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A Post-Pandemic Spending Surge Could Be Around The Corner
How can mattress retailers prepare for consumers shifting their attention beyond the home?
As more and more Americans continue to get vaccinated, our post-pandemic future is starting to feel closer and closer—and the mood of the country is beginning to lift right along with it. The more positive outlook is not just a welcome relief after more than a year of trauma and inconvenience, it is expected to soon have a significant impact on the U.S. economy as well. According to Jack Kleinhenz, the chief economist for the National Retail Federation (NRF), there are a number of factors indicating that higher levels of household spending is right around the corner. “The consumer is nearly always the key driver in the economy,” he explained recently, “and with the consumer in good financial health, a sharp demand is expected to unfold over the coming months.” In fact, the NRF is predicting that retail sales will grow somewhere between 6.5% to 8.2% in 2021 to hit as high as $4.4 trillion in 2021—the fastest growth rate in nearly three decades. But will the bedding industry see a piece of that pie?
NEW PODCAST EPISODE | Furniture Today
In the latest episode of the Sleep Retailer Podcast, we caught up with Sheila Long-O’Mara, executive editor at Furniture Today, to discuss the role of trade media in today’s bedding industry landscape - at a time when market cycles are out of whack and companies are reevaluating their product introduction strategies. She also shares her insights on today’s biggest mattress and sleep trends and how the market may continue to shift post-pandemic.
"Because [retailers] aren’t having those network functions at market face-to-face, they’re figuring out how to communicate. And I think we as publications play a key role in that, through our online presence or in print as well as our social media and LinkedIn pages, to help convey that you are not alone. There’s a network of people who are dealing with much of the same issues that you are dealing with. Bounce ideas around, brainstorm, figure out a solution; it’s always easier to do those things when you know you’re not hanging out there all by yourself."
Listen to the full episode now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or download here.
Exploring How Octopuses Sleep
Did you know that octopuses have eight arms (not tentacles) and that those arms contain two thirds of their neurons? Did you know that octopuses have two hearts, blue blood and no bones—allowing them to fit into all the nooks and crannies? These facts only scratch the surface when it comes to understanding these fascinating creatures. Most recently, scientists found that the aquatic invertebrates also experience two distinct sleep states.
According to new research, octopuses could sleep more like mammals than once thought. While significant research has been conducted around how mammals sleep, there have long been logistical barriers to studying cephalopods and other aquatic invertebrates. This new study is not only interesting on its own, but also helps us better understand the nature and purpose of sleep and how it has evolved across species.
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