The Toulousain Hypnia has succeeded in its bet to sell mattresses online

By selling mattresses on the internet, the idea might have seemed more than original ten years ago. Yet, by blowing out its ten candles, Hypnia, which was not an e-commerce start-up from Toulouse, has managed to create its own market and now sells 50,000 mattresses a year. Founded in Toulouse by Jérémy Dols, the company was sold at the end of 2019 to the Extensiel group, a bedding specialist based in Lyon and the North.

It is at 118 of the Route d’Espagne in Toulouse that Hypnia continues its journey. On site, an entire floor is dedicated to glazed offices organized in open space. But what catches the eye is this long room with… beds in a row. “It’s our nap to test prototypes,” smiles Samya Nhamoucha, communications manager.

The revolution of the “compressed roll”.

Because Helios Web, which manages the Hypnia brand, designs and markets 50,000 mattresses a year. Including the Supreme Wellness model elected product of the year 2023 with its integrated memory foam mattress topper.
The products are designed in Toulouse, then manufactured in Europe and Asia. It has been ten years since the company was founded in Toulouse, “with a revolutionary concept: the compressed roll”, recalls Samuel Galloo, the general manager. This greatly facilitates transportation.

“We have chosen not to have a physical store”. Thanks to an innovative formula: “120 trial nights. The return is free. This removes the brakes on purchase! “. The mattresses are covered with a protective cover which allows them to be repackaged (with a 40% discount) and, if the product cannot be resold, it is donated to Emmaüs. Only 5% is returned, especially in the first month of use. From a logistical point of view, the company has two warehouses: one in Ariège (6,000 m³), the other in the UK. Because after investing in neighboring markets in Spain, Italy and the Netherlands, Hypnia has been selling on the other side of the Channel since last year.

25 M€ of turnover for 21 employees

The turnover reached 25 M€. It even rose to 30 million euros in 2020, “there was an over-equipment effect during the Covid”. Hélios employs 21 people, “it’s well structured, it’s the right size,” says the general manager. “We still have development ambitions, he adds, but let’s wait a bit to absorb the UK,” he slips. And here we go again for another ten years…