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Honoring memories

There are many considerations when purchasing a casket or urn for a loved one

by Ellen Ryan

Think of Costco products, and most members probably think “great value.” But when it comes to a sensitive area, such as funeral supplies (caskets and urns), other important factors are involved: Quality. Reliability. Selection. Peace of mind. Here’s a look.

Reliability and timeliness

“When someone is purchasing a casket, it is typically needed very quickly,” says Michael Holley, a Costco buyer. As such, delivery within 24 to 48 hours of ordering becomes all the more critical for funeral services. It’s part of Holley’s job to assess suppliers thoroughly: Do they keep products in stock? Do they have multiple warehouse locations and a strong carrier network to ensure on-time delivery?

Costco suppliers Prime Casket Company and Titan Casket do. Their high quality standards have led to long-standing relationships with Costco.

Titan has seen more Costco members opting for colorful caskets

Courtesy of titan casket

Materials and service

Another essential attribute is quality. At Costco Next, buyer Parker Viydo checks into the quality of funeral products Costco sells. Both Titan and Prime caskets use premium-weight steel.

Suppliers need to be transparent about just-in-time inventory and materials sourcing—and just as transparent should anything go wrong.

Like Viydo, Holley works closely with casket suppliers to guard against any damage as well: “There’s no time to replace this product. It’s not like buying a television,” says Holley.

Peace of mind is a major factor in Costco’s well-known customer service. “As buyers we make sure our suppliers will provide our members with a quality product at the best possible price. We do this by choosing reputable companies that share in our goal of taking care of our members,” says Holley.

“If a member reaches out to a supplier and isn’t contacted within 24 hours—or realistically, a few hours—that’s a problem,” Viydo says. “Titan and Prime consistently go above and beyond with communication.”

Personalized choices

Selection is important. This is where Costco Next comes in (see “More with Costco Next”). Its extended storefront, as Viydo calls it, allows members to access a wide variety of options.

With funeral products, “People are looking for a little more personalization that speaks to who the loved one was,” Holley says. Costco has started offering a Prime casket called the Prime Rose because of requests for a product in pink velvet. “It’s our most popular nationwide,” says Prime president Jeffrey Vaynberg.

Joshua Siegel, Titan co-founder and COO, says, “Our Military Select casket line has been our most popular. Recently, we’ve been delighted to see members purchasing a wider variety of our more unique colors—red and purple—and styles.”

Value is still a factor

Circling back to value, both manufacturers offer products at Costco.com at competitive prices. “Negotiation leads to significant savings for our members,” Viydo says.

All of this speaks to the strong connections Costco forges with suppliers on behalf of members. “We are privileged to cater to diverse and informed Costco members,” says Siegel. “Our job is to reduce stress and be an alternative voice to the funeral director, and we treat every member as though they were part of our family—that’s what they deserve during a difficult time.”

Vaynberg agrees: “Aligning with Costco’s mission, our objective is to furnish Costco members with a distinctive and personalized experience, high quality, prompt delivery and exceptional value.” In putting all this together, he says, “it’s a real pleasure and honor to work with Costco.”

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