Buy A Casket At Costco __FULL__
Caskets are often the single most expensive item purchased for a traditional funeral service, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The average cost of a casket bought through a funeral home is more than $2,000, but depending on the finish the price can climb as high as $10,000. Costco offers a cheaper alternative.
buy a casket at costco
Standard shipping is included in the cost of the casket, but expedited shipping is available for an additional fee. Both the shipping address and the billing address must be in one of the 36 states (plus the District of Columbia) approved for casket sales.
It should come as no surprise that Costco is now selling caskets. That's right. Caskets. Like for dead people. They have spent years selling people 700 Oreos at a time, 1000 pack snack bags of Doritos, palates of sugary drinks and just general unhealthy-ness in bulk. People can't stay alive eating that stuff and the good folks at Costco know that to be the case. Which is why the management at Costco were smart enough to realize that they should start selling caskets to their members. At a discount.
I love that you can go buy a bottle of 2000 Advil, a pack of 37 toothbrushes...and a casket. Makes total sense. One stop shopping at it's finest. And it's not just that they are selling caskets. It's how they are selling them. Marketing genius really. Let's look at the casket displays and talk through them. Shall we?
Then the displays get a bit more confusing.Non-EmotionalNow, maybe it's just me but I find death to be very emotional. Devastating in fact. Which is why I am confused by this "non-emotional" casket. Are they saying that if you buy this casket people around you won't be emotional? Or maybe you shouldn't be emotional about dying if you are buying this "non-emotional" casket? Does it have a non-emotional look about it? What is it about this casket that makes the experience completely void of emotion? I mean in the picture the two people seem to be having a very non-emotional conversation. Costco, i'll give you that. But no one looks dead. Who was the marketing person that decided this was the way to sell this bad boy during a meeting?
Non-ThreateningI'm sure we can all agree we want to buy a non-threatening casket. Does this one seem less threatening? Is there something about this casket in particular that puts one at ease? Like maybe you can stay alive inside and there is an escape door? Guess what? It's not working. Even as I type this and think about climbing in that thing, I am having a panic attack. However, maybe if I knew why it wasn't threatening it would be a whole other story. Though it probably wouldn't.
Next time you are buying a flat screen TV and tree trimmings for Christmas, get yourself a non-emotional or non-threatening casket. It will seem like no big deal when you are chowing down on one of the 400 individually wrapped Twizzlers you are probably buying and pushing around in your cart at the time. Fun for the whole family. Not to mention...affordable.
Standard steel and stainless steel metal caskets are sold in different metal thicknesses, or gauge sizes. A lower gauge indicates thicker steel, which makes lower gauges more expensive. In general, the cost range for steel caskets varies between $850 and $1,600, but the price depends on the type of steel and its gauge. Keep in mind the costs below do not factor in any color finishes or added features:
The price of a wooden casket depends on the exact type of wood used to make it. In general, the cost ranges from $1,000 to $3,550. Pine caskets are cheaper, while caskets made of oak, cherry, maple, or walnut are more expensive.
Green caskets are biodegradable containers used for green burials. The vessel and the body naturally decompose in the soil when buried this way. The cost depends entirely on the material and whether you buy one or make it on your own, but the average price is between $100 and $700.
A standard casket is 24 to 27 inches wide and is designed to hold a person of healthy weight. Obese individuals may require an oversize casket, which measures anywhere between 28 and 51 inches wide. Because of their larger size, these models are more expensive than their smaller counterparts, costing an average of $1,550 to $4,150.
Many people choose to make their own caskets. Skilled craftsmen can build one for the cost of some wood, stain, and any decorative features they want to add. Some companies also sell DIY kits, which cost an average of $850.
Many people buy caskets from the funeral home they work with when planning a funeral. The price varies based on the model you choose and the funeral home itself. Buying directly from the funeral home is usually not the most cost-effective option. In addition to charging a service fee, funeral homes often charge hundreds or thousands of dollars more than what they paid.
