Amazon Enters Bed Market With Low-Cost Basic Foam Mattress
Amazon introduces private-label mattress for $130.
(Bloomberg) -- Amazon.com Inc. is taking a stab at the mattress business, joining the competition against startups such as bed-in-a-box pioneer Casper Sleep Inc. and retail rivals including Walmart Inc.
The AmazonBasics foam mattress, starting at $130, was spotted Friday by TJI Research, which monitors the e-commerce giant’s growing list of more than 120 private label products, including kitchen goods, batteries, clothing and electronics accessories. Amazon’s furniture brands already included bed frames and bedding, but this is the first Amazon-branded mattress, according to TJI. It’s the latest example of the company selling a product that will compete with merchants and retail partners on the site.
Retailers are targeting mattresses as a way to boost sales and attract customers, following venture capitalist investments in direct-to-consumer startups like Casper and Leesa. Tuft & Needle last month announced a merger with mattress maker Serta Simmons Bedding. Walmart in February introduced its own mattress and bedding brand Allswell. Target Corp. last year invested $75 million in Casper, which is considering an initial public offering and plans to open 200 physical stores over the next three years.
Amazon couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
--With assistance from Matthew Boyle.
To contact the reporter on this story: Spencer Soper in Seattle at ssoper@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jillian Ward at jward56@bloomberg.net, Andrew Pollack, Emily Biuso
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