1 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:06,560 Speaker 1: Hey, and welcome to the short Stuff on Josh and 2 00:00:06,559 --> 00:00:10,239 Speaker 1: there's Chuck and this is short stuff. Uh, this is 3 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: another funeral edition one um, the never Ending Death Suite, 4 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:18,760 Speaker 1: I guess is what it's a part of. I know, 5 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:21,119 Speaker 1: and I just want funeral directors out there who listen 6 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:25,080 Speaker 1: to know that we don't not like you. Uh, just 7 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: because this episode is going to be called the casket Racket, 8 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: it doesn't mean we don't like you. But when you 9 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:34,879 Speaker 1: look at the numbers of the price of caskets, the 10 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: markup on caskets, it is a little hard to not 11 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: think there's got to be a better way. Yeah, a 12 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 1: more fair, humane way that doesn't just completely rip off 13 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 1: the consumer. Okay, So um, I think the average casket 14 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: in the United States goes for about bucks, which is 15 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: a significant contributor to the overall costs of a funeral, 16 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: which can be eight to ten grand on average. That's 17 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:04,800 Speaker 1: like a quarter or more of the total cost, just 18 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 1: as in the casket alone. Um. And apparently that prices 19 00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:13,479 Speaker 1: increased dramatically, Chuck, like two fifty increase over the last 20 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: thirty years, So you would think, like, okay, that means 21 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:22,479 Speaker 1: that like the the casket making guild has has broken up, 22 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 1: and like they're they're not passing along their knowledge any longer. 23 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: The stuff that they used to make caskets have become 24 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:31,759 Speaker 1: so rare that they we can hardly get our hands 25 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: out anymore. What else could could qualify caskets for a 26 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:40,319 Speaker 1: two hundred and fifty increase uh in in price over 27 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: the years, which by the way, is twice as much 28 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 1: the inflation rate as the next highest item has has 29 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: grown in price over the last thirty years. So what 30 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 1: is it about caskets that has has made them grow 31 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: in price so much? Chuck? Well, I mean things that contribute. Certainly, 32 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: if you're just shopping for a casket, uh and this 33 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 1: isn't necessarily inflation, but if you're if you're wondering how 34 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: you spend you know, six grand on a casket. It's 35 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 1: a piece of it's not furniture, but like it's made 36 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: out of wood. If you want a wood when they're 37 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 1: also metal, ones will get into both. But if you're 38 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 1: looking at something made out of wood, obviously the materials 39 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:21,920 Speaker 1: is going to be a big deal. So if you 40 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 1: want the mahogany or the hickory or the walnut casket, 41 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 1: it's going to cost a lot more than like the 42 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 1: Pine box or the oak box. Uh. If you're looking 43 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 1: at metal, the pricey ones are twenty gauge steel, and 44 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 1: you know you can also get copper or bronze and 45 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: stuff like that. I think the least pricey ones are 46 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,919 Speaker 1: the twenty gauge steel, Like that's their Pine box version 47 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: for metal ones. Oh did I say most expensive? I 48 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:50,560 Speaker 1: think I'm at least expensive. Sorry about that. Obviously the 49 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:52,359 Speaker 1: copper and the bronze are gonna be the pricest ones. 50 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 1: But you know, then there's craftsmanship with any kind of um, 51 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 1: anything made by human hands. If it's got you know, 52 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:02,240 Speaker 1: fancier stuff on it, it's gonna cost a lot more. 53 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,919 Speaker 1: If the corners are all rounded instead of welded off, 54 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:08,239 Speaker 1: it's going to be a lot more. So all these 55 00:03:08,240 --> 00:03:11,920 Speaker 1: things go into determining the price. But uh, and of 56 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:14,399 Speaker 1: course what's going on in the inside as well, all 57 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:18,200 Speaker 1: the all the fancy silks and and almost said bunting, 58 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 1: but like that crape interior um is gonna be less 59 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: expensive than velvet. So inside and out, the materials matter, 60 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:30,959 Speaker 1: the craftsmanship matters. But and maybe we should well know, 61 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 1: let's go ahead say it before the break. What's really 62 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: going on is there are two main casket manufacturers in 63 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 1: the u S. Batesville and Matthews. They have not a monopoly, 64 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 1: but about a two percent share of