Late, but same issue... and vsssleep.com / VSS SLeep Systems seems to be dead on arrival, no longer germane.

I arranged to purchase the " Hilton Garden Inn Sleep System" from the manufacturer - for me, it's the best hotel bed yet. The mattress, allegedly originally designed for high-end hospitals, includes a foam mattress topper, and a (removable, washable) 100% Australian sheep's wool pad above that. Each side of the mattress is comprised of nine air chambers, which adjust themselves to the individual's body; the dial adjustments actually adjust the valving between the chambers, controlling air flow between them, ergo the "hardness" or "softness" of the bed. (No electric cords or pumps, like the "sleep number" beds, thanks goodness.)

Each mattress ordered is built and shipped (shipping is included - this is not a cheap mattress, but then again, many quality mattresses are pricey, with the "memory foam" beds at the top.) They make beds inmost sizes, including California King. The offer a 20 year warranty, as well as a 90 day free trial (I can imagine - ship it back at your own expense?) as well as a 20 year warranty and "100% satisfaction guarantee" (again, I can only imagine the fine print associated with such wording.)

There is no pricing on the websites marketing these beds - you must e-mail or call in for pricing. The marketing is by Natural Form™, but you will also encounter "SATbed" (same as "Natural Form" website) eMattress and WCW, Inc. WCW is the manufacturer, and I suspect sales is an outside agency - with poor communications with WCW. The actual manufacturer and parent company is:

WCW Inc., founded 1998, BBB member
1 Mechanic Street
P. O. Box 215
Hoosick Falls, NY 12090
800-432-3842
www.emattress.com is the main website, but it appears the marketing emphasis is going to Natural Form.

Business Week lists their top four as:

Mr. Jeffrey C. Wilkinson, President
Mr. John C. Wilkinson, Vice President of Manufacturing and Research and Development
Ms. Carla W. Bellemere, Vice President of Quality Control and Marketing Advisor
Ms. Jean O. Wilkinson, Vice President of Corporate Development

My "Garden Sleep System" experience:

Purchase:

My communications began in October, with calls to the toll-free number. When I was ready to order, I called (from Australia) in very early November with a credit card number and asked for shipping November 25, as I would not be in the US until the following week. They agreed and I was told the card would not be charged until the bed shipped.

I also e-mailed the salesperson when I received an e-mailed offer that included a $100 discount (which I had already received, very token,) two polyester fill pillows and a 600 count sheet set, asking if I cold have those as well - no reply was forthcoming; communications, so eager when I was in the purchasing process, dropped to zero, and the detailed invoice received on Dec 8 does not show the pillows and sheet set.

December 1, I called to verify with customer service; the CSR (they have two) stated "we have instructions not to ship until 11/25," to which my reply was "Uh, what date is it today?" I was told they had tried calling - when I told them I had been in Australasia without my cell phone, and I had communicated this to the salesperson by voice and e-mail, I was told they did not speak with the salespeople and had no such information, but I would be notified when the bed shipped, which would be the same day if they could get it out on the truck, or the next day otherwise.

Dec 3, another call - the other CSR: "we have instructions not to ship until 11/25." After some more discussion, she told me my Visa credit card had been rejected - interesting, as I had used a MasterCard. Eventually, they agreed to process a real card and ship - my mattress shipped Dec 4.

Delivery:
Old Dominion Freight Lines is apparently the chosen delivery agent - I was e-mailed a shipping number , and I could track the shipping online. I was scheduled to receive the mattress December 11 in the afternoon, and at 12:15 PM the truck arrived with the driver and mattress - no help to offload a bulky (odfl.com website says 150 lbs shipping weight) large and difficult to handle item, nor will it fit through the average door.

I helped the driver move the mattress in, which we were able to do after removing the obviously inadequate cardboard "box" used to wrap the mattress in - the cardboard had been torn and perforated in at least six - two major, patched with cello tape - places, so I inspected the mattress before signing the receipt. My next task is to hack some huge slabs of cardboard down to manageable pieces, as ODFL does not remove the packing used to ship items. (I also did not receive any sheets or pillows, as requested above.)

Regardless of how you purchase the mattress - e.g. Hilton Garden Inn Sleep System - it arrives as "My Natural Form" (by WCW.) And if they try to sell you a box spring or whatever, the label states clearly it is intended to be used without a foundation (but can be used with one.) Mine is on a Cal King chest bed from Oysterbed.

Another unhelpful thing is there is no instruction booklet or sheet, or care information - other than a single sheet invoice, NOTHING.

I really like the product, but in my opinion there is some hype to wade through, and the "which shell is the pea under" positioning and identification makes me a bit wary. Communications and follow-through do not seem to be their strong point. Delivery is indeed "free" - and minimal, consisting in arranging delivery and not offering any help with moving and installing, nor removing packing. As a management consultant, it feels very much like WCW is into an old model - sell it hard, make it, deliver it and run away; it feels like they see a mattress as a once in a lifetime purchase, so genuine customer service seems like a foreign concept.