A casket is a four-sided rectangle with a lid that opens for viewing the body. A coffin has six or eight sides, and it has a wider area at the head and becomes more tapered at the feet. Coffins are usually made of higher-quality wood and other materials than caskets.
Cremation caskets hold the body as it is processed in the cremation chamber and burn along with the body. They must be rigid, combustible containers, which can include caskets made of any of the following materials:
Caskets are available to rent at funeral homes for between $725 and $1,250, which is simply a convenience fee to clean the casket and transfer the body. Many people who are going to be cremated are placed in a rental casket for the viewing before their body is processed. Other people choose to rent a more elaborate, expensive casket to display the body during funeral services and purchase a less expensive one to bury the body.
Charges for other services and merchandise, include costs for optional goods and services such as transporting the remains; embalming and other preparation; use of the funeral home for the viewing, ceremony or memorial service; use of equipment and staff for a graveside service; use of a hearse or limousine; a casket, outer burial container or alternate container; and cremation or interment.
A casket often is the single most expensive item you'll buy if you plan a "traditional" full-service funeral. Caskets vary widely in style and price and are sold primarily for their visual appeal. Typically, they're constructed of metal, wood, fiberboard, fiberglass or plastic. Although an average casket costs slightly more than $2,000, some mahogany, bronze or copper caskets sell for as much as $10,000.
When you visit a funeral home or showroom to shop for a casket, the Funeral Rule requires the funeral director to show you a list of caskets the company sells, with descriptions and prices, before showing you the caskets. Industry studies show that the average casket shopper buys one of the first three models shown, generally the middle-priced of the three.
Traditionally, caskets have been sold only by funeral homes. But more and more, showrooms and websites operated by "third-party" dealers are selling caskets. You can buy a casket from one of these dealers and have it shipped directly to the funeral home. The Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to agree to use a casket you bought elsewhere, and doesn't allow them to charge you a fee for using it.
No matter where or when you're buying a casket, it's important to remember that its purpose is to provide a dignified way to move the body before burial or cremation. No casket, regardless of its qualities or cost, will preserve a body forever. Metal caskets frequently are described as "gasketed," "protective" or "sealer" caskets. These terms mean that the casket has a rubber gasket or some other feature that is designed to delay the penetration of water into the casket and prevent rust. The Funeral Rule forbids claims that these features help preserve the remains indefinitely because they don't. They just add to the cost of the casket.
Burial vaults or grave liners, also known as burial containers, are commonly used in "traditional" full-service funerals. The vault or liner is placed in the ground before burial, and the casket is lowered into it at burial. The purpose is to prevent the ground from caving in as the casket deteriorates over time. A grave liner is made of reinforced concrete and will satisfy any cemetery requirement. Grave liners cover only the top and sides of the casket. A burial vault is more substantial and expensive than a grave liner. It surrounds the casket in concrete or another material and may be sold with a warranty of protective strength.
State laws do not require a vault or liner, and funeral providers may not tell you otherwise. However, keep in mind that many cemeteries require some type of outer burial container to prevent the grave from sinking in the future. Neither grave liners nor burial vaults are designed to prevent the eventual decomposition of human remains. It is illegal for funeral providers to claim that a vault will keep water, dirt, or other debris from penetrating into the casket if that's not true.
As far back as the ancient Egyptians, people have used oils, herbs and special body preparations to help preserve the bodies of their dead. Yet, no process or products have been devised to preserve a body in the grave indefinitely. The Funeral Rule prohibits funeral providers from telling you that it can be done. For example, funeral providers may not claim that either embalming or a particular type of casket will preserve the body of the deceased for an unlimited time.
Costco caskets cost an average of around $2,000 per casket. However, prices can reach $10,000 or more in extreme cases. Caskets range in price from $899.99 to $1,499.99, depending on their size. When you place your order before 10 a.m. PST on Monday, the casket will be delivered in three business days. Costco can be delivered to the majority of states in the United States. A casket purchased from a third party must be accepted by funeral homes, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Funeral homes are prohibited from charging any additional fees for Costco caskets in accordance with state and federal law. 041b061a72