Investigative Journalistsby state
Submitted to the FTC for review on funeral rule update NCRA Comments
Another on behalf of the NCRA Past NCRA President comments
And a list of all those who wrote into the FTC back in May of 1999 FTC comments, adding their point of view
Casket Trend Survery from the NCRA Sept. 16th, 1999
Success at selling Caskets & entering the retail funeral trade made very difficult April 15, 2000
National Casket Retailer's Association Fights Back at Annual Meeting Oct. 6th, 2000
It is Thumbs up for the NCRA casket retailers and consumers April 04,2001
And the latest----copy--
The history of funerals, as everyone knows, is a subject that was always kept in the dark, was always going to cost a lot of money to "get it done" and someone was going to be a Director. Now however, with the web being such a tremendous source for shopping and information -- things are changing -- for the better!
The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) recently held an e-commerce workshop, due to some industries stifling competition of free trade of certain items - on the internet. See their site at
Perhaps not everyone knows that indeed, consumers have the freedom of choice in purchasing the casket outside the funeral home, for up to (in some cases, or more) a 50% discount from casket retailers. A landmark date for consumers was 1994 when the FTC amended its Funeral Rule. The resulting law prohibited funeral directors from charging a handling fee or penalizing the consumer in any way if they wished to exercise their right to freedom of trade by shopping for goods and/or merchandise at a place other than a funeral home! Now however, with the use of the internet, many are using their freedom of choice, and more roadblocks are being triggered up by some in the industry. The public needs to be informed, not to let others gain by restriction on freedom of choice - not to fall for bad sales tactics. Walk out if need be, to shop classy parlors and purchase products ONLY from firms that apply American freedom of choice and act fair.
Retailers have perhaps 2 percent of the market of all funeral goods sold, which while being only a tip of the $3.7 billion dollars marketplace at stake, shows free choice is growing fast. The long protected market has many who would try to keep roadblocks in place. The public needs to know more about funeral arrangements, and should learn prior to the need. There has been and remains today, a monopoly where it should not be. Things that the public could do to assure that the freedom will remain in casket retailing;
1) Do not allow the Director to speak for you, in making choices of what you want. The "bundled services" that they may offer is not your best choice. Shop elsewhere if the price is higher by using your freedom of choice, to select what you want. Make sure ahead of time the General Price List (GPL) is presented, given to you, so you will be able to shop around and comprehend. In reality caskets are a very generic product.
2) The FTC enforces a "funeral rule" which state prices on caskets should be predominately displayed. Some Directors are offering to match a price found on the internet or from a casket retailer, in order to keep that sale in house. Actually, it is to put the retailers out of business, so they can again without competition, have sky high prices. If you fail to report those that switch casket prices, they will continue to get away with it, and your neighbor might be paying $900.00 more for a purchase at that parlor, than you. That is not fair, nor is the FTC rule being enforced with this sale method being employed. Stick with the casket retailer that is giving their best price up front, who is not playing games in the worst moment of your life. Walk out to another parlor that is one of class, concern and integrity, as that one just insulted the event by haggling!!
3) The country's traditional coffin makers -- the top three in the market-- still sell wholesale only to licensed funeral directors. Caskets are not purchased by name brand - however the funeral director is the "dealer" for those caskets, and they are the manufactures they flatter. Retailers can and do offer these brands as well, (going through a broker) however, to stop the monopoly, we suggest using the generic product (equal to, better than, or as good as) so these monopolistic firms will see eliminating the casket store trade will not work. Being the older firms that had no competition for decades, they are trying to lock in the market for their dealers. Older, not better, as seen in
class action lawsuit "Calif. and sealer caskets" Consumers Recover 3.75 Million $$s for Deteriorating Caskets http://www.classactionamerica.com/cases/case.asp?cid=1823 . So, perhaps the public should instead, purchase any brand but the above, and be using their feet for their voice. (It is like purchasing the generic medicine for $28.00 instead of the name brand for $81.00 - a huge discount) It is likewise for vaults, one should always shop around. The development of an independent casket industry is part of a larger movement of families playing a bigger role in their loved ones' deaths. By becoming educated in this field, using your freedom of choice - by not letting others control choices, then, and only then, will the last vestiges of the funeral industry's monopoly on the way we die really become factual. They are only now slowly being wiped away - a closed market only serves to keep prices artificially high, for the merchant. The public's need for a fairer price motivated the demand for casket stores.
