Election Bet With Customers Costs Houston Furniture Magnate $10M

We've all seen the ads. Is he crazy? Yes, sometimes genius is. Magnanimous Houston-based furniture magnate Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale will refund $10M in purchases based on last week's presidential election results. This year, Mattress Mack offered refunds to customers who bought over $2k and correctly guessed the political party that would win the presidency. The $10M payout seems steep, but if Hillary had won, Mattress Mack would've had to refund around $13M, reports the Houston Chronicle.

Around 4,000 customers will receive a 100% refund on their purchase or a Gallery Furniture gift certificate worth 150% of the value.

This isn't the first time Mattress Mack has gained national attention. Last year, he launched "85 And It's Free," betting on if a barrel of West Texas Crude was $85 or more at closing on Dec. 31—it wasn't even close. In 2014, Gallery Furniture refunded over $12M from three promotions, two based on the Texans' performance and one on the Astros. Despite the payouts, Mattress Mack insists he sees "tremendous long-term benefit" from the promotions. [Chron]

Continue reading this story with a free account

Log in or register
Sign up for more articles like this
Subscribe to Bisnow's Houston Newsletters
Related Stories

Banks Are Manhattan's Latest Hot Retail Tenant

Nord Group's Lawyer Moves To Quit, Says Entities Can't Pay Him

Credit Union Breaks Ground On New HQ Building: The Houston Deal Sheet

GGP To Redevelop Former Dick's Sporting Goods Store At Frisco's Stonebriar Centre

From Pandemic Darling To Cautionary Tale: Pickleball Clubs Face A Reckoning After Betting Big On Retail Space

Gwinnett Mall Project Stands To Benefit From Georgia's Opportunity Zone Picks

EXCLUSIVE: Downtown Houston+ Targets Grocery Gap, Pedestrian Experience With New Programs

Houston's Office Woes Are Getting Too Expensive To Fix

JLL: Holiday Spending To Rise Nearly 10%, But Shoppers Aren't Splurging On Gifts

Philly Restaurant Operators Avoid Percentage Rent, Tenant Improvement Deals

Welcome Group Starts Pearland Industrial: The Houston Deal Sheet

Kroger Plans 3 New Store Formats, 110 New Locations In Bid To Boost Sales