| Sales
Center Inventory
Don't create a situation that leaves you casket rich and
cash poor! Most businesses fail because they run out of gas…
they don't have the finances to go the distance and fight
the fight!!
The ideal scenario is one casket on the floor to show…
one casket in the back room to go. However, please be
advised that this isn't completely necessary. Caskets fall
into three primary price groupings; high, middle,
and low. It is safe to say that planked African mahogany
or solid bronze caskets aren't going to be the biggest sellers,
however it is imperative to have some representation of a
high cost unit in order to display a varied sampling and to
dispel funeral director's propaganda about retail sellers
that attempts to lead consumers to believe, "casket stores
only deal in products of lesser quality."
Although the past few issues of Casket Confidential
have highlighted mega stores with casket selection areas of
fifty or more models, the average retail sales center usually
displays between ten and fifteen caskets.
In considering which casket models to inventory, keep in
mind that most consumers don't buy the highest priced casket,
they don't buy the lowest price… most client families select
models in the mid price range! Very often the emotion
of the process overcomes common sense, and by selecting an
average priced casket, the buyer feels as though they've made
a safe decision, that they've fulfilled their duty, and absolved
themselves of guilt.
Yet another factor to calculate into your inventorying equation
is that steel caskets outsell hardwood by 2 to 1 for traditional
funerals, and that cremation is definitely on the rise.
Finally, investigate the religious and ethnic make up of
your community. While there is no absolutes in the
death care industry, there are nevertheless documented preferences.
For example…
- The Black Community often selects steel protective
caskets
- Many Asian groups choose mahogany, cherry, copper
or bronze caskets
- Catholics of all backgrounds favor steel, copper
or bronze protective units with religious ornamentation.
- Baptists gravitate toward steel protective models.
- Episcopalians, Lutherans, and Congregationalists
more often than not select hardwood caskets.
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