No Promos, No Problem: How Earthfoam is Breaking the DTC Discount Cycle

Sleep in this Black Friday.

While millions of Americans refreshed websites for lightning deals and competitors blasted "up to $1000 off" promotions, that was Earthfoam's entire Black Friday message. No doorbusters, no countdown timers, no email capture popups.

Just their standard pricing and an invitation to stay in bed.

The timing made this particularly interesting. This year saw brands launching holiday promos earlier than ever—some starting in September due to the shortened Thanksgiving to Christmas window. With only 24% of shoppers waiting until November/December to start holiday shopping, retailers have been forced to compete for attention months before the traditional rush.

Purple pushed "$1000 off mattress and base bundles," Avocado advertised "up to 50% off sitewide," and Casper promoted "30% off mattresses." Meanwhile, Earthfoam's site remained unchanged, with a simple FAQ explaining: "We don't do any sales and don't offer any discount codes. We want all of our customers to know they're getting the best price possible, regardless of when they buy."

So how'd this contrarian strategy perform? Pretty well, actually. Earthfoam saw a 10% year-over-year increase during BFCM weekend, plus their strongest pre-Black Friday week ever. Even more surprising: They still got the typical Black Friday sales bump despite their public no-discounts stance.

Here's what made it work:

Operations First, Marketing Second

 Instead of pouring money into promotional campaigns and influencer partnerships, Earthfoam focused on controlling their supply chain and keeping base costs low.

"We are a manufacturing company. I would prefer to have steady orders every day than a really busy week," explains founder Karl Shevick

By starting their own factory and minimizing marketing costs, they maintain consistent pricing without sacrificing margins.

Community Over Discounts

Rather than battling for inbox attention, they built credibility through unconventional channels—particularly Reddit's mattress forums. Through regular AMAs (Ask Me Anything sessions), Shevick engages directly with potential customers, answering detailed questions about materials, manufacturing processes, and yes, their no-sale policy. This education-first approach has created a loyal community that trusts their consistent pricing.

Long-Term Metrics Matter More

While most brands tracked hourly BFCM spikes and promotional engagement rates, Earthfoam stayed focused on sustainable growth. "The only metric that matters is sales," says Shevick.

"When I say sales, I don't really care what the sales are for a specific weekend, I care what the sales are for the year, the next 5 years, the decade"

The strategy even revealed some interesting BFCM trends. "It feels like there is an ongoing trend of more sales shifting to Black Friday vs Cyber Monday," Shevick notes, highlighting how consumer behavior continues to evolve—whether brands are running promotions or not.

Could skipping sales work for your brand? Here's what you need:

• A business model that supports consistent pricing

• Clear customer communication about your policy

• Value proposition strong enough to justify full price

While this approach won't work for every brand, Earthfoam's success offers an interesting alternative to the standard DTC playbook. As promotional calendars get longer and discounts grow deeper, it might be worth asking: Could your brand benefit from stepping off the discount treadmill?