There are companies like https://casper.com/ that I'd argue are doing just that (note they one of MANY foam-matteress-delivery startups/companies). I've never used them but a friend did and seems to be quite happy with his purchase. I am in the market for a new one but I've yet to pull the trigger on one of these.
I think you're absolutely right. They've been hiding in the shadows of peer-to-peer referrals for a while but now they've got a real marketing campaign. Not to mention that several companies are at similar stages -- the market is getting interesting. The biggest selling point in my opinion is the ease of purchase. Since the foam can be vacuum packed and shipped via FedEx there's no more dealing with mattress delivery scheduling and finagling through hallways and staircases. My own mattress is in good condition but I look forward to what things will be like come time to replace it.