Wal-Mart starts selling caskets, urns online
source: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/retail/2009-10-28-walmart-sells-caskets-online_N.htm
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- WakeUpPeople
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The world's largest retailer wants to keep its customers even after they die.
Wal-Mart has started selling caskets on its website 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 (WMT), based in Bentonville, Ark., quietly put up about 15 caskets and dozens of urns on its website 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, 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.
Star Legacy CEO Rick Obadiah said the response in the first week has been better than the company or Wal-Mart expected, though he declined to give specifics. A spokesman for Walmart.com also declined to release sales figures and downplayed the venture.
Wal-Mart has started selling caskets on its website 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 (WMT), based in Bentonville, Ark., quietly put up about 15 caskets and dozens of urns on its website 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, 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.
Star Legacy CEO Rick Obadiah said the response in the first week has been better than the company or Wal-Mart expected, though he declined to give specifics. A spokesman for Walmart.com also declined to release sales figures and downplayed the venture.
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RFIDemocracy
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Yeah, that's getting weird. What's next for Wal-Mart?
Walmart Walmart and Walmart-Attorneys at law
- 2 years ago
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RFIDemocracy
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tangibleparadox
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RFIDemocracy:
lol! next stop after that : car, home, and health insurance.
- 2 years ago
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tangibleparadox
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Progresshiv
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"Last Stop Shopping"
- 2 years ago
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Progresshiv
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WakeUpPeople
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Okay, I realize Walmart wants to be a one-stop shop, but this is just a little too weird.
- 2 years ago
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WakeUpPeople
