Boyd Steps Up with Waterbed Technology
David Perry – Furniture Today – 08/13/16
LAS VEGAS — Boyd Specialty Sleep is zoned in on customizable comfort with its new hybrid izone bedding line, which brings waterbed technology to the mainstream bedding market.
Water-filled chambers on each side of the sleep sets, filled to each consumer’s comfort profile, are paired with air and foam layers to produce what St. Louis-based Boyd describes as the most forward-looking bedding technology it has ever offered.
The new line has proven its sales mettle in an extensive test at the 15-unit Bedroom Store chain in St. Louis, said Denny Boyd, president. Retails range from $2,499 to $3,499, with high margins.
After nearly two years of testing both online and in brick-and-mortar outlets, “we now know that izone beds not only capture shoppers who want to customize their sleep, they also give consumers a compelling reason to visit retailers that carry them,” Boyd said. “In fact, most people in our market studies said they wouldn’t buy an izone product online. They wanted to see it and feel it. Seventy percent were converted in-store.”
The product has won glowing consumer reviews, he noted.
“Izone has proven itself to be an experiential product that creates fans, not just customers,” Boyd said. “In the 100-plus reviews we’ve gotten at www.izonebed.com, many fans told us that this bed has changed their lives.”
According to co-developer Carla Williams, izone hybrids combine air, water and memory foam to create a bed that can be customized to each person’s height, weight and sleep position. No electronics, pumps or chemicals are involved. The set up is easy, and the bed can be UPS-shipped, she said.
“We like to speak of izone beds as an ‘innovation without complication,’” said Williams, a bedding veteran. “First, we ask shoppers to ‘Sync into Bed’ by taking a simple quiz at izonebed.com. Each person’s result then calculates the correct settings for the seven oval channels or calibrators located inside the mattress on each side.
“Izone beds offer contouring support in every sleep position, which also means your bed can be changed if your body changes.”
The water-filled calibrators are housed in buoyant, anti-microbial, open-cell foam T-vented above each calibrator. The vents create a “bellow” effect that circulates air and releases excess heat. They also cause the foam to move freely over the calibrators, contouring to body movement, officials said.
A top layer of free-floating foam, encased in a zippered, washable cover, allows for additional contouring and surface plushness.
Izone models also feature a proprietary barrier that’s impenetrable by bed bugs or dust mites, and the beds’ internal covers are antimicrobial and washable.
The four-model line, which offers a new cool-to-the-touch Ice Fiber fabric on the top number, can offer retailers margins of 65%, with additional co-op funds. The beds carry a 10-year limited warranty, officials said.
“The calibrators absorb pressure rather than compressing like foam or springs,” Boyd explained, “while each bed is supported by a high-density foam base to maximize life.”
Izone beds are compatible with any foundation, platform or adjustable base. Boyd said retail data showed an adjustable base attachment rate of more than 75%.
Also new for the Las Vegas market is a “one size fits all” izone pillow expected to retail for $99. The no-flip pillow has three sleeping zones and combines gel memory foam, gel fiber and two contouring, gel-filled oval channels located at either end.
Along with the gel fiber inside, the izone pillow has breathable 3D mesh on the bottom that promotes air circulation. The gel tubes can be removed and refrigerated to provide prolonged cooling.
“We say that ‘happiness is the cold side of the pillow,’” Williams added. “This product is ideal for those who flip their pillows all night long, looking for that cool spot.”
Izone beds purchased from izonebed.com or by phone come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, Boyd noted.
“Consumers can try out their new beds for up to 90 days,” he said. “If they’re still unhappy, they can exchange the mattress for another model or return it for a full refund. And izonebed.com pays the return shipping costs. That’s truly risk-free shopping.”
Boyd shows in World Market Center B-901.