Serta's new iSeries beds feature gel memory foam, coils

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Serta's iComfort line of gel memory foam beds transformed the bedding marketplace after its introduction a year ago. Now the No. 2 bedding producer aims to create excitement in the premium innerspring category with gel memory foam and a new coil unit.

At this month's Las Vegas Market, Serta will unveil its iSeries line of innerspring beds, targeting retail prices from $1,299 to $2,499. Company President Bob Sherman said early response to the line, previewed at the company's headquarters here, has been strong.

He said the innerspring category, which accounts for the vast majority of bedding sales, remains favored by many consumers at price points in the premium segment of $1,000 and up.

Those consumers are looking for outstanding values and different and unique products that have strong selling stories, and Serta meets those needs with its new iSeries models, according to Sherman.

The new series is offered in Perfect Day and Trump Home lines. It features the tag line: "Intelligent Comfort. Individual Support."

It leverages the popularity of gel memory foam - "the hottest trend in the market with consumers and retailers" - with a new Duet coil that features an individually wrapped coil inside another individually wrapped coil, a national exclusive for Serta. The coil features softer feels at the top and bottom of the coil, but becomes firmer as the unit compresses.

Sherman said the combination of the gel memory foam and the new coil unit will give the beds a powerful one-two punch on retail floors. That easy selling story will help consumers justify their investment in premium beds, he said.

There are three looks in the line: A specialty sleep look with zippered covers retailing from $1,799 to $2,499, a smooth top design offered in firm and plush feels at $1,499, and a traditional, quilted design at $1,299 and $1,499.

The iSeries beds come with a 25-year warranty and a 120-day comfort guarantee, the same as the iComfort beds. There are two standards for body impressions. The non-quilted and smooth-top lines have a three-quarter inch standard, while the traditional models at the lower end of the line have the more traditional 1.5-inch standard.

The beds feature varying amounts of the Cool Action gel memory foam Serta uses in its iComfort series. Some of the higher-priced beds have two layers of the gel memory foam. In addition, the line features a zoned construction that places more coils in the center of the bed for additional support.

The Duet coil is firmer than traditional encased coils, meeting consumers' interest in firmer bedding, according to Sherman.

Serta will also be adding two new iComfort beds at the Las Vegas Market, which opens Jan. 30. A $3,999 model will be "unique in appearance, in construction and in comfort," Sherman said, while a new $2,499 model offers a firm feel. The only firm model in the iComfort line has been a model at $1,599.