Complain about a product or service

Sleepy's

Sleepy's

• Damaged
• Defective
• Wrong
• Delivery problems
• Lowest price promise
--
• Sleepy's Pays $750,000 to Settle NJ Charges
• NJ Sues Sleepy's
• Inside the Mattress Mafia

Maybe Sleepy's needs to wake up. The chain spends big bucks on hard-sell advertising to get customers in the door but doesn't do much to make them come back to do anything other than complain. A lawsuit by the New Jersey Attorney General doesn't do much for the chain's image, either.

Here's what the company suggests:

My name is Melissa and I am a Customer Relations Representative at Sleepy's Inc. It has been brought to our attention that you filed a complaint online and we would like to offer assistance to you. I understand this is a public website and ask that you contact me directly at customerrelations@sleepys.com and provide your account information so we may further address your situation.

We look forward to hearing from you, so we may expedite resolution to your situation.

What Can You Do?

If you have problems similar to recounted here, the first step is to write a factual letter to Sleepy's, outlining the specific problem and the steps you have taken to resolve it. Leave out the name-calling; be firm but polite. Then, propose a fair solution and set a deadline of 30 days, after which you say you will take other action.

Send the letter via certified mail, return receipt requested. Keep a copy of the letter, the receipt that proves Sleepy's received it and copies of all your invoices, credit card slips, etc.

If Sleepy's does not respond and resolve the problem, you can try any of the following:

• File a ConsumerAffairs.Com complaint. Companies hate seeing complaints on our site and will often try to resolve them. Also, complaints filed with us are reviewed by class action attorneys for possible legal action.
• File a complaint with your state, county or city Consumer Affairs Division. You can find them in our Consumer Resource Directory.
• Sue Sleepy's in Small Claims Court. This isn't as drastic as it sounds. It is inexpensive and you don't need a lawyer.
• Ask your attorney to handle it. This is the most expensive option but if you value your time highly and can afford it, it may be the quickest and most effortless.

A few of the more recent complaints ...

Randy of port Jefferson, NY July 18, 2009

We purchased a Chattam and Wells Mattress from Sleepys after a Sealy posterpedic mattress purchased from them became defective and was sagging- Sleepys gave us a credit and then we spent some more money to purchase the Chattam and Wells (total cost of mattress was over 1,800.00. After a few years the Chattam began to sag significantly. Sleepys sent an inspector who determined the mattress was defective and offered us another credit- this time for 2,106.00 (the mattress plus one half of the split boxspring that was found to be defective too.

I spent hours and hours researching the mattresses and decided on a stearns and foster which cost me an additional 197.00 to get a set-mattress and box spring. When Sleepys arrived to deliver the new mattress ans take away the old they refused to do so because they said the Chattam and Wells mattress was stained. After arguing with customer service they told us our warranty was void because of the stain. We pulled out the warranty that Sleepys gave us from Chattam and wells and nowhere in the warranty did it indicate that a stain would nullify our warranty for defective merchandise. It just indicated that it does not cover problems associated with stains or soiling. This problem had nothing to do with soiling.

As the customer service person argued with us over the language of the warranty we informed her that both my husband and I are lawyers and can read the warranty- I suppose the next step is small claims court which is no sweat for us-just annoying to be treated with such disrespect- and this is just a short part of the unreasonable and rude treatment we've received from this company. In any event I wanted to report this.

diane of north plainfield, NJ July 14, 2009

In or about september, october of 2008 I purchased a kings down, king size mattress from sleepy's, it was delivered and set up. Shortly after sleeping in the bed i began itching,red marks all over. I thought it was quite strange, made jokes about the new mattress, (like it has bed bugs), only to find out several months later it was no joke, it's true every time I go to bed I wake up in the middle of the night itching like a cat with fleas. I saw the bugs and confirmed it was, indeed, bed bugs positively in the mattress delivered that way.

