Puffy Mattress Lawsuit Alleges Fake “Sales” Misled Online Shoppers

Case Overview: The lawsuit says Puffy misled shoppers by advertising continuous discounts using inflated “regular” prices and false countdown timers.

Consumers Affected: Buyers who purchased Puffy mattresses or bedding products marketed as discounted.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

Puffy, the online mattress brand known for its luxury beds and sleek marketing, is being accused of faking its discounts. A class action lawsuit says the company has been running “sales” that never actually end, tricking customers into thinking they’re getting special deals when they’re really paying full price.

Filed in California federal court, the complaint from Cassandra Webb claims Puffy used false pricing tactics across its website, inflating “regular” prices to make routine offers appear like major markdowns. 

Webb says she thought she was buying during a limited-time sale, only to learn later that the same discount was always available.

“I believed I was getting a special deal,” the lawsuit says. “But the sale was still there weeks later.”

Website Advertised Permanent Discounts as Temporary

The lawsuit paints a picture of a company that turned urgency into a marketing weapon. According to Webb, Puffy’s website regularly displays “strike-through” prices — the supposed regular price — next to lower “sale” prices and banners announcing limited-time promotions.

But Webb says those sales never actually expire. The lawsuit claims the company keeps the same discounts active indefinitely, using countdown timers and pop-up offers to convince customers to check out before time runs out.

What shoppers don’t see, the complaint alleges, is that the “original” prices are inflated and not based on real sales. In other words, the big savings are an illusion.

Company Accused Of Breaking California’s Pricing Laws

Webb’s lawsuit accuses Puffy of breaking several state consumer protection laws, including California’s False Advertising Law, Consumers Legal Remedies Act, and Unfair Competition Law.

Those laws prohibit businesses from advertising fake price comparisons or misleading discounts designed to pressure customers into buying.

According to the filing, Puffy’s pricing practices are “deceptive, unfair, and unlawful” because they present inflated regular prices that no customer ever actually pays. The company’s promotions, Webb says, create “a false sense of urgency” by suggesting that deals are rare and fleeting when they are neither.

Webb claims she and other buyers ended up paying more than the fair market value for Puffy’s mattresses and bedding products. She argues that consumers like her were led to believe they were getting limited-time savings on high-end items when in fact they were paying the standard price.

Lawsuit Adds To Growing Number Of “Phantom Discount” Cases

The Puffy case adds to a growing list of lawsuits accusing companies of using “phantom discounts” to lure customers into purchases. Across industries, from mattresses to apparel, online retailers have faced backlash for turning every day into a sale.

In 2024, Sleep Number was sued for similar claims, with plaintiffs alleging that the company inflated prices just to mark them down later and create the illusion of big savings.

Another complaint targeted the mattress company Purple, accusing it of tricking buyers into thinking they were getting deals when the “discounted” prices were simply the standard ones.

Consumer protection agencies have also started cracking down on these tactics. Under California law, any “regular price” shown as a comparison must reflect what the product was actually sold for in the previous 90 days. Otherwise, it’s considered deceptive advertising.

By fabricating discounts, the Puffy mattress class action lawsuit says, Puffy gave itself an unfair edge over other retailers that follow legitimate pricing laws. Webb is seeking refunds and injunctive relief requiring Puffy to change its pricing practices.

She also wants the company to disclose real historical pricing data so that customers can make informed decisions.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Webb v. Puffy LLC
• Case Number: 2:25-cv-06970
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

Plaintiffs' Attorney

• Simon Franzini and Vivek Kothari (Dovel & Luner LLP)

Have you bought a Puffy mattress during one of its “sales”? Share your thoughts in the comments below.