changed, and more dealers are getting on board with elevating their linens games.
The same forces filling premium mattress showrooms are now shaping the broader sleep ecosystem. Retailers are recognizing that consumers aren’t just buying a mattress – they’re buying their life. Reassurance, comfort, and an experience they want to extend throughout the bedroom (and sometimes beyond it). Sheets, protectors, pillows, bath towels, and other incremental categories are no longer secondary. When presented with intention, they reinforce the mattress sale and elevate the overall value proposition. Just like premium mattresses do.
Market Take-Aways
Looking back on this Las Vegas Market, despite imperfect conditions, the signal was still crystal clear. Retailers don’t need lower price points, and they know it. They’re finding conviction—conviction in what they carry, how they present it, and confidence that the right customer will invest when value is clearly communicated.
The busiest conversations weren’t about racing to the bottom. They were about standing apart. “Our salespeople will never be able to sell that high” is being replaced with “Please help us succeed where we’ve never tried before.” “I don’t have those kinds of customers,” is out, “These are the kinds of customers I want,” is in.
We can indict Mother Nature for delivering a quieter Market than it should have been. On the other hand, the prevailing signal from this Market was LOUD.
