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"Consumers can shop online for everything from tubes of toothpaste to family homes, from rides to the airport to the flights when they get there.
They can even order a Thanksgiving dinner from DoorDash, Grubhub or UberEats, have it delivered and know down to the penny what it will cost them.
And yet when it comes to one of the more expensive purchases consumers will make, a funeral for a loved one, there’s a huge void.
“Silicon Valley is not in the mindset of dealing with death,” said Ed Michael Reggie, CEO and founder of Funeralocity.com."
"The funeral industry remains highly fragmented and the vast majority of funeral homes still don’t post their price information online, Reggie said.
The Federal Trade Commission requires that every funeral home provide price information over the phone and detailed price breakouts for potential clients visiting in person."
"Direct cremation, which skips the memorial services, is the lowest cost option and is one that is increasingly popular in Denver.
A direct cremation averages $1,719 in metro Denver, close to the statewide average of $1,687. Nationally, a direct cremation costs $2,124."
This business plan of on-line funeral preparations follows the disintermediation model of internet businesses. Are you ready?
"Consumers can shop online for everything from tubes of toothpaste to family homes, from rides to the airport to the flights when they get there.
They can even order a Thanksgiving dinner from DoorDash, Grubhub or UberEats, have it delivered and know down to the penny what it will cost them.
And yet when it comes to one of the more expensive purchases consumers will make, a funeral for a loved one, there’s a huge void.
“Silicon Valley is not in the mindset of dealing with death,” said Ed Michael Reggie, CEO and founder of Funeralocity.com."
"The funeral industry remains highly fragmented and the vast majority of funeral homes still don’t post their price information online, Reggie said.
The Federal Trade Commission requires that every funeral home provide price information over the phone and detailed price breakouts for potential clients visiting in person."
"Direct cremation, which skips the memorial services, is the lowest cost option and is one that is increasingly popular in Denver.
A direct cremation averages $1,719 in metro Denver, close to the statewide average of $1,687. Nationally, a direct cremation costs $2,124."
This business plan of on-line funeral preparations follows the disintermediation model of internet businesses. Are you ready?
Morbid questioning for a Sunday morning, but I did have this conversation with a few close friends a few years ago.
We had been discussing outside of the box ideas for future businesses.
We all came to the conclusion that this was a niche business that could become quite large if marketed properly.
In our area the price fluctuates between $1500 and $3000 for a no frills cremation.
Trends are changing along with the social and religious stigmatism that go with cremations.
Growing up funerals were a big part of traditional family customs along with having family plots in the local cemetery.
The funeral industry is changing and opening a one stop, one price crematorium is going to take some creativity, but I really think it's time has come and and although it would require possibly the networking of current funeral homes to possibly pre-sell no frills cremation policy's it could take off.
Again, the big part of this would be organizing a network of funeral homes across the USA in major cities to agree to an honored upon set price and allow consumers to pre purchase these cremations with a promise to lock in the price once paid.
I don't find it morbid. After having to bury parents - you learn some things. Thankfully theirs were prepaid and all set to go. What a relief. We just had to pick out flowers and photos. Oh and clothing.
There are some cultural factors though. Our priest is from Africa and he is shocked about this preplanning and paying thing.
In his eyes, the more you spend on a parental funeral, the more it shows your love.....we told him - nope not here! LOL
This business plan of on-line funeral preparations follows the disintermediation model of internet businesses. Are you ready?
Beyond ready. And if you're keeping score, I am another one who doesn't find the topic morbid.
I have no close relatives any longer; and, therefore, I wanted to get my (dead?) ducks in a row regarding end-of-the-line plans. None of the web sites I consulted gave prices online, though some threw out a ballpark figure. OK, sure...but what's in the ballpark. Not enough specifics.
Phone calls did not whip up much enthusiasm or information. And in the end I had to visit several places. This wouldn't have been a major bother, but I am disabled enough that the physical getting around was very uncomfortable.
So, I really would have appreciated being able to do it online. And since mine is a bare-bones affair: I supply the corpse, you supply the firewood and my executor will bring a plastic bag from Eureka Market it could have been so easy online.
My wife donated her body to the SC College of Medicine. When she died the family came to the house and we said our goodbyes. They remove the body within two hours of you calling them. You have the option of them cremating the body and returning the ashes at the end one year or they will dispose of the body. We chose they dispose of the remains. They have a Memorial Service each year for those that donated the year before. They also have a Memorial Garden dedicated to those that donated. Many will have a Memorial Service shortly after the death. I intend on doing the same thing.
My husband is a veteran so we both will be interred at our local veteran’s cemetery. You have a choice of burial or cremation plot. The veteran is free and spouse costs 400. They also supply the plaque. Retired veterans will do a free service for the veteran. You do have to do the paperwork in advance. We can be cremated right now for 500.
We and our friends were living in one town and our families lived in a city 150 miles away. When my wife died we had to have two funeral companies and two visitations - almost two of everything - once in our home town and once in the city for elderly relatives and old friends. The family plot was in the city. It was exceedingly expensive. I've complicated matters now by moving 1000 miles away with a third set of friends so I guess I'll be making three stops. My plan is to out live everyone else and do an end run.
Just an FYI: both Walmart & Costco sell coffins for much less than the typical funeral home mark-up they ask during a family's time of crisis. (I don't know if technically this is "out of the box".)
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