IF IT’S BEEN A DECADE since you last purchased a new mattress, you may be surprised to discover that the online shopping craze has reached the mattress world. Like everything else, you can buy a new mattress on the internet.

But should you?

There are pros and cons to internet shopping, and these are amplified when it comes to an item as intimate and important as the mattress you’ll sleep on for a third of your daily life. Consider these points as a mattress buying guide when choosing the shopping experience that’s best for you:

Quality

These days, you can get many name brand mattresses online as well as in brick-and-mortar mattress stores, so in theory you can get the exact same quality from a website as you can from local furniture or mattress stores. In practice, though, it can be a bit more difficult to know just what you’re getting. Big-name mattress brands are notorious for selling very similar mattresses with different names, making it nearly impossible to know which version of an item you’re dealing with in that little photo on your computer screen. This can confuse even the most steadfast internet research hound. Still, studies have shown that buyer satisfaction is similar with both in-store and online purchases, so it’s fair to assume that quality is just about equal.

Price

Assuming that you’re confident that the mattress you’re looking at online is the exact same model as the one you checked out at a nearby retailer, buying a mattress online is often cheaper — up to 15 percent less on average. To make sure you’re truly getting a deal, though, be sure to factor in delivery charges and your ability to return the mattress if you don’t like it. Being saddled with a mattress you hate is hardly worth the savings, since you’re likely to replace it sooner than you would a mattress that’s right for you.

The Shopping Experience

While many people enjoy the hassle-free aspect of one-click shopping for everyday items, buying a mattress is one time when knowledgeable advice can make a huge difference. If you’re not exactly sure what you’re looking for in a mattress, an expert on the showroom floor of a physical mattress store can guide you to the right decision for your body’s needs. At Verlo, our Comfort Coaches work with you until we get you just the right fit — a level of service that’s hard to replicate online.

There’s also a lot to be said for testing a mattress in person to answer your burning questions: Is it firm or soft? Does it feel too hot? Do you sink in too much? Does the whole mattress move when your partner does? You can read online reviews to approximate a test drive, but there’s just nothing quite like lying on a mattress in person to see what it’s all about.

Final Thoughts

In the end, buying a mattress is a highly personal decision — and so is the way you shop for one. If you prefer to ask questions, get advice and test-drive your prospects first, traditional mattress stores make sense for you. If you’re a very busy person who prefers to read about products and carefully compare the pros and cons in writing, the online shopping experience instead of a physical mattress store may work well for you. No matter where you buy, be sure you understand the warranties and return policies before you swipe your credit card to avoid any unpleasant surprises.