Selling a Used Mattress??
Sep 7, 2009 1:00 AM
Joined: Sep 7, 2009
Points: 2
Has anyone sold a used mattress upon receiving a new one? I purchased mine in May/June and found it much too firm. I am stuck and posted a question in here for advice about soft mattresses. As long as it is legal, I'd like to sell the used mattress on Craigslist or elsewhere. It cost $1200 new, is in a non-smoking, no pet home. Has no stains, has been covered etc. Nevertheless, it is used, but in otherwise fine shape.

Does anyone have advice on selling? Any lessons learned? Just how much/little would you pay for a good used mattress?
Re: Selling a Used Mattress??
Reply #2 Sep 7, 2009 11:22 PM
Joined: Aug 31, 2009
Points: 29
We sold a used mattress (no box spring) on craigslist. It was a Stearns and Foster mattress and it was about $1000 new. It had been used nightly for about 2 years and then it was used about once a year for guests for the next 4 years. We sold it for $50, but I'm sure you can recoup a lot more than that since yours is only a few months old! We really just wanted it gone because we needed the space, though we did originally list it for $100 on CL.

We've sold a lot on Craigslist (mostly Pottery Barn stuff - a couch, bed, console table, coffee table, but also a car, tent, sporting goods stuff) and it has all gone very quickly...until now. People just aren't buying around here. We usually list something on CL for a little more than we hope to get for it so there's some negotiation room, and until just recently that always worked. People either just bought for what we were selling it for or offered slightly less and everyone felt like they got a deal. But now we're having to list things for less than we would have in the past - I sold some $150 rollerblades for $30 recently. They'd been used twice.

I always look at CL and see what other people are selling the same/similar items for, see what condition their stuff is in, and price mine accordingly so that people won't pass my stuff up because it's too spendy. I also try to list my items on Saturday morning as people seem likely to just browse the listings on a weekend. Be sure you use a good title, too, as that's what will lead those who use the search function to you.

As for how much I'd pay for a used mattress...I wouldn't buy it, honestly. But clearly people do! As a general rule, I don't expect to pay more than 60% of retail for things I buy on Craigslist, though there are always exceptions.

Good luck!
Re: Selling a Used Mattress??
Reply #3 Sep 8, 2009 12:42 PM
Location: Yosemite area
Joined: Sep 10, 2008
Points: 249
Why don't you use a softer topper and keep the mattress?  Most people find that soft mattresses sag badly after a few months, it is generally believed that you are better off with a firmer mattress and softer toppers.  I wonder what makes it so firm?
Kait
Re: Selling a Used Mattress??
Reply #4 Sep 8, 2009 4:23 PM
Joined: Nov 4, 2008
Points: 223
Which mattress brand/model is it?
Re: Selling a Used Mattress??
Reply #5 Sep 8, 2009 8:32 PM
Location: L.A. area
Joined: Jan 18, 2008
Points: 1161
cptab wrote:
Has anyone sold a used mattress upon receiving a new one? I purchased mine in May/June and found it much too firm. I am stuck and posted a question in here for advice about soft mattresses. As long as it is legal, I'd like to sell the used mattress on Craigslist or elsewhere. It cost $1200 new, is in a non-smoking, no pet home. Has no stains, has been covered etc. Nevertheless, it is used, but in otherwise fine shape.

Does anyone have advice on selling? Any lessons learned? Just how much/little would you pay for a good used mattress?

Why not keep it and do a foam-ectomy on it?
http://www.whatsthebest-mattress.com/forum/dissecting-my-sealy-fenway-mattress-bought-costco-4-years-ago-lousy-soft-foam-inside/1954-1-1.html
Re: Selling a Used Mattress??
Reply #6 Sep 9, 2009 12:56 PM
I Love Portsmouth!
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Joined: Sep 9, 2009
Points: 1
I'd put it on eBay just to see what you can get.  Set your minimum price high enough so that you don't have to sell it for peanuts.  You may be surprised what you get for it.  Also, Craigslist is good to. But I'd try eBay first.
Re: Selling a Used Mattress??
Reply #7 Dec 30, 2012 3:11 PM
Joined: Dec 30, 2012
Points: 1
My problem is the opposite of yours.  We bought a bed and have discovered that it is too soft.  It is less than 4 months old and in perfect condition.  The mattress is a queen BeautyRest and we paid $1,700.00 for it.  If anyone knows anyhone interested in purchasing this, I would love to talk with them.