Wal-Mart starts selling caskets

[Pogotheostrich]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/art ... AD9BKA6TO1

The world's largest retailer wants to keep its customers even after they die.

Wal-Mart has started selling caskets on its Web site at prices that undercut many funeral homes, long the major seller of caskets.

The move follows a similar one by discount rival Costco, which also sells caskets on its site.

Wal-Mart, based in Bentonville, Ark., quietly put up about 15 caskets and dozens of urns on its Web site last week.

Prices range from $999 for models like "Dad Remembered" and "Mom Remembered" steel caskets to the mid-level $1,699 "Executive Privilege." All are less than $2,000, except for the Sienna Bronze Casket, which sells for $3,199.

Caskets ship within 48 hours. Federal law requires funeral homes to accept third-party caskets.

The caskets come from Star Legacy Funeral Network, Inc., a company based in McHenry, Ill., that sells the same caskets for about the same price — some less — on its site, along with many others.

[Art Vandelay]

People's after-death rituals amaze and astound me. I'm sure there are some people here that have, or would spend that kind of coin on a box to bury someone in, but even if I had millions of dollars I'd tell my family not to spend any more money than necessary on me after I die.

[The Artful Dodger]

I had to say I was pretty spooked when Costco started selling caskets a couple of years back. The funny thing was, the stall where you pick up a brochure is on the way out and so, you could see parts of the casket as you roll along. Just a grim reminder, no?

If you can get a classy looking casket for under $1,000, that's pretty darn good IMO. I spent $2,000+ on a simple, but otherwise nice copper casket for my mother's burial a couple of months back. It was quite cheap, considering that the funeral home had mostly high-end caskets that went upwards of $30-40k.

[ayebatter]

I've been saving an old Grolsch beer bottle with one of those lock down caps for 30 years, I think my ashes will fill it to the brim, you guys can have the blow off.

[Dan Lambskin]

I've been saving an old Grolsch beer bottle with one of those lock down caps for 30 years, I think my ashes will fill it to the brim, you guys can have the blow off.

[Inukchuk]

People's after-death rituals amaze and astound me. I'm sure there are some people here that have, or would spend that kind of coin on a box to bury someone in, but even if I had millions of dollars I'd tell my family not to spend any more money than necessary on me after I die.

Agreed. The casket gets buried after, what, a week? Then no one gets to see it. I'm more than happy with a refrigerator box, myself...

[GiantsFan14]

walmart is like the most awesome place on earth. <3 it so much.

[Big Pimpin]

walmart is like the most awesome place on earth. <3 it so much.

I hate Wal-Mart. I think I've been inside once in the past 10 years and it wasn't really voluntarily. I wouldn't spend your money there.

[GiantsFan14]

walmart is like the most awesome place on earth. <3 it so much.

I hate Wal-Mart. I think I've been inside once in the past 10 years and it wasn't really voluntarily. I wouldn't spend your money there.

you crazy bro, it's the ultimate ridiculously cheap one stop shopping. when i moved into my new place i got household items, some clothes, and groceries all at the same place at just ridiculously awesome prices. that little rollback guy is my hero.

[Big Pimpin]

walmart is like the most awesome place on earth. <3 it so much.

I hate Wal-Mart. I think I've been inside once in the past 10 years and it wasn't really voluntarily. I wouldn't spend your money there.

you crazy bro, it's the ultimate ridiculously cheap one stop shopping. when i moved into my new place i got household items, some clothes, and groceries all at the same place at just ridiculously awesome prices. that little rollback guy is my hero.

I'd rather pay more money than support predatory pricers.