JOHNNY of NEW YORK, NY July 10, 2009

I purchased a Kingsdown mattress from Sleepy's in 2003. After being promised by the salesman on the superior workmanship and unparalleled warranty, I felt I had purchased a good mattress set to last me at least 10 years. The mattress began to sag after several years of use and well within the period of the warranty. In early June 2009, I decided to call Sleepy's about what is acceptable sag for this mattress set. I was told that anything fewer than 1.5 inches is acceptable for this mattress set. Although I knew nothing about mattress construction, it appeared that my mattress had a least that much of sag in the set. Sleepy's sent a third party mattress inspector and he did a through and informative inspection of my Kingsdown mattress set. I learned that my set had sag in multiple areas anywhere from 3 inches to 5 inches. He took multiple pictures of my mattress set and told me the problem was one of construction - it was destined to fail when it left the store.

It took a month for Sleepy's to get back to me about the final verdict on my mattress set. They agreed with the inspector's determination. I received a letter stating that my mattress was not up to Kingdown's standards and defective. I also received a credit voucher that had expired two day before the letter's postmark. After making an unnecessary phone call, they changed the expiration date on the credit voucher internally for an 'extra' two weeks. I then went to the nearest Sleepy's to pick an equivalent replacement set. Before I went to the store, I was told the even exchange would be a Kingsdown 400 series. I was told the replacement mattress has a price tag of 3000.00. Nothing in the salesroom has a price on it. The salesman immediately tells me to replace the defective mattress would be at least 1000 because I got a 'deal' on my first mattress. Eventually, after several phone calls, they agreed for an even replacement with only a charge for delivery.

On the day of delivery, three young gentlemen show up at my apartment under the pretense of delivering the new mattress set. They "inspect" the old mattress set. They then make a phone call - someone on the other end then tells me 'We cannot honor the warranty due to water stains.' I asked the delivery gentlemen if they were trained to inspect mattresses and they told me no. They related that they were subcontractors and the only instruction they receive is they are penalized for picking up the 'wrong' mattresses. I called and have written Sleepy's about what recourse I have in this matter and I have been told by customer service I have none.

The mattress had been in casing sold to me by Sleepy's. After purchasing the mattress, I purchased a pad for the mattress. After reading the various complaints on sites like this one, I see a pattern on how they handle fulfilling mattresses. They have no intention of fulfilling the mattress warranty as written. Every point in the warranty process appears to be way for Sleepy's not to honor the warranty.

I only ask Sleepy's and Kingsdown to honor what they promised. I have even sent an email to Melissa "I am here to help", but from my experience so far I don't expect much from the company at this point. I have filed complaints with Better Business Bureau (they are not members BTW), NYC Consumer Affairs, Nassau Costumer Affairs, and recently filled a claims in NYC small claims court. I will keep this board informed on the matter.

Sherri of Westfield, NJ July 10, 2009

My husband and I have purchased 2 faulty mattresses from Sleepy's. Our first mattress was a Chatham and Wells purchased at Sleepys in Hoboken NJ. It came with a 20 year warranty. The bed lasted about 5 years and we noticed sagging. We contacted Sleepys and they sent a company Bedchecks to perform an analysis. They found that the bed was sagging > 1.5 inches but refused the warranty because there was a stain on the mattresses. They did however offer us a discount if we purchased another mattresses from them.

In 2007 we did just that and purchased a new Sealy Posturpedic pillow top (Island Manor) as well as a mattress protector, costing an additional 200, that guaranteed to prevent any staining. They delivered 3 different beds- 1 was stained and the other had an obvious defect. The 3rd bed seemed fine and was wonderful for about 6 months after which we noticed some sagging. We finally couldn't take it anymore as the bed became outright uncomfortable. I contacted Sleepy's and they once again sent out Bedcheck a so called independent mattress inspector.

About 2 months after my original call to them I was notified that they once again rejecting our claim and refusing our warranty. This time they claimed that my center rail on my bedframe was too far to the left and not supported properly. I looked under my bed and the bedpost was NOT leaning whatsoever and appears to be centered. Sleepys put the bed and the boxspring together on the existing frame in 2007 and we have not touched it since. I feel this refusal of my warranty is unwarranted and would appreciate any assistance or advice you could provide.

