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My family owned and ran a number of funeral homes for ALMOST 100 years. We sold JUST BEFORE the 100 year mark. We are glad we got out when we did, which was 10

My family owned and ran a number of funeral homes for ALMOST 100 years. We sold JUST BEFORE the 100 year mark. We are glad we got out when we did, which was 10 years too late in my opinion. The bottom dropped out of the industry, people don't want to pay for funerals anymore ( very rationally in my opinion ). My family's funeral home and a few other local funeral homes were fighting for scraps. Just like the local shoe store, the funeral home is going the way of the dinosaur. Things were getting desperate. The industry is stodgy and old. My father didn't get into the business to be a fucking overpriced casket salesman. This seems like a great idea. Not even the funeral homes like having to gouge on caskets. It is a weird industry and not one I am going to attempt to defend. I will say that almost every culture has some sort of burial ritual, and having elaborate funerals was a sign of respect and a very old practice.

mprev 7y ago
Why do funeral homes have to gouge on caskets? Which part of the service is not met by the amount charged for it?
- james_s_tayler 7y ago
  I'm guessing it's a volume thing? The point of market entry for a casket is literally someones death. It's not you can run facebook ads to boost sales of caskets...
  - mprev 7y ago
    That doesn't tell the whole story, though. The cost of preparing and burying a body is, presumably, fixed in normal circumstances. Fancier caskets are a discretionary addition. Unless the body prep/burial is offered as a free complimentary service when you buy a casket, then presumably the bill for those services covers their cost. Perhaps competition has set an expectation of a certain price for the service aspect, which is a loss-leader, and then providers make up the loss on casket sales. If the funeral homes were selling only a casket, I could see it being a volume thing. But I'd expect the fixed costs of the business to be covered by the service fee, hence my question.
- hedora 7y ago
  Price discrimination?
- honkycat 7y ago
  Businesses have this weird desire to make money. Stupid I know.

mprev 7y ago

Why do funeral homes have to gouge on caskets? Which part of the service is not met by the amount charged for it?

james_s_tayler 7y ago
I'm guessing it's a volume thing? The point of market entry for a casket is literally someones death. It's not you can run facebook ads to boost sales of caskets...
- mprev 7y ago
  That doesn't tell the whole story, though. The cost of preparing and burying a body is, presumably, fixed in normal circumstances. Fancier caskets are a discretionary addition. Unless the body prep/burial is offered as a free complimentary service when you buy a casket, then presumably the bill for those services covers their cost. Perhaps competition has set an expectation of a certain price for the service aspect, which is a loss-leader, and then providers make up the loss on casket sales. If the funeral homes were selling only a casket, I could see it being a volume thing. But I'd expect the fixed costs of the business to be covered by the service fee, hence my question.
hedora 7y ago
Price discrimination?
honkycat 7y ago
Businesses have this weird desire to make money. Stupid I know.