Mebane, North Carolina-based luxury bedding manufacturer Kingsdown, Inc. has revamped its Prime collection with “high-impact looks” and approachable price points designed to appeal to a wider range of independent and regional retailers and attract a broader consumer demographic.
“We are taking a page from luxury car manufacturers who create entry-level models to attract new, and mainly younger consumers. Our new Prime collection is designed to appeal to the aspirations of younger consumers — and the retailers who want to serve them — with a level of quality and features not found in other mattresses in the under $1,000 retail range,” said Frank Hood, president and CEO of Kingsdown.
According to Hood, Kingsdown’s goal for Prime is to round out the brand’s luxury price point offerings and product mix, particularly for retailers who carry its more luxe collections like Passions and Vintage.
“We also see great opportunity to grow with independent and regional retail players who may see Kingsdown as a luxury brand out of reach for their average customers,” Hood said.
According to a news release, the 14 new models in the Prime collection feature foam encasement construction, which Kingsdown refers to as Full Body Surround — an upgrade from the collection’s previous perimeter coil designs that provides an edge-to-edge sleeping surface.
Mattress heights range from 11.5 to 14 inches, all adjustable-base compatible. Prime’s higher-end models include features like a layer of plush latex to enhance pressure relief and maximize support and Tri-Tech gel memory foam infused with copper, silver and graphite, as well as cooling gel foams, the news release said.
The company said the key to Prime’s success on retail floors will be its unique design unlike any other entry-level collection currently in the marketplace. Created by the same design team that produces Kingsdown’s high-end fashion-driven collections, Prime mattresses feature a floral pattern on the borders inspired by a gentleman’s pocket square designed to make the entry-level beds appear more expensive than they actually are.
“With the tagline ‘Outstanding choice, exceptional value,’ Prime was certainly designed to stand out on retail sales floors — but not just because of its head-turning visual presentation,” Hood said. “Retailers are gravitating to this collection because. with no MAP pricing, they have the opportunity to make more money with Kingsdown, tailoring not only their product mix to their specific market, but also, theoretically, their margin mix.”
