Vintage US Postcards

How much do funeral home directors pay manufacturers for caskets?

I am trying to find out how much it cost for a funeral home to buy a casket from the manufacturer. I know for how much the funeral directors sell them to the public (generally ridiculous prices) but I can't find any information on how much they pay.

All funeral homes mark them up whatever amount they want.

In the old days, 2.5 to 4.0 times cost was common (similar to furniture and jewelry and many other items.)

Today most funeral homes have much less markup on merchandise and have marked up their service charges accordingly. This is called "service based pricing."

Service based pricing allows funeral homes to sell caskets at prices that are very competitive with Internet sites and other casket "discount" locations without losing too much on their bottom line.

That has caused the Internet sites to move away from quality casket brands and push much lower quality caskets which are made in China and Mexico. These caskets range in quality from slightly below average to unacceptable. They are Very very cheap however.

The bottom line is...you are free to purchase your casket anywhere you want. If your funeral home is smart, they are now very competitive on the casket prices and if they are I recommend you purchase it from them. If they are very high (on the same brand and model number) then you can order it elsewhere.

To answer your exact question, the lowest funeral home markup on caskets is probably 50% or cost X 2 (same with the internet wholesalers.) The highest that is found is around cost X 4 which used to be more common than it is today.

Wilmington North Carolina NC Coble Funeral Home Wrightsville Beach $9.99 Time Remaining: 3h 30m

Philadelphia PA Tomaszewski Funeral Home 2728 E Allegheny Ave $3.95 Time Remaining: 6h 58m

Moody Funeral Home Mount Airy North Carolina Linen Postcard $7.99 Time Remaining: 8h 28m Buy It Now for only: $9.99

De Nicolo Funeral Home 5734 W Diversey Ave Chicago IL Matchbook Cook County $4.77 Time Remaining: 8h 41m Buy It Now for only: $4.77

Real Photo Postcard Slininger Funeral Home Jefferson Iowa $9.99 Time Remaining: 12h 37m

1940s Matchbook P J Stransky Funeral Home Chicago IL $2.99 Time Remaining: 12h 57m Buy It Now for only: $2.99

Neekamp Funeral Home Bartlesville OK Washington MB $4.01 Time Remaining: 16h 8m Buy It Now for only: $4.01

ST LOUIS MO Feutz Funeral home Lounge Linen Postcard $13.33 Time Remaining: 17h 23m Buy It Now for only: $13.33

Mullican Little Funeral Home Vintage Chrome Postcard Hearse Ambulance Savoy TX $9.99 Time Remaining: 1d 5h 12m

Connolly Funeral Home 302 W Poplar Taylorville IL MB $4.09 Time Remaining: 1d 5h 40m Buy It Now for only: $4.09

Jones Funeral Home TUCKERTON NJ ca1940 $13.95 Time Remaining: 1d 7h 53m Buy It Now for only: $13.95

OE Larson Mortuary Funeral Home Minneapolis MN Minn $5.50 Time Remaining: 1d 10h 37m Buy It Now for only: $5.50

Flynn Fleming Funeral Home 1422 Light Street Baltimore MD Matchbook 112611 $4.47 Time Remaining: 1d 14h 43m Buy It Now for only: $4.47

Arthur Smith Funeral Home Seventh and Union Streets Port Huron MI Matchbook $4.47 Time Remaining: 1d 14h 44m Buy It Now for only: $4.47

1960s Matchbook Wiggin Funeral Home Dover NH Strafford $4.49 Time Remaining: 1d 19h 46m Buy It Now for only: $4.49

1940s Matchbook First Puckett Funeral Home Galesburg IL Knox Co Illinois $4.74 Time Remaining: 1d 20h 48m Buy It Now for only: $4.74

The Zepfel Funeral Home 150 S Negley Pittsburgh PA MB $4.47 Time Remaining: 2d 7h 21m Buy It Now for only: $4.47

Morganton NC 3 Cards Church Funeral Home Park $0.75 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 2d 8h 59m

1951 KANSAS CITY MO NEWCOMERS FUNERAL HOME $6.50 Time Remaining: 2d 13h 30m Buy It Now for only: $6.50

c 1940 JEFFERSON IA SLININGER FUNERAL HOME POSTCARD RPPC $69.99 Time Remaining: 3d 13h 31m Buy It Now for only: $69.99

Stamey Funeral Home 2335 St Joseph Ave St Joseph MO MB $3.57 Time Remaining: 3d 13h 35m Buy It Now for only: $3.57