Salonia of Hillside, NJ July 9, 2009

On July 9, 2008, I contacted Sleepy's concerning a 89.99 refund that was due to me . As I had explained in the past to other representatives that I never received it. I have been contacting Sleepy's for months concerning this refund and no one seems to be able to help me...I contacted my bank along with a Sleepy's Representative on a conference call and the Rep from Sleepy's witnessed that the funds never were transferred to my bank account, which is with Wachovia. After speaking with the Rep from Sleepy's again, I then asked to speak to a Supervisor. I was then left on hold for over 10 minutes only to get a very non-caring Supervisor by the name of Joseph who stated "we don't have your money here" I replied to him "I never received it" He again said " We'll we don't have your money here and you need to take that up with the your bank"

This was what I call poor customer service never once did he try to assist me, he only shut me down and that was his attitude (rude). I would like to find out where did the money go and what was the credit card number that it was sent to? As I explained to the Rep, I had previously had a problem with my credit card that I originally used and was issued another one so it was possible that the refund transaction was never completed properly. If possible can someone contact Sleepy's and Wachovia bank to find out exactly what happened to the refund because again, I never received it.

Roseann of Brooklyn, NY July 2, 2009

The Twin mattress and boxspring did not hold up after only seven months of use. The technician came into the home and examined the set and I was issued a full cred for the purchase price however, I must pay an additional delivery charge of 89.00 for the exchange. I told them this is not fair since I already paid for delivery and am unemployed. They stated that is the policy of the store and the manufacturers guarantee is only good for the merchandise and not the delivery.

I paid 901.00 for a twin set and feel this is not equitable to the consumer. Please assist me in this matter, the bed is lumpy and uncomfortable for an 89 year old woman who is not heavy but frail and needs a comfortable bed.

Judith of Milford, CT June 30, 2009

I purchased a Mattress and Boxspring from Sleepys on March 25, 2009. Within after receiving the mattress the center of the mattress began sinking and I could actaully feel the springs in certain areas under my back. I called a representative at Sleepys to report the problem. They sent out a representative about two weeks ago. I receieved a letter in the mail yesterday, stateing that the merchandise was "Not up to manurfaturer standards." They stated they were crediting me with 616.99. They will not remove the old bed, and I am responsible for shipping charges totalling over 180.00. I was given 14 days of the "date listed above" Otherwise I forfiet the credit. Please advise.

Aviva of brooklyn, NY June 29, 2009

i have purchased a new mattress from Sleepy's in November 2008.I have noticed that my new mattress appeared higher on one side bur attributed it to the uneven construction of the house.my husband and I were not enjoying restful sleep at night but I tried to convince him that it take time to get used to a new mattress.I was convinced that a big company like Sleep's wouldn't jeopardize their reputation by selling bad mattresses.in the past six month my husband and I have developed serious back and neck pain. as soon as we lay down in bed the mattress prolapses, pulling us into the center. Our mattress does not provide proper support to the back, it is uneven(one side higher than other, it prolapses in the center).we forgot what it means to sleep restfully. we try exercising, physical therapy,but nothing works, because as soon as we lay down the mattress "breaks" our backs.

In April i have called the store were the mattress was ordered. the store manager suggested calling customer service. as a result an inspector was sent to my house to inspect the problem. in her written conclusion which Sleepy's mailed to me , she suggested that the spring box was defective. in few days i was contacted by Sleepy's to arrange a delivery of a "good" spring box. No one mentioned anything about charges. and although i am absolutely sure now that our problems and back injuries are because a defect in the mattress, i agreed to try solving the problem by switching "bad" spring box for a "good".

Upon scheduled delivery the worker presented me a bill for 90 dollars delivery charge. I said that I've already paid delivery, and it is not my fault the item that was given to me is damaged. the worker called his headquarters and was given instructions not to deliver the merchandise. This story is very painful to me. i was looking forward to enjoy a good mattress .Not only my husband and I ended up with back injuries because of the defective mattress, but Sleepy's are conducting their bussiness in a irresponsible , unetical manner. I am looking for a fare solution. I paid "big Bucks" for this mattress. someone either Sleepy's or manufacturer must carry responsibility for a defective product. I want either my money back or a proper mattress.

Carlos of DISTRICT HEIGHTS, MD June 28, 2009

Was interested in buying a back and gettting a statement to submit to Work's Compensation Insurance for approval. After selecting the bed I was told that I needed to put 50 down to hold the bed even though I have not turned it in to the insurance company.

