Sleep number is a powerhouse in the US and one of the largest retailers of mattresses, beds, and furniture out there with a massive turnover of over $1 billion in 2021.
Given the large size of most items Sleep Number sells, most people will use their bespoke delivery service, which is included free with most products.
If you’re expecting a delivery from Sleep Number, such as a mattress or bed, then you may be wondering whether you need to tip the Sleep Number delivery driver.
Working out tipping etiquette is important to any financial budget.
Tip too much and you’ll be exceeding your monthly budget a lot faster. Tip too little. or not at all. and you may fall foul of common customs.
To help you out with what the tipping etiquette is when it comes to Sleep Number deliveries, we’ve looked at what the custom is, how much you should tip if you need to, what Sleep Number drivers earn, and the cost of delivery from Sleep Number.
Keep reading to find out the answer…
Do You Tip Sleep Number? The Short Answer
While there are no hard or fast rules when it comes to tipping Sleep Number delivery, the items delivered are usually large, cumbersome, and heavy so we do often tip, say, $5-30, especially if the delivery goes smoothly.
(We’ve provided more detail on how much to tip below).
How Much Do Sleep Number Drivers Earn?
It’s commonly accepted that the type of industry and the pay within that industry can determine how much you should tip and whether you should tip at all.
Tipping is very common in some service-based industries like food catering as we found when we looked at whether you tip caterers.
The same goes for most grocery delivery drivers like if you’re receiving a delivery from Kroger or the like.
But what about delivery drivers from Sleep Number?
Well, according to Indeed, Sleep Number delivery drivers earn $58,000 per annum gross.
But how does this fare compare to other drivers?
$58,000 is actually a fairly respectable yearly salary and way above other companies such as Bob’s Discount Furniture which only pay their drivers $33,000 per year.
$58,000 is also above the median salary for a delivery driver which, according to Salary.com, is only $44,300pa.
$58,000 is also slightly above the US average salary which, according to Zippia, stands at $45,225 per year gross.
On the basis of this data, Sleep Number delivery drivers are paid a good salary and certainly don’t require tips to subsidize their income like in some industries.
How Much is Sleep Number Delivery?
The cost of shipping is also likely to be another factor when deciding whether to tip.
Some companies like Ikea charge a fortune for delivery but Sleep Number is not one of them.
In fact, on the listing we looked at on their website, even large items like full-sized beds came with free delivery.
This is a fairly sweet deal but then when free shipping is provided, this usually means that it’s factored into the price of the goods – albeit not always.
If the cost of delivery is a deciding factor for you when it comes to tipping then you might be more inclined to tip, or tip more, given Sleep Number’s free delivery (which appears to be across its entire inventory of goods sold).
How Much to Tip a Sleep Number Driver?
10-20% of the total sale price of the goods or service is usually the going rate for a tip in the United States.
If you go for that here then you will need to apply it against the cost of the product you’ve purchased, whether it be a mattress, bed or another furniture item as 10-20% of free delivery is $0.
Another option is to just pay a fixed amount and we’d normally say $5 – $30 depending on a few factors such as the quality of the service, whether there’s any assembly involved, and the size and weight of the goods.
Often, two workers will show up given the size/weight of the goods Sleep Number sells, so you will need to make a judgment call whether to offer a tip to each or whether to offer it to one for them to split it.
In these scenarios, we normally offer, say $10, per person.
How to Tip?
We always advise tipping with dollar bills rather than by card or check.
Tipping with notes is much safer as it will usually ensure that the driver gets the money.
We’ve heard horror stories of unscrupulous employers confiscating tips or not paying them out when received by card and paying cash is the best way to avoid this.
Other Options Besides Money?
If you’d rather not hand over cash then there are many other ways to show your gratitude such as:
- Offer the driver food or drink;
- A positive review on the web or to Sleep Number;
- Gift vouchers;
- a thank you card.
People love receiving praise while at work so any demonstration of gratitude is likely to be well received.
When to Tip More and Not at All?
While it’s not set in stone, many people do tip Sleep Number delivery drivers because of the size and weight of the goods.
If you don’t tip, it’s unlikely to raise any eyebrows but there will of course be times when you might feel you need to dip into your pocket.
For example if:
- The delivery is done with professionalism and goes smoothly;
- If there’s any extra labor involved like carrying the goods upstairs or to some distance room in your house;
- If the driver is courteous and professional;
- If it’s around the holidays;
- If help is provided with assembly or setup;
- If there’s been bad weather like snow etc…
Sometimes deliveries don’t go to plan and you may decide that a tip isn’t justified on that occasion.
For example if:
- The driver is rude or unprofessional;
- The goods are delivered late or outside the time slot given or requested;
- The goods are incorrect or not as ordered;
- The goods are delivered to the wrong address.
In our experience, most of the time deliveries do go to plan and it’s rare that drivers are so unprofessional to not warrant a tip.
Final Thoughts
It’s clear from our research that there are no hard or fast rules when it comes to tipping Sleep Number.
Many people do tip this type of delivery because it is hard work and many people are grateful for not having to lug such heavy weights around.
If you do decide to tip then we’d suggest $10 – $30 which you may need to split if two guys turn up.
If you don’t tip, this is unlikely to cause any issues – delivery drivers earn good money and don’t need tips to top up their salaries.
This is especially so for Sleep Number which pays their drivers well above the US national average and a lot more than other drivers at other companies doing a similar job.
