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Started By
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Funeral industry...Is this casket cartel a thing?
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:36 am
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:36 am
My wife’s cousin (no secks that I’m aware of) is a fantastic carpenter. He made my father inlaw a casket out of a tree from his (fil’s) farm. (Father inlaw knew we was dying, so he had it made well in advance.) The casket turned out great, and the cuz got around 10 new casket orders at the funeral.
Fast fwd a couple of years...In between building cabinets for houses, he’s making a couple of caskets per month and charging around $850 for them. If you aren’t aware, a casket from a funeral home runs $2000+++.
So one day a regional ‘salesman’ for a casket company drops by his shop unannounced to explain the laws he could be breaking and educate him on the casket industry hierarchy.
The guy spooked cuz pretty good, and now he’s only making caskets for family & friends.
Is this casket cartel a thing?
Fast fwd a couple of years...In between building cabinets for houses, he’s making a couple of caskets per month and charging around $850 for them. If you aren’t aware, a casket from a funeral home runs $2000+++.
So one day a regional ‘salesman’ for a casket company drops by his shop unannounced to explain the laws he could be breaking and educate him on the casket industry hierarchy.
The guy spooked cuz pretty good, and now he’s only making caskets for family & friends.
Is this casket cartel a thing?
This post was edited on 8/23/18 at 10:54 am
14
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:39 am to Eli Goldfinger
quote:
Everyone seemed happy, but before they could sell a single casket the abbot called Courdrain with bad news.
"[He] said, 'You better sit down, I got a letter and it says we need to stop making them because it's illegal in Louisiana,'" Coudrain tells weekends on All Things Considered guest host Laura Sullivan.
The reason: You have to have a funeral home license in Louisiana to sell caskets to residents in the state.
"We can certainly make them, and we can sell them to anybody in the world except other residents of Louisiana," Coudrain says.
Louisiana's law is just one of dozens of antiquated and possibly monopolistic laws that pervade the nation's funeral industry. For the first time in decades, the laws are facing new scrutiny as consumers become more aware of their rights and even funeral homes want to change.
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:39 am to Eli Goldfinger
quote:
casket cartel
this has a nice ring to it
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:39 am to Eli Goldfinger
He should of told the casket cartel to eat shite. Maybe this is where all the American mafia members went? They said screw drugs lets sell caskets.
This post was edited on 8/23/18 at 10:42 am
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:41 am to al_cajun
I mean...he’s a big ol’ baw. The ‘salesman’ must have been convincing or he would have.
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:43 am to Eli Goldfinger
Yes. Or it was and should no longer be.
The Benedictine monks of St. Joseph Abbey in St. Benedict Louisiana sued to have state law changed, so that they could sell their caskets in Louisiana.
Prior to these cases, the funeral home lobby had successfully had legislation and regulations passed years ago stating that ALL caskets HAD to be purchased from a funeral home.
Those laws were overturned, and the Abbey Woodworks now makes caskets that were relatively inexpensive to friends. The prices have gone up a little, now as there is demand. $1700 for the monastic style or $2,250 for a more decorative. Funeral homes routinely charge triple that with only one or two cheap options.
When we buried my father 17 years ago, the only "cheap" casket was $700, and it was either particle board or plywood covered with cloth.
The Benedictine monks of St. Joseph Abbey in St. Benedict Louisiana sued to have state law changed, so that they could sell their caskets in Louisiana.
Prior to these cases, the funeral home lobby had successfully had legislation and regulations passed years ago stating that ALL caskets HAD to be purchased from a funeral home.
Those laws were overturned, and the Abbey Woodworks now makes caskets that were relatively inexpensive to friends. The prices have gone up a little, now as there is demand. $1700 for the monastic style or $2,250 for a more decorative. Funeral homes routinely charge triple that with only one or two cheap options.
When we buried my father 17 years ago, the only "cheap" casket was $700, and it was either particle board or plywood covered with cloth.
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:43 am to LNCHBOX
quote:
You have to have a funeral home license in Louisiana to sell caskets
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:44 am to Eli Goldfinger
The monks at St Joseph Abbey in Covington broke the funeral home cartel on caskets in Louisiana in 2011. They sell a nice cypress box for about 2300.00. My Mom and Dad were buried in caskets from them. They also chose to be buried in their LSU game gear. No relation to Big Lee.
