The online mattress industry in the U.S. is booming, as three of the top 10 fastest-growing merchants in the Internet Retailer 2016 Top 500 Guide sell mattresses directly to consumers via the web.

Casper, No. 290 in the Top 500 and one of the newest and fastest-growing players in online mattress retailing, hopes to take that boom across the pond. The merchant announced yesterday plans to launch an e-commerce site for consumers in the United Kingdom later this summer.

Casper says consumer demand for its products is  increasing around the world, and the retailer is  beginning its global expansion with what it says is the $6.7 billion European mattress and bedding market.

"The past two years have been a period of incredible growth," says Philip Krim, Casper co-founder and CEO. "There has been a parallel demand for Casper products in other countries—particularly in Europe—since day one. We've seen everything, from thousands of international customer inquiries, to individuals trying to ship mattresses overseas. This launch is another important step toward Casper's goal of becoming the world's first global sleep company."

Casper has raised $71.5 million in investment funds since its founding in early 2014, according to Crunchbase. The merchant posted $100 million in online sales last year, its first full year in business. The merchant sells a foam mattress (the queen costs $850) that folds up into a Casper-branded box for shipment via traditional carriers.

Much of its success thus far, the retailer says, is due to its ability to give consumers a more convenient and cost-effective way to shop for mattresses compared with trying out mattresses in a store and having them delivered via a private delivery service.

Casper aims to combat the need to physically try a mattress before buying through its 100-night guarantee. If consumers aren’t happy with their order within 100 days, Casper promises a full refund.

It also has a robust marketing strategy, especially on social media. It runs targeted Facebook ads, for example, and posts regularly on Facebook, Twitter and other outlets with articles, jokes and fun facts about sleep and dreaming. Casper has nearly 350,000 Facebook Likes and 67,000 Twitter followers. It has also outfitted a semitrailer with sleeping pods and Casper mattresses. Staffers drive the “napmobile” around urban areas and offer consumers the chance to nap on its mattress.

The merchant lists 17 open staff positions in a Berlin office, though it does not make any mention of plans for a launch in the German e-commerce market.

One of Casper’s competitors, Saatva Inc., won the E-Retail Growth Award at the Internet Retailer Excellence Awards in June this year.

(Source: internetretailer.com  Author: STEFANY ZAROBAN)