Buying a new mattress is a stressful and costly circumstance for any consumer. Mattress delivery options do not always bode well for many consumers. Without realizing it, consumers are constantly being put at risk of enduring a bed bug infestation when they buy mattresses and have them delivered.
Like many areas in the United States, Canada has been in a wicked battle with bed bug infestations. Simmons Mattress Gallery in Canada has announced that they have ended their “Comfort Exchange” policy effective immediately. The rise in bed bug infestations in Canada aided in the decision to end the program where customers were allowed to return purchased mattresses within a prescribed period of time if they were unhappy with their purchase.
A visit to the Simmons Mattress Gallery’s website revealed their mattress policy. The website states…“We also do not want to put you at risk of having your factory fresh mattress come into contact with any contaminants such as bed bugs, dust mites, mold, pet hair or unexpected odors such as smoke, which is why we cannot remove old mattresses or foundations.” This is all great news.
Their website also states…“Our delivery team can move your old mattress and foundation to the curb while delivering your new mattress.” This policy however could still cause trouble for consumers if the delivery teams are not careful. Sometimes a bed bug infestation is very apparent, sometimes not. Because of the stigma attached to having a bed bug infestation, consumers may not be forthright about having bed bugs creeping around in their home. If delivery teams are expected to remove potential bed bug infested mattresses to the curb, they should be trained to recognize the signs of bed bugs and the actual bugs – all stages. This could be a very difficult task as bed bug eggs are very tiny, translucent in color, and difficult to detect.
Please check back on Friday for the conclusion.