Once in a very blue moon we clear the floor. When we do, the same question comes up at the door: what does ex-display actually mean, and is there a catch?
Fair question. Here is the honest answer.
What ex-display actually means
An ex-display bed is exactly what it sounds like. It has stood on our showroom floor so customers could see it, sit on it and lie on it. It has never been slept on overnight, never been delivered to a home, and never left our care.
Showroom life does leave traces. A mattress that hundreds of people have tried may be lightly marked. We say so plainly on the ticket, because that is the deal: you accept a bed as seen, and in return you pay a long way below its original price.
Why the discounts are real
A showroom like ours has limited floor space and makers release new models. When a line is updated or discontinued, the display model has to make room, whatever its condition. The Relyon Peerless Cranleigh on our floor is a recently discontinued line in excellent showroom condition. Nothing is wrong with the bed. The catalogue simply moved on, and the price moves with it.
That is the whole mechanism. No hidden fault, no clever pricing story.
The best way to judge an ex-display bed is not a photograph or a price. It is your own back, on that bed, for ten quiet minutes.
What to check before you buy one
Buy an ex-display bed the same way you would buy any bed, plus four extra checks:
- Lie on it properly. Ten unhurried minutes, in your normal sleeping position. The advantage of ex-display is that the exact bed you try is the exact bed you take.
- Ask what "sold as seen" covers. Have any marks pointed out to you rather than discovering them at delivery. We will show you ours before you ask.
- Ask about the guarantee. Terms differ by maker and by item, so get the answer for the specific bed in writing.
- Check the sizes carefully. Clearance stock is fixed stock. A super king cannot become a king because you love it.
What is on our floor right now
Three examples from the current clearance, all ex-display and sold as seen:
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Relyon Heritage Braemar, super kingEight-turn springs, upholstered in British wool, cotton, cashmere and silk.Was £4,868Now £2,980
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Relyon Barton Ortho, doubleA very firm tension mattress with a six-turn spring.Was £2,366Now £1,479
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Hypnos Royal Comfort Eminence, super kingA ten-turn pocket spring system with lamb's wool, mohair, camel hair and cashmere, on a hand-lashed sprung base.Was £17,597Now £8,999
When they are gone, they are gone. That is the nature of clearance, and we will not pretend a new one is arriving next week.
Frequently asked questions
Are ex-display beds hygienic?
Ours are tried, not slept in, and any showroom marking is disclosed before you commit. If a mattress is marked, the ticket says so.
Can I return an ex-display bed?
Sold as seen means the decision is made in the showroom, which is why we insist you take your time on the bed before you decide. Ask us about the terms on the specific item; we would rather lose a sale than blur this.
Is ex-display the same as second-hand?
No. Second-hand has lived in someone's home. Ex-display has lived on our floor, in our care, under our eye.
The best way to judge an ex-display bed is not a photograph or a price. It is your own back, on that bed, for ten quiet minutes.
Call us on 020 7723 2925 or get in touch, and come in to see what is on the floor before it goes.