the distribution. It's 65 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: pretty close. And they don't sell the people. They sell 66 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 1: only to funeral homes, so they mark it up by 67 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 1: three or four and then the funeral directors can then 68 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 1: mark it up as well. So that's where the money's 69 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 1: really going, yes, through the markup, because they have almost 70 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: a monopoly. So I say that we take that break 71 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:08,360 Speaker 1: you're talking about, maybe lion repose for a couple of minutes, 72 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: and we will come back and get active again. It 73 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:51,360 Speaker 1: sounds good, so Chuck Um. One of the reasons why 74 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:56,719 Speaker 1: the two main manufacturers of caskets can mark their prices 75 00:04:56,800 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: up as because they sell directly to funeral homes, and 76 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 1: the reason that funeral directors can further mark those up 77 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:07,799 Speaker 1: to whatever they want. It's because most people don't shop 78 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: around for not only a casket, but a funeral home. 79 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 1: They probably went to a funeral at the funeral home 80 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: they're using before. Maybe they've used that funeral home before 81 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:23,280 Speaker 1: and their repeat, repeat customer. I would guess that unless 82 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 1: you have a really bad experience with a funeral home, 83 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: you're probably going to use the same one over and 84 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: over again because you're in the depths of grief and 85 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 1: you're not thinking about your bottom line or your pocketbook. 86 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 1: You're just trying to get through this terrible time. And 87 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: funeral directors know that, and they price their prices accordingly 88 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 1: because they have a captive customer. That's right. There's probably 89 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 1: one family member he's really wanting to shop around, Uncle Sal, 90 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:54,240 Speaker 1: but Uncle Stal gets shut down, usually by the other 91 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: family members who talk about this is not the time 92 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 1: to cheap out. So he just loudly complains throughout the 93 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:03,039 Speaker 1: he's that's right. A lot of paroled eyes, a lot 94 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 1: of harrumph, Oh here we go again. How much is 95 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 1: this guest book gonna cost? But you're right, most people 96 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: go to the same place and they know they got 97 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 1: you there. Uh. By the way, quick aside, the funeral home, 98 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:16,479 Speaker 1: which I've talked about a lot across the street from me, 99 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: they were shooting a movie there yesterday. Oh really, what movie? 100 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: I don't know, but they changed the funeral sign. So 101 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: if you ever see a movie with a gold horse 102 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: and F and G funeral home that's across the street 103 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 1: from my house. You know, just based on probabilities, there's 104 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: like a fort chance it was a Marvel movie. Uh 105 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 1: sure here in Atlanta. You're right, yeah, because it's a movie, right, 106 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,360 Speaker 1: exactly right, all right, so they got you in there. 107 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: They know they can mark it up. But there are 108 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:51,479 Speaker 1: online casket retailers now who are who have had enough. 109 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:55,480 Speaker 1: They say we want more than an eighteen percent market 110 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 1: share because we're going direct to customer. We are selling 111 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: them cheaper. In some cases you can save you know, 112 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: seven fred bucks on the casket alone, and some of 113 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: them deliver overnight. The other ones have them to you 114 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: in like a few days. And they're like, this is 115 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 1: an outdated model that we're using where these you know, 116 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:19,559 Speaker 1: we need to move on from this two manufacturers and 117 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: uh and move into the modern age where you can 118 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: buy this thing on Amazon or at Costco. Right, which 119 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 1: is smart and it makes sense. And if you give 120 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 1: any kind of thought to this, or if you'll listen 121 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: to your uncle Sal, and your uncle Sal has happens 122 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: to be tech savvy and knows to go on to 123 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 1: Amazon to order a casket. You can order one of 124 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 1: these caskets and save hundreds, potentially thousands of dollars UM 125 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 1: and get pretty much the same casket that you would 126 00:07:44,680 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 1: get from the funeral director. And time was up until 127 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: not that long ago, that the funeral director would say, sorry, 128 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: