Online Funeral Caskets

What The Funeral Director Doesn't Want You To Know

The funeral director has seen his business advantage eroded by the Internet.

In the book, Freakeconomics, authors Levitt and Dubner, state; "Consider a scenario in which your loved one has just died and the funeral director - who knows that you know next to nothing about this business and are under emotional duress to boot - steers you to the $7000 mahogany casket."

Our emotions run pretty high at a time like this and it is easy to overspend. It is a good idea to bring along a friend to counter any non-rational spending.

Consumers are also discovering that they can log onto the Internet and buy that same casket for several thousand dollars less and delivered overnight.

You can even view much cheaper models the funeral director failed to even mention.

“The funeral industry is unique in many ways,” says John Eric Rolfstad, executive director of People’s Memorial Association (PMA), a nonprofit funeral consumer organization in Seattle. “The first difference is pricing. Most consumer products vary in price by 5 to 10 percent, at the most 20 percent, depending on where you buy - Target, Costco, a mom-and-pop at the corner, and so forth.”

But in funerals, he says, prices can vary as much as 300 to 400 percent.

Another unique factor is the vulnerability of funeral consumers. Family members arranging for a loved one’s burial or cremation aren’t exactly clearheaded, so they’re susceptible to high-pressure sales tactics.

You are under no obligation to buy your casket or urn from the funeral director.

A funeral home must give you pricing over the phone and they must give you a price list to take with you if you want to comparison shop.

Consumers are discovering by going online they have more choices and save. On-line casket companies deliver overnight to the funeral home. The funeral home must agree to use it. They cannot charge you a fee for not purchasing it from them.

There are some beautiful and unique caskets online that can be shipped overnight at real savings when you buy direct.