I did not understand how they can charge me 50 to hold a bed that has not been submitted for approval yet. I told Richard I didn't have that amount of money right now and he said he could try and work out another deal with the store manager. He said that the 50 was to insure him of getting credit for the sale. I feel this was bad business practics.

Micah of Brooklyn, NY June 22, 2009

On Saturday, May 11th, 2009, I bought the Stearns and Foster Cotton Blossom Latex Bed from the Sleepy's store on 625 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn. I had been sleeping on a ten-year-old mattress that was hurting my back and was looking to invest in a high-quality, latex, firm mattress. After careful research and several visits to different Sleepy's stores in my Brooklyn neighborhood, I settled on the Stearns and Foster Cotton Blossom. Jamel, the sales rep, assured me that I had a 28 day trial period to test out the bed to make sure I liked it. After the bed was delivered the next day, and the delivery men left, I put the stain proof sheet that Sleepy's had included in my purchase on the mattress, and then added my sheets and comforter.

Upon lying down on the bed for the first time that night, I immediately felt that this bed was far softer than the floor model I had tested in the store. Instead of supporting my frame--like the floor model had--this mattress had me sinking in a good 2 inches there's no way I would have purchased a mattress this soft as I was specifically looking for something firm. After three nights sleeping in the bed, I was 100% sure it was NOT the same bed I had purchased at the store despite model number on the tag. I called Jamel who assured me that I could come back and try out different mattresses he seemed genuinely concerned and wanted to make sure I was happy.

I returned to the store a few days later to test the Cotton Blossom floor model again and my suspicions were CONFIRMED: it was ten times firmer than the mattress I received. With Jamel's help, I selected the Stearns and Foster Lemongrass, the firmest Latex model sold on the floor. And I was fully prepared to spend the additional 350 fee for exchange and delivery.

The bed was supposed to be delivered between noon and 3pm the next day but the driver called when I was out and said he was in my neighborhood and could come earlier. As I was not planning on being home until noon, I called my roommate who was at home to let the delivery men in to the apartment.

I arrived home 15 minutes later to find the Cotton Blossom mattress propped up on its side on the wall of my room and the new Lemongrass mattress nowhere in sight. Shaking his head, my roommate said that the delivery man started to take the mattress out the door when the delivery man noticed a tiny, off-white stain, which he described as "the size of a pen tip Against all my roommate's protests, the delivery man left without exchanging the mattresses.

I spent the next 45 minutes arguing with Sleepy's customer service to no avail. I was told again and again that because I signed the paperwork when the bed arrived the week before, I essentially signed off that the bed was in perfect condition this was all explained in the fine print in the paperwork. When the mattress was delivered, I did thoroughly scan it: the "stain" in question is virtually invisible to the human eye. Even after my roommate pointed out the dot that the delivery man had indicated, I had a very difficult time distinguishing it, and I continue to struggle to find this spot on the mattress to this day.

About two weeks later--unsolicited--I received a call from Sleepy's customer service asking me to send pictures of the stain to their customer service department. As requested, I attached several close up digital photos -- the pics provided ample proof that the mark in question is not one that a customer can fairly have been expected to have discovered during a post-delivery inspection, especially when he has purchased his mattress from a reputable company and has no expectation of foul play.

It's now been over four weeks since I first sent the pictures and I am being told that they (Sleepy's) are still waiting to hear back from the manufacturer regarding the photos. I was told I'd be updated, but I have received no news and can only assume no action is being taken. Meanwhile, it's almost been two months now since I lodged my first complaint after buying the mattress. I've paid the price mentally and physically each day since--I've horrendous back pain and a day does not go by that this saga does not consume my thoughts.

I've been back to the store again to lay on the floor model and I am certain, without a doubt, that it's a different bed or that the bed I have is defective. In consumer reports, I've read about many other similar mysterious "off white" tiny stains that the Sleepy's delivery men discover when exchanging mattresses. I feel completely violated and cheated, and I'm stunned at what appears to be Sleepy's attempt to avoid living up to its stated customer service policy.

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