We bought a top of the line Sealy mattress set for $2300 in 2004. After less than 5 years, the sags are big enough to make you feel like you are sleeping in a water slide. Sealy says "see the retailer". The retailer says "send in this form with your payment of $25." We sent the form, and fee, then waited 4 weeks for a inspector to visit. The inspector said it takes up to a week to hear the results. After 2 weeks, there is no response. We have made 4 calls to the company, and left messages, with no return calls or messages.
Here are the learnings:
1. Mattress warranties should not play a role in buying decisions.
2. The retailer controls the warranty, and the terms are set up to protect the retailer from valid claims.
3. The process itself discourages claims, charging a fee, and typically taking 4-6 weeks, with no communications electronically.
4. Sealy does not stand behind the retailer unless the retailer goes out of business, then they use the exact same warrranty claim method as the retailer.
5. Sealy product durability is poor, and the buyer should know not to expect more than 5 years, despite warranties of 10 years.
6. Beware of pillowtop mattresses, because the pillow loses comfort quickly.
We're going to try another brand and a larger retailer who can provide references on standing behind their customers claims. We estimate the size of this particular ripoff at approximately $1000 plus the $25 claim fee.
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