Why does buying a mattress remain such a confusing and confounding experience? Unfortunately, mattress manufacturers and retailers have a long standing policy of making it difficult, if not impossible, to compare mattresses from store to store or manufacturer to manufacturer. There are a number of longstanding "scams" that mattress retailers use to gain an edge. For example, mattress manufacturers make the same mattress under different names (so each retailer has a "unique" model). You don't have to get taken -- learn more about this "unique model" scam, and 5 other common ones mattress retaliers use to get the upper hand, so you can have the edge when buying a mattress.

The mattress marketplace has become increasingly complex over the past 15 years. It used to be you had just one basic choice -- an innersrping mattress. These days innersprings have not only become more complicated (as they have gained size, they've also gained a variety of different layers, pillow-top options, and spring variations), but there are also a variety of other beds now becoming increasingly popular. These new options, offering newer technologies, include memory foam, air beds, and latex mattresses.

Which one might work best for you? We put together a buying guide on each of these mattress types so you can see which ones might make sense for your sleep needs. They include:

• Memory Foam Mattresses Buying Guide,
• Latex Mattress Buying Guide,
• Air Bed Buying Guide,
• Innerspring Mattress Buying Guide
• Adjustable Mattresses

The mattress industry has been going through a significant change in the last few years. In part, this change has been driven by the changing demographic of the mattress customer. As baby boomers have been getting older, they are looking at ways to keep themselves feeling younger and more energetic. If you want to find out more about the latest trends, check out our industry trends reports: the The Trend Toward Specialty Mattresses, The Green/Eco Mattress Trend, and the The Growth Of Adjustable Mattresses.