Confessions of an Online Shopping Hypocrite

I have a confession: I’m an online shopping hypocrite.

Mattress companies paid huge sums for affiliate marketing links, tried to minimize negative reviews, and even sued a prominent mattress site. After reading the article, I was convinced that I would never buy a mattress online.

And then, on Black Friday, I bought a mattress online.

Despite my distaste for some of the marketing tactics a few mattress brands used, I was still convinced to buy. So what happened? How did a brand manage to change my mind so quickly and turn me from a skeptic into a buyer?

It all started because I really did need a new mattress. I won’t tell you how old my previous mattress was, because it’s honestly embarassing and makes me feel as though I’m failing at #adulting. But suffice it to say, I had been thinking of buying a mattress for a while and the Black Friday offers were tempting.

However, I’ve never been one for battling crowds and the thought of going to an actual store on Black Friday gave me a sense of mild panic. I had also previously bought a mattress at a traditional retailer and felt like I got ripped off and stuck with a terrible mattress. So, despite my reservations, I started browsing online just to see what was out there. I told myself I wasn’t going to buy anything — of course not! — I was just browsing.

As I started Googling around for online mattress deals for Black Friday, as if by magic, I saw Leesa everywhere I looked. And I’m not exaggerating. As I browsed, I saw a SERP ad for Leesa’s Black Friday sale. When I briefly browsed Facebook, I saw another targeted ad for the same sale. When I checked my mail, I had an actual, physical card from Leesa. I paused in my search for a while, not yet ready to make a commitment and buy. I turned on the TV and — no joke — I saw an ad for the very same Black Friday sale.

Once I had decided to check out online mattress brands thanks to Leesa’s omnipresent advertising, I also decided to look at a few competitors. While the brand’s marketing was impressive, I don’t just buy things because I admire the marketing campaign. (Or well, not usually.)

I wanted to make sure I got the best deal and the right type of mattress for how I sleep. The discounts on offer were all fairly similar, giving buyers a few hundred dollars off a mattress purchase. What stood out were the review sites (yes, those same scammy review sites!) that recommended the best mattress for each type of sleeper. If you’re a stomach sleeper who prefers a firm mattress — like me — multiple, unaffiliated sites recommended Leesa.

So there I was, back on the Leesa website. After being drawn in by ads and convinced by review sites, I was almost ready to make the purchase. But I still hesitated. I had been burned before buying an expensive and uncomfortable mattress in store. What if I hated this mattress? What would I do then?

Luckily, most of the major online mattress brands offer the ability to try the mattress for 100 days to see if you like it. This is not unique to Leesa, and that’s because it really works. This was really what finally got me over the hurdle to purchase. Because of the flexible return policy, I was more willing to take a risk. I knew that if I hated the mattress, I had an out. So I clicked “Buy.”

I haven’t slept on the mattress yet, so I can’t tell you if I’ve made a good purchase or not. And really, the quality of the product itself doesn’t matter. Whether I return the mattress or not, the marketing lesson ecommerce brands can learn from Leesa is compelling.

On the most competitive retail day in America, I was fully nurtured by an ecommerce brand from awareness to consideration to decision. It was impressive how well their Black Friday strategy worked on me, a skeptical and cynical marketer who was actively resistant to buying a mattress online.

Leesa’s Black Friday marketing strategy is a powerful lesson for any B2C brand out there. If you can combine omnichannel marketing, customer reviews, and a great customer experience, you’ve got it made in the ecommerce world.

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