He Sells Caskets As A Sideline

He Sells Caskets As A Sideline 28-6-8 Bill Carlson of Scholls, Oregon buys caskets direct from manufacturers and then sells them directly to the public for about half of what funeral homes charge. The idea for the sideline casket business was hatched about two and a half years ago when a friend suddenly passed away. Carlson helped the widow buy a casket. "I wanted to get a lower price for my friend by ordering one through the internet," Carlson explains. "It was a little nerve-wracking because we didn't know if it would get there in time and look as good in reality as it did on the website." It got there fine and looked good but to eliminate the stress, Carlson set up a Portland area storefront to offer caskets. He's proud to be able to offer a low-stress, economical alternative to the bereaved. "I am still offended by the high casket prices charged by funeral homes. Families are faced with a double loss. First the emotional loss of a departed loved one, then the financial loss imposed by the funeral home," he says. "We want consumers to take back control of funerals and funeral items," Carlson says. "Funeral law states that funeral directors cannot refuse or charge a fee for a casket supplied by the consumer." Carlson's casket prices start at $660 for a 20 gauge steel model (which would normally command a retail price of nearly $1,700) to $2,249 for solid Cherry models (which would sell for $4,200 or more). Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Pacific Caskets, Bill Carlson (ph 503 644-3465; email: info@pacificcasket.com; website: www.pacificcasket.com).

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