Wal-Mart enters the casket business
Filed under: Shopping
You go to their website for deals on car seats, linens, diapers and furniture. Now, discount retail Goliath Wal-Mart will also cut you a break on your final resting place.
Wal-Mart quietly slid into the afterlife industry last week, putting up 15 caskets and dozens of urns for sale on its website, according to the Associated Press. The caskets ship within 48 hours and are priced at less than $2,000, with budget models such as "Dad Remembered" and "Mom Remembered" steel caskets tagged at $999. You can also plan ahead and pay off the casket in 12 months interest-free.
Sounds creepy that they want your dollars in life and after? Rival Costco has been doing that for quite some time.
Wal-Mart downplays its latest product, telling AP that the company is simply conducting a limited beta test to gauge customer response. But will its entry into the market with competitive prices spell the burial for the high-markup casket industry?
We don't know yet. What we do know is even though this whole thing is somewhat discomforting, it could be a good option for consumers on a tight budget.
Read more: How make your funeral green
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
10-30-2009 @ 8:04PM
JP said...
They must know something about Obama's death panels
Reply
10-31-2009 @ 11:58AM
ted said...
JP you are a idiout
11-01-2009 @ 9:09AM
Erika said...
Oh yeah Ted, JP is the idiot. Considering you couldn't even spell idiot.....
10-31-2009 @ 1:05PM
watdafuk said...
An idiout ? That`s priceless.
10-31-2009 @ 1:28PM
Dan said...
Whatever an "idiout" is, it would be "an idiout" not "a idiout"
Now please explain, because you sound like an idiot.
10-31-2009 @ 4:20PM
mjc said...
HA HA ! Well said JP. BTW...I'll take a $999 walmart casket any day over those overpriced $5000 ones in the funeral homes!! And they are even MADE IN AMERICA!!
11-02-2009 @ 2:05PM
Notter said...
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11-02-2009 @ 3:36PM
Anne said...
mic, can you use a cheap casket without a funeral home? I do not understand how they can sell them since you still need to funeral home for the rest. It's certain that they get us coming or going.
11-02-2009 @ 4:16PM
levin said...
I personally thought that your comment was a good one! LOL Thank you for the laugh it was needed on a monday!
10-31-2009 @ 11:16AM
Lisa said...
Remember these are probably made in China, so you will be getting what you pay for.
Reply
11-01-2009 @ 6:08PM
David said...
Lisa, If you actually went to the website you would see that they are all made in the USA and have hand-sewn interiors.
10-31-2009 @ 8:50PM
noMOREtv4u said...
Do you hear anyone complaining?
Seriously, caskets wouldn't make much sense to ship. If Walmart just bought from US manufacturers and got their normal markup, this would be about right. There is an incredible margin in the funeral business. Better than drug dealing, on average.
10-31-2009 @ 1:17PM
AJ said...
Lisa said...
Remember these are probably made in China, so you will be getting what you pay for.
A box to bury your dead body in? There isn't much chance of lead poisoning once you are dead.
10-31-2009 @ 1:59PM
cdub said...
Let's see Lisa......I'd be dead so if I get what I pat for who cares. Are you related to TED th Idiot?
10-31-2009 @ 3:03PM
Chris said...
They are the same company the funeral homes use. Just cutting out the middle man. What kills me is how a funeral home will bill you for everything.
I worked for years as a police officer doing funeral escorts. The department did not charge a dime. However the funeral homes were charging $200-$400 for this service.
So sad how people take you for a ride in your time of need.
10-31-2009 @ 3:33PM
melanie said...
Lisa, they are made in the USA. Do your research.
11-02-2009 @ 3:27PM
shannon said...
who cares if they aren't made of nice quality..you are being buried in it. I mean you think if you pay more it's gonna change what happens once you are buried!lol
11-02-2009 @ 9:17PM
mesaman said...
So what are you trying to tell us? It will make a difference whether it was made in the US or China, six feet down and inside a concrete vault? Does the American casket hold up better underground? So what? Unless you are going to be dis-interred, who would give a diddly squat?
11-02-2009 @ 8:12PM
Mary said...
Where will Walmart draw the line.....they are just skimming by going toooooo far in my humble opinion...don't get me wrong I love to shop Walmart when I can find it almost deserted....
10-31-2009 @ 11:31AM
Cherie said...
It's about time that the funeral homes had some serious competition. If you ever go into one of their showrooms you will see that the caskets are presented in ways that are designed to manipulate mourners emotions in a way to persuade them to purchase high-end caskets - even for cremation. All that is required by law for cremation is a container. Why spend thousands of dollars on high end caskets which contain heavy metals to be burned and pollute the air? People, wake up, you don't need a casket for cremation - at least nothing more than a cardboard box. Plus there are things called "Green" funerals. Some Funeral Homes even embrace them.
As for Wal-Mart, at l;east there, you are less likely to be cajoled into spending more than you need just because you feel guilty. As much as I hate Wal-Mart, at least they help take the power out of the hands of the funeral directors.
Reply