4) With the average cost of preparing a body, the funeral and the burial now being over $8,000-$10,000.00 people tend to get more price sensitive. Price shop more than one funeral home, quality USA made caskets can be purchased at a considerable less cost at the casket retailers, as well as purchasing other "goods" outside of the funeral home for a possible lesser price mark up. Many upstanding funeral providers are reasonably priced -- finding them is the key. Do not go to just the closest one, the one used for years. The name might be the same, but not the owners. Call around for the GPL to be sent to you and to get a feeling if the parlor is a classy one or not.
Also, if you think you are shopping at a retail casket store, ask who the owners are - you might not be! Some are not independent, being morticians that are not true discounted casket store outlets. Use your feet again, shop around for information too. Until the marketplace is truly free, the public will continue to suffer.
5) Email the Federal Trade Commission to detail any restrictive e-commerce experiences so they hear from many about various instances
ecompetition@ftc.gov in funeral arrangements, or any of the other subjects they have this workshop of e-commerce on, (1) wine sales; (2) cyber-charter schools; (3) contact lenses; (4) automobiles; (5) caskets; (6)online legal services; (7) health care (telemedicine and online pharmaceutical sales); (8) auctions; (9) real estate, mortgages, and financial services; and (10) retailing. http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2002/09/ecomagenda.htm Only YOU can help change things with pen and feet - purchasing power is supreme. Keep Americas choices open, help abolish monopolies and roadblocks for a better price in all funeral product to the general public, to assist keeping freedom.Ps. BTW, About one major dominate casket manufacture's casket delivery policy in place (to stifle casket retailers from purchasing directly any of their caskets, to restrict it only for their funeral director dealers) on a bill to ship to sale , it is detailed like this. Now we as retailers might need more up front details to our customers if they wish that brand x (only). Warning customers about things ahead of time prior to them happening, that might come up, and what to expect- to do - or the correct reaction so consumers can get what they want. To STOP this ploy to restrict freedom of choice outside the parlors, for ANY brand x casket.
If a customer wants that dominant casket brand, they can order it from a casket retailer for the better price. The retailer, then needs to go outside to a broker, (insider funeral director who is open to earning a bit extra) to get that order, he calls the warehouse to order it, then brand x is also requiring the receiving funeral home to call to "order" it as well. So, now one (the customer at the funeral home) must demand that their funeral director order that casket (too) in order to keep/get their business?? HOW hard to they want to make it on the family, this manufacture (who prints pride and caring as number one) with this brutal/mandatory implementation of a ploy to "assist" the dealer to keep his sale?? And the funeral director who goes along with it? Playing ruff is not the word, and at a time like this, the customer needs to be bold, to threaten to move the body to another, to save several hundred ,or even thousands -- if the funeral director will not go along with their wishes. Barbaric seems to describe it best, but see, profits in commission for those manufacture and dealers are held high that way and can remain high, only if the market is restricted.
Does the FTC have an understanding of this going on?? "Trust me" is getting watered down here quite a bit, and we all should keep track of how many times the family's purchase is going to be used as a football, at the worst time of their life. And for what? To keep freedom of choice out of the picture? Buy the generic (as good as or better) instead! Or (and) have the service at a church and see about bypassing the funeral parlor altogether. Become one who is knowledgeable about the funeral arrangement process. Act as your own Director (100% or majority of, is possible) and save thousands on services and product. A closed casket service for the most part - does NOT require service of embalming. Don't let the funeral process or arrangement be kept in the dark to consumers any longer, or be overcharged, or be confined by "bundles or monopolists" as well. Read up on it all prior to the need. Pre plan, not pre-pay often is best as well -- see 20/20 and other reports found on search engines http://www.episcopal-life.org/FAprepay.html.
Press release submitted on 10/15/02 by
Betty Brown, email casketstores@email.com
Vice Chair NCRA
http://www.casketstores.com