1950s Matchbook Clark Funeral Home Culver IN Marshall C $4.74 Time Remaining: 3d 15h 41m Buy It Now for only: $4.74

1960s NEW HAVEN PHOTO CELENTANO FUNERAL HOME NEW HAVEN CONN 5 x 7 $15.99 Time Remaining: 3d 19h 25m Buy It Now for only: $15.99

1930s Schumacher Funeral Home Freak St Louis MO MB $2.49 Time Remaining: 4d 7h 11m Buy It Now for only: $2.49

Forgie Funeral Home 1032 Broadway East McKeesport PA MB $3.67 Time Remaining: 4d 7h 53m Buy It Now for only: $3.67

St Paul Mueller Bies Funeral Home St Paul Minnesota $14.95 Time Remaining: 4d 11h 42m Buy It Now for only: $14.95

P0743 Centralia IL postcard Galbreath Funeral Home $16.00 Time Remaining: 4d 12h 19m Buy It Now for only: $16.00

TEXAS DALLAS LAUREL LAND FUNERAL HOME MORTUARY $11.98 Time Remaining: 4d 12h 25m Buy It Now for only: $11.98

TEXAS DALLAS FUNERAL HOME LAUREL LAND UNPOSTED $11.98 Time Remaining: 4d 12h 27m Buy It Now for only: $11.98

Vintage Postcard Colonial Chapel Frisbie Warren Funeral Home Stockton CA $8.99 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 4d 14h 58m

Garners Funeral Home Branch Mutual Burial Assn Kinston NC Matchbook 012812 $4.42 Time Remaining: 5d 5h 7m Buy It Now for only: $4.42

1950s Matchbook Peoples Funeral Home McRae GA Telfair C $4.74 Time Remaining: 5d 8h 35m Buy It Now for only: $4.74

Walnut Creek CA 50s OAK PARK HILLS CHAPEL FUNERAL HOME $37.50 Time Remaining: 5d 9h 5m Buy It Now for only: $37.50

Lewis Funeral Homes Elmwood Park Franklin Park IL MB $4.47 Time Remaining: 5d 10h 59m Buy It Now for only: $4.47

Stephens Funeral Home 1335 Linden St Allentown PA MB $4.47 Time Remaining: 5d 11h 25m Buy It Now for only: $4.47

1959 KINSTON NC Garners Funeral Home Close up in Color $5.99 Time Remaining: 5d 17h 33m

1930s Matchbook Greens Funeral Home Ph 93 Cameron TX $4.99 Time Remaining: 5d 20h 33m Buy It Now for only: $4.99

Flynn and Son Funeral Homes Perth Amboy Fords NJ Miami FL Matchbook 093011 $4.01 Time Remaining: 6d 5h 42m Buy It Now for only: $4.01

A J Tomon Sons Funeral Home 4772 Pearl Rd Cleveland OH Matchbook 012912 $4.42 Time Remaining: 6d 6h 12m Buy It Now for only: $4.42

Krause Funeral Home Capitol Drive at 91st Milwaukee WI Matchbook 012912 $4.22 Time Remaining: 6d 7h Buy It Now for only: $4.22

Akron Ohio Hummel company Funeral Home thermometer $10.00 Time Remaining: 6d 14h 30m

Gardner Son Funeral Home Vincennes IN Knox County Matchbook 022912 $4.02 Time Remaining: 6d 15h 9m Buy It Now for only: $4.02

1940 Cooper Funeral Home Miami Oklahoma postcard $7.62 Time Remaining: 6d 19h 38m Buy It Now for only: $7.62

CARTHAGE ILLINOIS BOWEN ILL JACKSON FUNERAL HOME SCOTTIE DOGS ADVERTISING CARD $16.99 Time Remaining: 7d 12h 3m Buy It Now for only: $16.99

Hopko Funeral Home 3601 E 93rd St Cleveland OH MB $3.77 Time Remaining: 7d 17h 25m Buy It Now for only: $3.77

Findlay Ohio Kirkpatrick Hawkins Funeral Home Vintage Postcard OH $4.99 Time Remaining: 7d 20h 34m Buy It Now for only: $4.99

PRINCETON WV Seaver Mortuary Chapel Vtg Funeral Home Postcard Old West Virginia $16.50 Time Remaining: 8d 9h 3m Buy It Now for only: $16.50

SEDALIA MISSOURI GILLESPIE FUNERAL HOME circa 1930s 1940s $5.66 Time Remaining: 8d 10h 18m Buy It Now for only: $5.66

