HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Bedding sales leader Serta is launching a consumer loyalty program that lets shoppers earn as much as $1,000 toward their next Serta mattress purchase.

Serta officials said the program, set to start on May 1, will help the industry shorten the mattress replacement cycle and will help boost sales of Serta products. Consumer rewards programs are common in other industries but haven’t been offered previously in the mattress industry, bedding observers said.

The Serta VIP Rewards program will invite consumers who purchase any of Serta’s iComfort memory foam beds and iSeries hybrid sleep sets to enroll in the program, the company said.

“Consumer confidence is increasing and the pent-up demand for durable goods is at an all-time high,” said Andrew Gross, senior vice president of marketing for Serta. “This presents a tremendous opportunity to drive more traffic and close more sales at premium price points. Our VIP Rewards program is designed to do this while promoting ongoing consumer loyalty to Serta and their retailer.”

Serta VIP Rewards members will earn their first $100 towards their next mattress purchase in 120 days after registration and continue to earn an additional $100 per year, up to a total of $1,000, the company said.

Rewards points can be redeemed at any time and turned into mail-in rebates on additional Serta mattress purchases. Enrollees will receive ongoing email communications from Serta reminding them of their reward point totals as well as the name and location of their store of purchase. Each email will include special offers from Serta and non-industry partners to promote continuous engagement with the consumer, the company said.

Gross said the Serta VIP Rewards program was designed based on input from retailers and consumers.

“The retailers we spoke with felt that VIP Rewards will encourage additional mattress purchases for the household and shorten the replacement cycle, benefiting both the retailer and the industry,” he said. “Plus, our own consumer research shows that mattress shoppers are likely to be interested in and stay loyal to a brand and retailer that offer a program like VIP Rewards.”

Serta is creating a turnkey retail program to help sales associates effectively use VIP Rewards as a selling and closing tool.

“There is no cost to our retailers to leverage this program,” said Gross. “We will provide the in-store display materials, completely manage the email marketing program post-purchase and handle all redemptions. So, all the sales associate has to do is remind their customers to register for the program during the purchase process.”