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Outline the key trends in the mattress market in Turkey. Focus on buying culture.
Overview
Hello, and thank you for your interest in the mattress market in Turkey. In short, Turkish consumers understand and appreciate the value of a good mattress in supporting a good night's sleep, and they replace their mattresses frequently--but the unconventional structure of Turkey's retail furniture market makes it difficult for consumers to evaluate all of their mattress options.
BACKGROUND
Turkish furniture designer and manufacturer Doğtaş (referred to as "Dogtas" in this report), in collaboration with survey company Ipsos, studied consumer perceptions and preferences relating to Turkish sleep habits--including mattress preferences. Dogtas' goal was to better understand Turkey's bed and mattress customers so that its R&D could create a "sleep map" of Turkey to better align the company with specific customer needs. The Sleep Habits Survey found the following:
Sleep Habits:
* Half of Turkish survey respondents reported that it typically takes them only 10-15 minutes to fall asleep. Turks sleep an average of 8 hours per night.
* Just over half of Turkish survey respondents reported that they sleep on their side; a third sleep face-down; and 15% sleep on their backs.
The Importance of Mattress Quality:
* 90% of Turkish survey respondents reported that mattress quality is the most important factor in getting a good night's sleep.
Other Sleep Trends:
* 46% of Turkish survey respondents said that the bed is not just for sleeping, but also for relaxing--e.g., reading, watching TV, talking on the phone, etc.
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IN TURKEY, SPRING MATTRESSES ARE MOST COMMON
In Turkey, some 95% of the mattress market is comprised of spring mattresses, with the remaining 5% foam mattresses. The industry is said to be modernizing, however, with increased demand spurring both innovation and increased interest in different kinds of materials such as latex, memory foam and other materials. Turkey's industrial bed market in particular (e.g., hotels, hospitals, etc.) is seeing growing demand for latex, memory foam, organic mattresses and value-added bedding products.
In 2014, there were 4 million mattresses sold in Turkey--~3 million to individual consumers and ~1 million to hotels, dorms, hospitals and other institutions. Turkey's hotel industry is expected to drive increased mattress demand with ~1,000 hotels currently under construction. Private sector hospitals also considered a growing end market.
The surge of hospitality (e.g., hotels, spas) and medical tourism have made Turkey somewhat of a mattress manufacturing hotbed as Turkish companies seek to meet local demand. Turkey's growing economy is also helping to drive interest in new mattress purchases.
CONSUMERS IN TURKEY REPLACE THEIR MATTRESSES OFTEN
The importance of having a good mattress is well-understood in Turkey, even though a mattress decision is typically made in less than five minutes. Mattress replacement happens, on average, every seven years in Turkey. According to the Dogtas Sleep Habits Survey, 50% of those currently sleeping on a spring mattress had purchased it with in the last five years. SleepTech Magazine confirms this trend by saying that the life cycle of mattresses in Turkey is going down--meaning that purchase frequency is likely to increase rather than decrease.
MATTRESS QUALITY -- WHAT QUALITIES MATTER TO CONSUMERS?
To Turks, mattress quality is by far the most important factor in achieving a good night's sleep. However, preferences vary by region:
* To Turkish survey respondents who deem mattress quality to be the most important factor for good sleep, orthopedic qualities, firmness and providing a "weightless" feeling are the most important mattress characteristics.
* For those in the Black Sea region, a mattress that molds to the shape of the body and keeps the sleeper cool would be ideal.
CONSUMERS NEED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTION BETWEEN MATTRESS QUALITY AND HEALTH
Clearly, Turks understand that mattress quality affects sleep. But according to the Turkish Exporters Assembly, Turkish consumers need to be better educated about how mattresses and bed quality impact their health. Too often, Turkish consumers may have physical ailments or aches and pains, yet they do not immediately view mattress replacement as an immediate solution. To put this into perspective, the average European customer replaces their mattress every two years--but it is every seven-to-eight years in Turkey.
TURKEY'S POPULATION IS YOUNG
Turkish residents are relatively young, and the country's population is strong and growing. There are some 80 million people residing in Turkey, including refugees and immigrants. The market potential for Turkey's mattress industry is substantial--and will see significant growth as more companies begin to make and sell mattresses exclusively (rather than also producing other types of furniture). However, Turkey's retail infrastructure could curtail this growth as consumers lack an effective way to shop in a multi-brand retail environment.
THE MATTRESS SALES CHANNEL IN TURKEY AFFECTS CONSUMER CHOICE
Turkey's household furniture sales channel structure is unlike that of other countries. For instance, larger furniture companies in Turkey tend to have their own retail stores where they sell not only household furniture, but also their own mattresses exclusively. The typical multi-brand retail environment is not common in Turkey--so as a result, mattress makers have a difficult time getting their products in front of consumers. Experts claim that this is the biggest problem affecting mattress market growth in Turkey.
Independent Turkish mattress manufacturers see huge demand for mattresses, yet are struggling to find new ways to market them. Those that do open up retail stores often end up having to also manufacture other furniture just to remain profitable. And still others decide that exporting is more lucrative. Unfortunately, e-commerce does not seem to be a significant force in this market yet, although using the Internet for marketing and promotion could be an effective way to at least drive awareness of different brands. The trouble, however, is that there is not an adequate retail infrastructure in place to support this--and the lack of multi-brand retail stores is an unfortunate limitation of the mattress market in Turkey.
ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS ARE NOT YET COMMON IN TURKEY
Electronic payments, including contactless mobile payment systems, are relatively new to Turkey--although this trend is expected to explode in 2017 as Turkish consumers look to online marketplaces in which they can view, evaluate and purchase a variety of brands. Almost everyone in Turkey has a mobile phone, so smartphone users are expected to become more comfortable with mobile shopping in the coming year.
E-COMMERCE IN TURKEY IS GROWING WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
Overall, the e-commerce space is expected to see strong growth and popularity in Turkey in 2017--especially as enhancements to user experiences and interfaces make mobile solutions a competitive advantage. Third-party software developers are creating e-commerce platforms that will make it easier for marketers to do business online--even to the point of customizing solutions for an optimal user experience.
Multi-channel platforms and multi-channel marketing are expected to rise in prominence in Turkey in 2017. Integrating all sales channels--e.g., in-store, online, etc.--will enable companies to increase their visibility--even though online sales channels tend to have high commission rates in Turkey. Still, small- and medium-sized businesses in particular can benefit from the agility that a multi-channel sales strategy offers.
CONCLUSIONS:
In conclusion, Turkish consumers overwhelmingly feel that mattress quality is essential to providing a good night's sleep, and they replace their mattresses frequently. Firmness, softness, orthopedic qualities, a relaxing feel, molding to the user's body shape, and keeping the sleeper cool are key factors that Turkish consumers look for in a mattress--although those preferences vary by region. However, Turkey's mattress industry is somewhat of a paradox: high domestic demand yet a lack of suitable retail infrastructure to support a multi-brand shopping environment. As e-commerce takes off in Turkey this year with more multi-channel platforms emerging, such changes could allow consumers more access to product choices they never knew they had.
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