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The business of caskets
in Canada may be a ‘dying’ or declining business in today’s economy.
By tradition, burials have long been the favored funeral choice of the
Canadian population, and purchasing a casket the single, largest expense
in arranging a traditional funeral. However, changes in the economy,
in the way people are now thinking about the cost of a funeral, and in
a distinct cultural shift away from traditionality; means that casket sales
for funeral homes are no longer the guaranteed revenue generator they once
were.
Canadians are turning to
the Internet and direct casket suppliers as an alternative to paying the
expensive cost of purchasing a casket from their funeral home. There
are a number of online and high street direct casket stores, which can
now deliver a casket at up to 70% less than funeral home prices.
As a typical example, a standard 18 gauge steel casket costing approximately
$4495 from a funeral home, can be purchased online for as little as $995.
As this market is given more exposure, and as Canadians find that saving
costs can be a driving factor in arranging a funeral, this industry is
growing. When an average funeral can cost as much as $10,000, and
as much as a third of this cost is the price of a casket, it is easy to
see why Canadians are opting to save money and purchase a casket direct.
A casket is typically known
for its rectangular shape, and can be wood, metal or steel, whereas a coffin
traditionally has six sides and is more often constructed from wood.
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