06/10/2026
๐๐๐๐โ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ซ๐ค๐๐ญ ๐๐๐๐: ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ, ๐๐จ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ข๐ฅ
The job market still looks healthy on the surface. Hiring is steady, unemployment remains low, and most consumers are still working. However, household budgets are coming under increasing pressure.
Wage growth, as measured by average hourly earnings, is running at roughly 3.4% year over year, while inflation has picked up in recent months. As a result, many households are seeing less improvement in their spending power than they did over the past few years. At the same time, higher costs for everyday essentials such as food, housing, gasoline, insurance, and other household expenses are taking up a larger share of the household budget, leaving less room for discretionary purchases.
For the mattress industry, this trend aligns closely with what retailers are already seeing. Consumers remain employed and active in the marketplace, but they are becoming increasingly selective about larger discretionary purchases. According to Colliers' March 2026 retail traffic analysis, furniture store visits were down 5.8% year over year, while traffic to discount and dollar stores increased 8.5%, reflecting a continued focus on value and affordability.
Importantly, this is not a pullback from the market, but rather a change in behavior. Retailers across categories continue to report that consumers are still shopping, but they are taking longer to make decisions, comparing more options, and looking more closely at price, promotions, and financing before committing.
For mattresses, this shift often shows up as delayed replacement timing, consumers stretching their existing mattresses longer, increased comparison shopping both online and in-store, and greater sensitivity to pricing and promotions.
The bottom line: Even with a solid labor market, consumers are feeling more financially constrained. That is making demand for mattresses more need-driven.
In this environment, success will depend on meeting consumers where they areโclearly communicating value, maintaining strong promotional strategies, and providing financing options that make purchases more manageable at the point of sale.