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:46 am to GetCocky11
quote:
GetCocky11
South Carolina used to have a similar law within the past 20 years.
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:46 am to GetCocky11
Since the story LNCHBX quotes, the laws have been changed, but at the time, that was accurate.
When Bishop Ott died, he was buried in a "monastic" casket from St. Joseph Abbey. Most likely it was donated so that the law wasn't broken. And the simplicity suited his personality to a "t." Consumer demand for these really took off after that.
Before the laws changed, as I have read, more than a few Louisianians went to Mississippi funeral homes to be able to be buried in Abbey caskets.
When Bishop Ott died, he was buried in a "monastic" casket from St. Joseph Abbey. Most likely it was donated so that the law wasn't broken. And the simplicity suited his personality to a "t." Consumer demand for these really took off after that.
Before the laws changed, as I have read, more than a few Louisianians went to Mississippi funeral homes to be able to be buried in Abbey caskets.
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:47 am to Eli Goldfinger
I would look into opening a "funeral" home. Just open one, but in name only. I have no idea if another funeral home would tell you "no" if you told them you wanted to use them but not one of their caskets. Or see about selling the casket direct to the funeral home. If he is only making $850 and people like them, sell for the same amount to the funeral home.
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:49 am to rowbear1922
The licensing would likely be crazy, having to have all the necessary equipment and personnel with credentials. Probably prohibitive.
Sounds like the casket "salesman" was trying to strong-arm him.
Sounds like the casket "salesman" was trying to strong-arm him.
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:49 am to Eli Goldfinger
Funeral homes are probably the swampiest industry at the municipal/county/state level of politics.
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:52 am to Eli Goldfinger
I'm on our company's benefits committee. Our broker mentioned a few years ago that there is some sort of 'default' in our policy (and most policies I think) that you have about 24-48 hours after a death to 'opt-out' of the very expensive casket being ordered.
I don't think it's even possible to change this default to 'Cremation' or whatever. Basically, you are probably dealing with all of the issues from someone close to you passing and also need to remember to contact the insurance company ASAP or get a huge surprise. That part sounds like a racket to me.
I don't think it's even possible to change this default to 'Cremation' or whatever. Basically, you are probably dealing with all of the issues from someone close to you passing and also need to remember to contact the insurance company ASAP or get a huge surprise. That part sounds like a racket to me.
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:53 am to LNCHBOX
quote:
South Carolina used to have a similar law within the past 20 years.
I mean, that doesn't shock me. Laughing duck is just laughing at how ludicrous that is.
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:54 am to rowbear1922
quote:
If he is only making $850 and people like them, sell for the same amount to the funeral home.
Who will then turn around and sell it to the family for $7000 with the option to put a picture in the casket with the stiff for the reasonable price of $500. A pillow's only going to set you back $750. It's a steal!
Funeral homes are some of the most immoral businesses around, preying on people during some of the worst parts of their lives. You want a good feeling for how unethical these people are and how much they need to be beaten with a claw hammer? Walk into one and try to pre-pay for a simple cremation and see how fast they become aggressive to try to sell you shite you didn't ask for, then downright rude once they realize that you're not playing ball.
This post was edited on 8/23/18 at 10:58 am
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:55 am to RedPop4
Archbishop Hannah was buried in one. The Monks have a really nice shop. I toured it when I went ther to pickup an urn that my BIL’s remains were interred in. They have a computerized layout/ cut table that can cut 10 pieces at a time. They probaly have two dozen miter saws,never change settings,one saw for each cut. All the saws have vacuums hooked to them. You can’t find a speck of dust in the place.
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:56 am to Swoopin
Met a man a few years ago, who was making 1 wooded casket a week in his garage . Selling them for $1500. Asked him where is market was. he advised EAST TEXAS.
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:56 am to Eli Goldfinger
You can buy caskets online from Walmart.
Posted on 8/23/18 at 10:59 am to TigerstuckinMS
quote:
Who will then turn around and sell it to the family for $7000 with the option to put a picture in the casket with the stiff for the reasonable price of $500.
I mean if he sells it for the same price he was but now has even more demand, he could make even more money. To me, it's a simple fix to the problem.
Now, what the funeral home does to scam families is a totally different question.
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