Comments on: Funeral Directors want bailout http://flowers-insolita.com/blog/2009/04/05/funeral-directors-want-bailout/ News & thoughts from people at Flowers insolita Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:39:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Cathy R http://flowers-insolita.com/blog/2009/04/05/funeral-directors-want-bailout/comment-page-1/#comment-29741 Cathy R Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:11:58 +0000 http://flowers-insolita.com/blog/2009/04/05/funeral-directors-want-bailout/#comment-29741 Kenji - This is a fascinating story. I looked at the original article from the Washington Post, saw the April 1 date and thought at first it might be a joke. The funeral industry has come under scrutiny over the last couple decades and now strict rules about disclosing itemized price lists are enforced by the FTC. They recently did undercover inspections in our county and found 2 of 18 mortuaries to have 'significant violations'. http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/03/funeral2008.shtm We've had funeral homes refuse to accept flowers when families have opted not to purchase flower car services to transport the arrangements from the mortuaries to the cemeteries. It seems when services are unbundled and itemized, more and more consumers are declining to pay for them. The funeral industry is indeed challenged, but they didn't seem to garner much sympathy with their bailout pitch. Kenji -

This is a fascinating story. I looked at the original article from the Washington Post, saw the April 1 date and thought at first it might be a joke.

The funeral industry has come under scrutiny over the last couple decades and now strict rules about disclosing itemized price lists are enforced by the FTC. They recently did undercover inspections in our county and found 2 of 18 mortuaries to have ‘significant violations’. http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/03/funeral2008.shtm

We’ve had funeral homes refuse to accept flowers when families have opted not to purchase flower car services to transport the arrangements from the mortuaries to the cemeteries. It seems when services are unbundled and itemized, more and more consumers are declining to pay for them.

The funeral industry is indeed challenged, but they didn’t seem to garner much sympathy with their bailout pitch.

]]> By: Cathy http://flowers-insolita.com/blog/2009/04/05/funeral-directors-want-bailout/comment-page-1/#comment-29646 Cathy Tue, 07 Apr 2009 01:39:37 +0000 http://flowers-insolita.com/blog/2009/04/05/funeral-directors-want-bailout/#comment-29646 In the nearly 20 years I've been doing this, we've seen funerals go from 3 sets of calling hours down to one. I'm not an expert on funerals and their costs, but I understand that funeral costs were at one time all bundled. State regulators required more consumer protections, which lead to itemized bills, which lead to fewer calling hours. Why send flowers when they're barely on view? I can't even get folks to send flowers to the house if they've missed the cutoff time for a funeral delivery...because no one will see them. Sad... In the nearly 20 years I’ve been doing this, we’ve seen funerals go from 3 sets of calling hours down to one. I’m not an expert on funerals and their costs, but I understand that funeral costs were at one time all bundled. State regulators required more consumer protections, which lead to itemized bills, which lead to fewer calling hours.

Why send flowers when they’re barely on view? I can’t even get folks to send flowers to the house if they’ve missed the cutoff time for a funeral delivery…because no one will see them. Sad…

]]>