It may be one of the most difficult things to think about, but buying a Walmart casket may save you time and money. It's worth comparing cost and quality of Walmart coffins to those offered from other sources.
About Walmart Caskets
Walmart added coffins to their online inventory in 2009. There are approximately 20 styles available from $995 to $4,000. Walmart's caskets are only available for purchase online. When you buy one through this retailer, the order is done through an outside casket manufacturing company. The caskets are quality made and can be shipped within 24 hours, arriving at the funeral home within 48 hours in most cases.
Caskets From Walmart Are Third-Party Caskets
Funeral homes usually provide the deceased with a casket. They often make a profit from selling and arranging for the casket to be brought to the mortuary for the family. When the family decides to buy a casket from an online company such as Walmart, Costco, Amazon, or any other online casket store, they are considered to be buying a third party casket. This reduces the revenue that funeral homes earn from a burial.
The Federal Trade Commission requires funeral homes to accept delivery of third-party caskets but has not limited the fees that funeral homes charge in accepting them or delivering them. The issue of accepting and delivering caskets are of a physical and monetary nature. Many funeral homes do not have enough employees to assist unloading the caskets. If you purchase a third party casket, you may be charged a handling fee from your funeral home to accommodate having an employee on-hand to accept delivery.
Cost and Quality of Coffins at Walmart
Walmart buys its caskets from Overnight Caskets, which sells them for nearly the same price as Walmart. The quality of caskets from Walmart is the same as any other casket dealer. The advantage that Walmart has over other casket suppliers is that Walmart credit card holders can pay under certain terms such as six- and 12-month periods. In comparing Walmart casket prices to those of a funeral home, you may only save a couple hundred dollars. You must decide if it is more advantageous for you to work through the funeral home and get personalized service or purchase through Walmart.
Walmart Casket Ordering and Shipping
To order a casket from Walmart, choose the casket you want from those on display on the website. Fill out the order form including first and last name of the deceased, name, address, and phone number of the funeral home.
The shipping fee on a Walmart casket is approximately $50 for freight shipping (although that figure is subject to change). You cannot ship a casket to a home address; it must be sent to a funeral home or mortuary. Due to federal regulations, Walmart will not accept returns on caskets unless they were damaged during shipping. In most of the continental United States, caskets are delivered to funeral homes with the exception of:
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Colorado
- Montana
- North Dakota
- Oregon
- Puerto Rico
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Utah
- Washington D.C.
- Wyoming
Humorous Response to Caskets at Walmart
Walmart is not the only large retailer selling caskets online--both Amazon and Costco have caskets for sale. However, it is not surprising that Walmart caskets have exposed the world's largest retailer to jokes about discount death and dying. Based on responses from various forums, customers have similar responses when they hear about Walmart caskets:
- Walmart is achieving a new level in discount shopping.
- Walmart is giving the deceased an opportunity to live eternally with lower prices.
- Walmart wants to keep customers, even after they are deceased.
Buying Your Casket From Walmart
It is a difficult time when someone passes away and it is equally difficult if you are planning for the inevitable death of yourself or anyone else. Walmart caskets can make this time easier and more affordable.
