Online disruptors arrive to unsettle Australian mattress market

Internet Retailing

8th Mar 2016

After launching in November 2015, an Australian e-commerce start-up has hit $1 million in sales in its first 79 days of business.

Developed by two Byron Bay boys, Dany Milham and Mitch Taylor, Koala Mattress has developed a zero-disturbance technology mattress, which they have been promoting via gif:

The company minimises business overheads through a lean, direct-to-consumer model, to offer a high-quality, Australian-made mattress, at an affordable price-point with free 4­-hour delivery timeframe throughout Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Koala Mattresses range from AU$650 for a single to AU$1050 for a king, come with a 120 day ‘no-questions-asked’ returns policy and a 15-year warranty.

Koala Mattress sales also support the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital. For every mattress purchased, the company contributes to the rescue and treatment of sick and injured koalas. The initiative also contributes to the preservation of natural habitat and research.

Another new entrant to the mattress market is Summuto, the brainchild of Malcolm Long, founder of Sleepy’s and former director of Snooze, Craig Smith, co-founder of wotif.com and Craig Morrison who has more than 12 years experience in the technology space guiding tech companies from the start-up phase to mergers, acquisitions and sales and public listed companies.

“Sommuto is challenging the current model where consumers go to a store and lay on bed for a few seconds while trying to work out all of the different makes and models,” said Craig Morrison, Sommuto CEO.

“To take the confusion out of this current process, Sommuto has developed one mattress which is the perfect firmness and makes the process as simple and affordable as possible for consumers.

“Based on casper.com, which has done the same thing in the US market and proven to be a huge success, Sommuto has established experience centres in Sydney and Brisbane where consumers can spend an extended period of time trying out the mattresses,” Morrison said.

Sommuto has also formed a strategic partnership with AH Beard, Australia’s most experienced mattress manufacturer with over 116 years, to develop the mattress.

Sommuto mattresses are priced from $1290 for a Queen sized mattress.