Increased preference for customization

• Preference for customized mattresses is a trend that is driven by the major players in the market, including Casper Sleep Inc., King Koil Licensing Co. Inc., Kingsdown Inc., Kurlon Enterprise Ltd., Leggett & Platt Inc., Paramount Bed Co. Ltd., Saatva Inc., Serta Simmons Bedding LLC, Sleep Number Corp., and Tempur Sealy International Inc.
•  The customizations that have recently flooded the market, according to Technavio, include custom mattresses that can suit bolsters, yachts, windows, and V-berths, or even for products such as T-cushions, L-cushions, and chair cushions. Additionally, companies have been offering customizations that allow customers to provide their own specifications for custom-made products that are offered within a premium price range.
• According to Poonam Saini, one of the lead analysts at Technavio for furniture and home furnishing research, "retailers also offer a range of firmness and layering options. Serta, one of the key vendors in the mattress market, offers custom-made mattresses exclusively for its retail partners. Vendors also offer couples the option to customize each side of a single mattress depending on their individual needs. All these factors are increasing the demand for customized mattresses, which will have a positive impact on the growth of the market during the forecast period."

Rapidly increasing online mattress sales

• According to Mordor Intelligence's market research report on the mattress market published in 2019, consumers are estimated to be more comfortable making large purchases over the internet, mainly due to the constant change in the way people think about buying durable consumer products such as mattress.
• Additionally, Internet penetration globally has recorded an average of 56.8% in March 2019, and online mattress companies are opting to sell directly to the consumers, therefore eradicating the middlemen and controlling the costs by eliminating the sales commissions and showroom fees.
• Online mattress retailers also offer a free return window of up to three months which has boosted the sales from a 4.5% growth rate in 2016 to a 5.2% growth rate in 2018, and a projected CAGR of 7.1% from 2019 to 2025.
• According to CNBC, online sales now account for 12% of the $16.5 billion mattress industry, with 45% of mattresses purchased in 2018 happening online, up from 35% for purchases in 2017.
• According to Euromonitor, the leading online mattress company, Casper, has grown its share of the U.S. mattress market to 3.2% in 2018 and now ranks at number seven among all mattress brands in the US, only four years after the company was founded. In comparison, the leading US mattress company Serta only grew its market share by 0.4% in the last four years while shares of the second and third ranked companies shrunk by single digits.

Expanding segment of multifunctional beds

• According to Technavio, leading offline and online vendors that are operating in the global mattress market are increasingly focused on providing mattresses that are manufactured using organic and natural materials, including natural latex, organic cotton, organic wools, and other organic materials.
• Such mattresses contain non-toxic materials and do not cause any side effects nor allergies. Additionally, eco-friendly mattresses reduce the environmental impact of mattress production, and can last longer compared with mattresses made from other materials, further helping the environment.
•  The reason why such mattresses are on the rise are two-fold. On the one hand, benefits offered by eco-friendly mattresses go hand in hand with the increasing focus on sustainability, while on the other, such models offer a longevity of product which in turn encourage more commercial as well as individual end-users to buy eco-friendly models.

Strengths

• Kingsdown Mattress has a high level of customer satisfaction. Testimonials on its website from direct customers and through retailers show they have achieved a high level of customer satisfaction among current consumers.
• Over the years, Kingsdown Mattress has built a reliable distribution network that can reach the majority of its potential market. This network has recently expanded to the global market.
• Kingsdown has a successful track record of developing new products. It recently entered the smart mattress market. Last month, in Las Vegas, they introduced their latest new product in the boxed bed category.
• Kingsdown Mattress has a strong presence on social media with followers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. It uses AI for customer engagement on Facebook that provides a quick customer response time.
• Kingsdown Mattress has a well-functioning and informative website.
• Kingsdown Mattress has an extensive product portfolio where it provides sleep items in a large range of categories. 
• Because Kingsdown Mattress' four major competitors are also located in North Carolina, the geography and location of Kingsdown Mattress makes it equally competitive in the national and international market. 
• Kingsdown Mattress owns a number of intellectual property rights that include 24 patents. These allow it exclusivity over its products and competitors cannot copy or reverse engineer them.
• Kingsdown Mattress is a brand that has been in the market for over 100 years, and people are aware of it. This makes its brand awareness high.

Weaknesses

• Because Kingsdown Mattress is a private firm, there is no public information available on the standard financial metrics used to determine a SWOT.
• We have no way to assess their R&D expenditures, their inventory, the assets, liabilities, cash flow or any other financial information.
• Kingsdown also has no available information on the softer metrics like quality control, employee morale or executive team experience.
• We were unable to find any negative reviews for Kingsdown Mattress.

Opportunities

• The hybrid mattress market is projected to reach a CAGR of over 8% by 2023.
• The growth of the real estate industry has had a positive influence on the hospitality, tourism, and residential sector, resulting in rising demand for household furnishings, including mattresses.
• The demand for hybrid mattresses is anticipated to rise during the forecast period.
• The high consumption of mattresses by the residential and hospitality sector has made the construction industry one of the largest end-users of the global hybrid mattress market.
• Residential sector activities, including new house construction and renovation and modification of existing houses, generate the demand for hybrid mattresses, which plays a vital role in shaping the global hybrid mattress market.
• The new US taxation policy has opened new opportunity for Kingsdown Mattresses to increase its profitability as overseas profits are being funneled back into the US.
• Over the past few years, the company has invested money into its website. It has also expanded into an international operation. This investment has opened new sales channels for Kingsdown Mattress. In the next few years, the company could leverage this opportunity by knowing its customer better and serving their needs using big data analytics.
• A merger of the American and Canadian arms of the company in 2019 has provided increased revenue and market share.
• The low inflation rate brings more stability in the market, enabling credit at lower interest rate to the customers of Kingsdown Mattress.
• Kingsdown Mattress is using social media to promote its products, interact with customers and collect feedback from them.
• A growing number of consumers are becoming more conscious of health. Kingsdown Mattress is manufacturing and marketing products that are beneficial to customer's health.  

Threats

• Any company involved in international business has to worry about different laws and ongoing fluctuations in product standards. Kingsdown Mattress may be exposed to various liability claims given changes in policies in those markets.
• Over the years, the company has developed numerous products. However, R&D is not only expensive, but new releases lead to fluctuations in the sales numbers, making projections more difficult.
• Four of Kingsdown's major competitors are located in the same geographic area. They are Tempur Sealy International in Trinity. N.C., Hughes Furniture Industries in Randleman, N.C., Lexington Home Brands in Thomasville N.C., and Ohio Mattress Company in Trinity N.C.
• The new technological development of Smart Beds by many mattress manufacturers poses a threat to Kingsdown Mattress. Customers attracted to this new technology can be lost to competitors, decreasing Kingsdown Mattress’ overall market share.
• Increased promotions by competitors have been a threat for Kingsdown Mattress. On most media, there is more clutter than ever, and customers are bombarded with multiple messages. This reduces the effectiveness of promotional messages by Kingsdown Mattress. Pop-up messages on competitors sites are still advertising President’s Day sales the week after.  

Research Strategy