we don't deal in third party caskets. We only uh, 129 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 1: we were only able to supply our own caskets, so 130 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 1: it's are the only ones we use. And that was 131 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: what they did. They blocked caskets that were purchased outside 132 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:07,400 Speaker 1: um and you had no choice but to buy your 133 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: casket through the funeral home you were using until get this, 134 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:16,080 Speaker 1: until the federal government stepped in and said, funeral industry, 135 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 1: you've gotten so bad and so predatory that we, the 136 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: Federal Trade Commission, are going to enact what's called the 137 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:25,679 Speaker 1: Funeral Rule, and we're going to set up a bunch 138 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 1: of rules that govern how you conduct your business because 139 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 1: you have shown that you can't be trusted to conduct 140 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: your business fairly otherwise. And one of them is that 141 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 1: you have to accept third party caskets. Yeah, and you 142 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:42,160 Speaker 1: know that's why it's called the casket racket. That's why 143 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 1: this episode is titled that, because it was a racket 144 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:48,839 Speaker 1: up until then. The only reason I'm gonna say it's 145 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 1: not a racket anymore. Is because of that funeral rule 146 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 1: where they do have to accept a third party casket. 147 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:59,959 Speaker 1: But there's still as of two thousand nineteen of casket 148 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 1: are still purchased through those main manufacturers. Like that's still 149 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: going on. I think much of that is because people 150 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 1: just don't know that there is that funeral rule and 151 00:09:09,160 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 1: that there are other options. Yeah, and the next time 152 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 1: that somebody complains to you about big government, you tell 153 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: them about the funeral rule and tell them to go 154 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:20,080 Speaker 1: think about that. Uh, you can get free shipping with 155 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 1: some of these, like I said, you can many times 156 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 1: get them overnighted or there in a few days, and 157 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: you can save a lot of money. And like this 158 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 1: sounds like we're on a soapbox, but it's just it's 159 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 1: a bad time when you're bearing a loved one and 160 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 1: it's already expensive. So if we can impart a little 161 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 1: wisdom and you can save you know, a couple of 162 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 1: grand Like, I think we're doing a service here. I 163 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 1: agree wholeheartedly. Um and I think Chuck, we should do 164 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: an entire episode on the funeral rule. It's pretty it's 165 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 1: much more expansive than just making funeral directors, except third 166 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:57,839 Speaker 1: party caskets. There's a lot more to it. Yeah, I'm 167 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:01,160 Speaker 1: surprised we didn't cover that in any of our anti 168 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 1: funeral Yeah. And also we've done an entire episode on caskets, 169 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: if I'm not mistaken. Remember, Ghana has this awesome tradition 170 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:13,199 Speaker 1: of making these super style and cool caskets. So if 171 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 1: you have some time to kill right now, go online 172 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: and do an image search of Ghana caskets and you 173 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 1: will be impressed. That's right. And we also did one 174 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 1: on cremation and the latest numbers. I think we did 175 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 1: this back then, but just to keep everyone updated. Numbers 176 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 1: by the n f d A, the National Funeral Director's 177 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 1: Association say that the cremation rate now in America is 178 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 1: projected to be fifty eight percent and there projecting that 179 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: out in to drop down to twenty five of burial, 180 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:52,080 Speaker 1: so se cremation. Yeah, I don't know that that's going 181 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 1: to have an effect on caskets because people who are 182 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:58,040 Speaker 1: cremated still often have like viewings and showings and check 183 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 1: them outs and all that stuff. You still gonna need 184 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 1: to keep poke it for it. So I don't know 185 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 1: that that will affect things. But you know, there you go. 186 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 1: That's a great way to is Yeah, since everything just 187 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:14,440 Speaker 1: petered out yet again, that means the short stuff everybody 188 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:20,120 Speaker 1: is out. Stuff you Should Know is a production of 189 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,440 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio. For more podcasts my heart Radio, visit 190 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 191 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.