What is White Glove Delivery Service for Your Mattress?

The term “white glove” is an adjective that means done with special care or done with painstaking attention. It refers to the way a service is performed. If it is done extremely carefully, and thoughtfully, it is considered white glove. It also sets an expectation that the person providing the service will go above and beyond to make sure things are done right.

The concept originated as a way to provide better customer service, and the term was taken from an upper class image of a white-gloved butler meticulously performing his duties. Don’t we all want our services to be performed by a well-mannered, eager-to-please individual? White glove service aims to provide that.

Further, the term white glove has come to be associated with delivery services. When you order something for delivery, there are several levels of service associated. You might get something sent to a location and left at the doorstep, or with white glove, the delivery person may take the item inside, set it up, make sure everything is working, and clear away the debris.

Many mattress manufacturers, and mattress retail outlets, are now offering white glove delivery service, some through subcontractors. When you purchase a mattress, online or in a store, you have the option to upgrade to white glove. This means when that new online mattress arrives at your door, instead of you hauling it up two flights of stairs to your apartment, getting it out of the box, setting it up, and then disposing of all the packaging, someone else will do it for you.

Some companies charge a fee for white glove delivery that generally ranges from $99.00-$149.00, while others offer white glove service free of charge. Check with the individual mattress company or retailer to get specifics.

What Does White Glove Delivery Include?

For mattresses, white glove generally includes set-up and take-away. It is a two person delivery, which allows you to choose the room you want the mattress put in. The delivery persons (who probably won’t actually be wearing white gloves) will usually go up the two flights of stairs without an extra charge.

If you live in a fourth floor walk-up, check out the extra cost ahead of time. Your white glove delivery persons will further set-up the bed and frame, show you how to use the adjustable base if purchased, take away the old mattress, and remove all packaging.

How Do I Ensure That I Am Getting White Glove Service?

If you purchase from a retailer that has white glove as an option, they should offer it to you as part of the transaction or explain that it is included. If they don’t, then have the discussion with customer service and find out if there is a cost. If you order your mattress online, there should be an option to select “white glove” as part of the purchase. Again, check for any cost involved.

Not all retailers and manufacturers offer white glove delivery, but more and more do. Most of the top mattress manufacturers offer it including:

• Beautyrest
• Casper
• DreamCloud
• Leesa
• Nest
• Purple
• Tempur-Pedic
• Saatva
• Sealy
• Serta

Retailers like Bed Bath and Beyond, Costco, Overstock, Macys, and Mattress Firm all offer it as well.

Are There Any Downsides?

White glove service is designed to be an all-inclusive, top-of-the-line experience. There are a couple of small things you should be aware of.

• Timing: If you are in a hurry for your mattress, white glove delivery can add time to the process. Especially with subcontractors, an order has to go to a secondary company for the delivery to get scheduled.
• Availability: For white glove service you will need to be present for the drop off to direct the delivery process. If you miss the delivery for some reason, there can be a charge to re-deliver.

---

Summary

White glove delivery service for your mattress is a higher tier of customer service where delivery includes setting up the bed, taking away the old mattress, and removing all debris. It may or may not have an additional cost involved, but most mattress companies offer it as an option.