Costco’s Funeral Business

Likely for the sake of offering every imaginable product or service to its members, Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST) has a funeral business, comprised primarily of caskets, urns, and “keepsakes”. It’s a wonder people don’t want to get these items from funeral homes. Maybe Costco’s discounts are just too attractive

Costco casket sales come with some fine print, and explanations:

Q: Why is Costco Wholesale selling caskets?
As a service to our members.

Q: Will funeral homes accept the casket that we order?
Yes, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires funeral homes to accept any casket purchased from an outside source. However it is recommended that the purchaser notify the funeral home of their Costco.com casket order within 1 business day.

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And, the products are only available in certain areas of the United States:

Currently, caskets can only be purchased from and shipped to addresses in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington,  West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming

And, an odd conditions. Caskets bought for either expedited of standard shipping must be ordered by 11 a.m..

As might be expected, Costco does not make the caskets itself. The come from manufacturer Universal Casket Company.

Oddly, casket sales fall under the big box retailer’s return policy, however unlikely

How to Return: For an immediate refund (including shipping and handling), simply return your purchase at any one of our Costco warehouses worldwide. If you are unable to return your order at one of our warehouses, please contact Customer Service. To expedite the processing of your return, please reference your order number.

So, why the casket service? “As a service to our members.”

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