SEDALIA MISSOURI GILLESPIE FUNERAL HOME POSTCARD LINEN $16.99 Time Remaining: 8d 13h 17m Buy It Now for only: $16.99

Wm Cook Brooks Funeral Home 1050 York Road Towson MD Matchbook 103111 $4.01 Time Remaining: 8d 14h 47m Buy It Now for only: $4.01

Hoffman Funeral Home 415 Broadway Long Branch NJ Monmouth Matchbook 020212 $4.02 Time Remaining: 9d 10h 37m Buy It Now for only: $4.02

Geiple Furniture Funeral Home 45 55 Main St Glen Rock PA York Matchbook $4.02 Time Remaining: 9d 15h 43m Buy It Now for only: $4.02

Edwards MORTUARY FUNERAL HOME Los Angeles CA 1936 $17.49 Time Remaining: 9d 18h 19m Buy It Now for only: $17.49

Peek Family Funeral Home Midway City CA $4.50 Time Remaining: 9d 20h 54m Buy It Now for only: $4.50

Florida Palataka Interlachen Masters Funeral Homes $8.00 Time Remaining: 10d 4h 19m Buy It Now for only: $8.00

Goodman Funeral Home 1701 W Walnut St Milwaukee WI MB $4.47 Time Remaining: 10d 13h 48m Buy It Now for only: $4.47

Schisler Funeral Home Northampton PA MB $4.47 Time Remaining: 10d 14h Buy It Now for only: $4.47

1950s Matchbook Russel C Norris Funeral Home Phone 51 Saint Charles IL Kane Co $4.74 Time Remaining: 10d 20h 56m Buy It Now for only: $4.74

East Indianapolis Funeral Home Postcard $6.50 Time Remaining: 11d 17h 9m Buy It Now for only: $6.50

Funeral Home Memorial Gardens Kansas City MO $4.50 Time Remaining: 11d 20h Buy It Now for only: $4.50

NC MOUNT AIRY MOODY FUNERAL HOME EQUIPMENT R85173 $7.00 Time Remaining: 12d 6h 51m Buy It Now for only: $7.00

Postcard Restland Park Funeral Home DallasTexas TX $3.95 Time Remaining: 12d 9h 1m Buy It Now for only: $3.95

SEDALIA MISSOURI GILLESPIE FUNERAL HOME MORTUARY UNDERTAKER ADVERTISING POSTCARD $24.99 Time Remaining: 12d 12h 28m Buy It Now for only: $24.99

Death Funeral Home Midway City CA $4.50 Time Remaining: 12d 19h 57m Buy It Now for only: $4.50

Midway City CA Peek Family Funeral Home 1960 $8.99 Time Remaining: 13d 4h 7m Buy It Now for only: $8.99

LINEN Lohmeyer Windle FUNERAL HOME SPRINGFIELD MO $15.95 Time Remaining: 13d 6h 9m Buy It Now for only: $15.95

Calvin F Feutz Funeral Home St Louis MO MB $4.47 Time Remaining: 13d 14h 32m Buy It Now for only: $4.47

1950 60 CHROME FUNERAL HOME KANSAS CITY MO $7.50 Time Remaining: 13d 15h 42m Buy It Now for only: $7.50

SEDALIA MISSOURI HECKART GILLESPIE FUNERAL HOME VINTAGE ADVERTISING POSTCARD MO $16.99 Time Remaining: 14d 5h 40m Buy It Now for only: $16.99

McCue Funeral Home AutumnMcKinley Brooklyn NY MB $4.01 Time Remaining: 14d 12h 44m Buy It Now for only: $4.01

Larkin Funeral Home 331 Evers Ave Rochester NY MB $4.01 Time Remaining: 14d 13h 5m Buy It Now for only: $4.01

Nickels Funeral Home 14500 Madison Ave Cleveland OH MB $4.01 Time Remaining: 14d 13h 5m Buy It Now for only: $4.01

Fleischmann Funeral Home 726 High St Pottstown PA MB $4.01 Time Remaining: 14d 13h 11m Buy It Now for only: $4.01

J Edward Cochran Son Funeral Home 2327 Holmden Ave Cleveland OH Matchbook $4.42 Time Remaining: 14d 15h 21m Buy It Now for only: $4.42

D A Hunsicker Funeral Home Hunsicker Bros Furniture Brodheadsville PA MB $4.02 Time Remaining: 14d 15h 35m Buy It Now for only: $4.02