Mattress warranties and the 120-night exchange, explained
Three different things get mixed up when people ask us "what if something goes wrong with my mattress": the brand's warranty, our 120-night comfort exchange, and a return. Different people provide them, they cover different problems, and they cost different amounts. This post separates them so you know which applies before you call.
The three protections at a glance
| What it is | Who provides it | What it covers | How long | What it costs you |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand warranty | The mattress brand | Manufacturing defects, such as sagging beyond the brand's limit, broken coils or split seams | The brand's own term | Generally nothing for the defect itself; some brands charge for inspection or transport |
| 120-night comfort exchange | Mattress Central | Comfort preference: the mattress is sound, but the feel is wrong | One time, within 120 nights of delivery | The price difference on an upgrade or downgrade, plus possible transport costs outside our local delivery area |
| Return | Mattress Central | A mattress you want to send back | Within 30 days of purchase | A 30% restocking fee, plus a minimum $49.99 transportation fee if we need to pick it up |
What a mattress warranty covers
Each brand sets its own warranty; the card that comes with your mattress and the brand's site have the exact terms, and we'll walk you through them in the store. Most brands cover manufacturing defects, which generally means:
- Sagging or a body impression deeper than the brand's stated limit, measured with no weight on the bed.
- Broken or protruding coils in an innerspring or hybrid.
- Split seams, or a cover that comes apart at the stitching.
Most brands do not cover:
- Comfort preference. Too firm or too soft is not a defect; that is what our comfort exchange is for.
- Normal softening in the first weeks as the materials break in.
- Stains, soiling or odor, whatever the cause.
- A mattress used without proper support.
Sagging is where most questions land. A dip that measures under the brand's limit is generally normal wear, not a defect. The brand's warranty decides where that line is, so check yours.
What voids a warranty
The conditions that trip people up:
- No proper support. Every mattress needs a flat, supportive base: a foundation, a platform bed with closely spaced slats, or an adjustable base. Requirements vary by brand, and a worn or improper base can void the warranty and damage the mattress. See our frames and foundations.
- The wrong foundation for the mattress. An old box spring under a new foam or hybrid mattress, or slats spaced too far apart. If you are keeping your current base, ask us whether it meets the brand's requirement before delivery.
- Stains and soiling. Staining of any kind generally ends a claim. A waterproof protector from the first night is the easiest fix, and our mattress protector guide explains the kinds.
- A missing law tag. The tag that reads "do not remove" is how the brand identifies the mattress. Cut it off and most brands will not look at a claim; our refund policy says the same for returns and exchanges.
- Floor models, clearance and as-is pieces. Our policy excludes floor and display models, clearance items, as-is merchandise and special orders from warranty, return and exchange eligibility.
The habits that keep a warranty intact also make a mattress last; our mattress care guide covers them.
How a warranty claim works
The brand, not the store, decides a claim. Our job is to help you file it properly. The steps are similar for most brands:
- Strip the bed and let it rest. Take off the bedding and protector and leave the mattress empty for a few hours so any impression can recover.
- Measure the sag. Lay a straight edge (a broom handle or a taut length of string works) across the deepest spot, from one side of the mattress to the other. Stand a ruler at the low point and read where it meets the straight edge. That number, with no weight on the bed, is what the brand compares to its limit.
- Take photos. The whole bed from the foot, the straight edge and ruler close enough to read, the law tag, and the base. Brands generally want to see the support as much as the sag.
- Gather your paperwork. Your receipt or order confirmation and the warranty card that came with the mattress.
- Call us and we'll walk you through the brand's process. Some brands take claims through the store, some want you to file directly, and some send an inspector. We know which is which.
We cannot promise an outcome; the brand's warranty decides. What we can do is make sure the claim goes in complete the first time.
The 120-night comfort exchange
This one is ours, not the brand's, and it covers what a warranty never will: the mattress is fine, but it is not right for you. Give it three to four weeks first. A new mattress feels firmer at first, and most of that fades as it breaks in and your body adjusts. If the feel is still wrong, come in and we will set up the exchange. The terms, from our refund policy:
- One exchange per mattress, within 120 nights of delivery.
- You must be the original purchaser.
- Law tags must be attached, and the mattress must be clean, unstained and free of any misuse, abuse or contamination.
- Price differences apply to any upgrade or downgrade.
- It is for comfort preference only. Size changes are not part of it.
- If your order was delivered outside our local delivery area, you may be responsible for return shipping or transportation costs on the exchange.
- Box spring and foundation height changes are not part of the comfort trial, but we may accommodate them for local customers as a courtesy. A $49.99 transportation fee applies, and the piece must be clean, undamaged and in new condition.
Bedding, pillows, accessories, furniture and other personal-use items are final sale once opened.
Returns
If you would rather send the mattress back than exchange it, that is a return, and it has its own terms:
- Within 30 days of purchase, by the original purchaser.
- A 30% restocking fee applies.
- A minimum $49.99 transportation fee applies if we need to pick the mattress up.
- Law tags attached, and the mattress clean, sanitary and unstained.
- Outside our local delivery area, additional return shipping or transportation fees may apply.
- The refund is processed after the mattress comes back and is inspected.
If you simply chose the wrong feel, the comfort exchange is usually the better route: no restocking fee is listed for it, and you have 120 nights instead of 30 days.
Delivery damage
If a mattress or base arrives damaged, defective or incomplete, we correct it. Two things make that quick: note the damage on the delivery manifest while the team is there, and report it to the store within 24 hours. Claims reported later may not be accepted. The same goes for damage to your property during delivery. Look the mattress over before you sign.
Keep these three things
- Your receipt or order confirmation. Proof of purchase, and the date every clock in this post starts from.
- The law tag. Leave it on; it identifies the mattress for the brand and for us.
- The warranty card. The exact terms for your mattress are on it. A photo on your phone is a fine backup.
Most people never need them, but it costs nothing to be ready.
Find us
Mattress Central, 3319 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039, in Atwater Village. Open daily, 9 AM to 8 PM. Delivery is free, and around Los Angeles our own team sets it up (California orders). Read the full FAQ, refund policy and delivery policy, browse all mattresses, call (323) 522-3410, or contact us.