When it happens, you are never prepared for it. Someone you love, or close to, dies and you need to make the funeral arrangements. But if you have never done this before, where do you start? One of the most obvious questions is: Where do I buy a casket? Here are the basics everyone should know.
There was a time in the United States when the only place you could buy a funeral casket was from the mortuary or funeral home handling the service. But the internet changed that, making it possible to buy caskets online for far less than at a funeral home. However, for convenience, it’s easier to buy at the same place where you're planning to have the service.
When websites began to list funeral caskets for half the price of those sold at funeral homes, the game changed forever. The usual markup for a casket at funeral homes, sometimes as much as 500%, became a thing of the past when funeral homes were no longer the only source in town. Now you can buy online and take delivery within 24 hours.
Believe it or not, the Internet also brought about the ability of some high-end casket retailers around the country to sell directly to buyers via an Internet showroom filled with beautiful models of higher priced caskets. The rules may be different from state to state, so be sure to check if your area allows direct retail sales before you start looking for a casket.
While it may sound gruesome to be researching funeral homes and caskets before a person has passed away, it is smart. Making funeral arrangement decisions while in the midst of grief can be difficult and in the end costly. Find the right arrangements now, and know you have one less decision to make when that day comes.