Article originally published by Consumer Reports
A petition aims to make it easier for consumers to compare costs.
When a loved one dies, the last thing you’ll want to do is take on the task of comparing the costs for products and services offered by funeral homes. And you certainly don’t want to be talked into buying more than you need.
That’s why the Federal Trade Commission created the so-called funeral rule, which requires funeral homes to provide their price lists to prospective customers over the phone or when they visit the home to inquire about funeral arrangements. The rule also requires that they sell their products and service on an à la carte basis.
But because that rule took effect in 1984, it doesn’t required funeral homes to post their prices online. And many don’t. In October, the Funeral Consumers Alliance and Consumer Federation of America announced the results of a joint study that found that of 150 funeral homes surveyed in 10 regions of the country, only 38 disclosed their full price list online.
“I know of no other industry that refuses to say online what they sell and what it costs,” says Joshua Slocum, the executive director of the alliance, which helped draft the original rule.
Now, that may change. To make it simpler for consumers to manage the costs associated with funerals, the Funeral Consumers Alliance and the Consumer Federation of America petitioned the FTC last week to require funeral homes nationwide to post the prices for their products and services on their websites.
Slocum says that funeral homes don’t display their price list online because “they don’t want to have to compete on price.”
John Carmon, president of the Connecticut-based Carmon Community Funeral Homes, says it’s not about competition. He says that many funeral homes believe that people should be selecting funeral products and services based on more than just price. For example, many funeral homes will adjust their prices to a family’s economic situation—an option that funeral shoppers won’t learn about by reviewing a general price list alone.
Even so, by requiring price lists to be available online, people would be able to compare funeral home products, services, and costs and not have to worry about being subjected to sales pressure.
Joshua, you are amazing. You make an analogy to the restaurant business, yet very few restaurants post their prices on line! Furthermore, this is a service, not a drive through window! Price is a factor in making funeral arrangements. It is to make certain that consumers can spend what they can afford to spend. To say that most expensive funeral homes are best is as ludicrous as the cheapest being the best.
There are restaurants where a meal is $10 with tip, and there are restaurants where a meal is $150 with a tip. Many factors in a business lead to pricing services such as quality of the facility, cost of the facility and the capability of the family to pay for different levels and quality of service. Prestige levels differ too, some want the top tier funeral home and options when they can afford it. The FED needs to stay out of business, and stop this stuff, they have no business telling someone what they should charge for their services and they have no business forcing someone to publish their prices. Too much FED = Socialism. We can’t forget that. Socialism has never worked over time. The last thing people need is more Federal rules!!! We should all be eager to vie for reduction of unnecessary federal rules and regulations so that the people can decide how to run their businesses!
I for one have no problem with the FED getting involved. Too many scumbags in our prestigious profession that have brought it down to the level of used car salesmen-like tactics when the grieving were taken advantage of. Although there is still room for improvement, I would prefer if the FED came down on the retail auto industry. The behaviors of many of those dealers are horrific and unscrupulous.
Every business had different markets and different overhead issues. Free market pricing is essential. Govt. Needs to stay out of it. Believe me you would regret their involvement. Theyre idiots and know nothing about capitalism except that they despise it.
So instead of restaurants, how about comparing us to hospitals? I’d say we have a whole lot more disclosure than a hospital/medical clinic. If I saw that a band aid was going to cost me $10 or an ice pack $35, I just may be inclined to say, I’ll wait for that until I get home. How many doctors to could tell you how much the wart removal medication (merchandise, if you wish to compare our professions) and procedure (service, if you wish to compare our professions) will cost you if you asked them? Exactly! What industry does the FTC neglect consumer protections? Not funeral service.