A Warranty generally comes from the manufacturer. A Returns Policy normally comes from the company selling you the mattress. The two are frequently not the same. Here is a brief summary of the difference between the two: Warranty: A manufacturer’s warranty will usually cover you for manufacturing defects only. Some warranties can last for 25 to 30 years or more, but they only cover defects due to manufacturing faults. Many aspects of the use of a mattress can invalidate the warranty, including actually using it! Any stain on the cover of the mattress will invalidate most warranties as will any indentations of more than a stated depth. That is one reason why we recommend you to use a mattress cover or pad that fits over the mattress – that will collect any staining and help keep your warranty valid. Returns Policy: Many sellers will offer a returns policy. In most cases, you can return the product in pristine condition with a certain period of time: 7 days, 14 days or even 30 days in some cases. Again, any evidence of use may invalidate this. Sometimes the platform used by the seller will offer its own guarantee. eBay and Amazon, for example, have their own policies – in some cases, you get a period of time to use the product before returning it.  Check with the manufacturer, seller and sales platform for more information. See Also: Advice On Mattress Returns and Exchange »