George S. May Business Blog

When the pursuit of retail domination goes too far – Walmart will now sell caskets

This is no spoof. Walmart really is going to begin selling discount caskets.

From the Huffingon Post:

“Beginning at $999 for lower-end models, all 27 caskets in the Walmart online inventory cost less than $2,000, except the “Sienna Bronze Casket,” which sells for $3,199. The caskets come from Star Legacy Funeral Network, Inc., of McHenry, Ill., and ship within 48 hours.”

Now marks another addition to the “Death at the Hands of Walmart Club” (no pun intended).

First, Walmart slams mom and pop retailers across the country. Next, Walmart slams their employees with horribly unfair health care and employment practices. Next, Walmart slams bookstores, as well as authors and publishers might I add, with their ridiculous recent price wars. Now, funeral owners across the country will have to begin looking, or at least seriously thinking about, a new way to earn income.

I would be willing to bet that funeral home owners never expected to be threatened by competition from anyone other than other funeral home owners.

Furthermore, could you really live with yourself if you bought a passed loved one a discount casket online?

To your wife: “Hey hunny, how’s your mother doing right now? Sorry, I’m just asking because Walmart is running a free-shipping special on all casket orders this week. I don’t want to miss out on this deal if she’s gonna go soon”.

Bad show Walmart. I hope they bury this idea sooner than later; if anything, just for their own karma.

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