Casket Outlet

Casket Outlet: factory-direct funeral products with showrooms in Toronto and Montreal

Casket Outlet is a Canadian, family-owned factory outlet store that sells caskets, urns, headstones, monuments and funeral flowers. The company states that it entered the Canadian market in 2008 and operates its own factory and workshop, positioning itself as a direct manufacturer rather than a distributor. Its product range is aimed at families who wish to purchase funeral merchandise outside a funeral home, and the company maintains showrooms in both Toronto and Montreal.

The business presents itself as an alternative to funeral home pricing, stating that its products can cost up to 60%–80% less than those sold by funeral homes, and that customers can save up to 75% compared with funeral home prices. It also notes that it carries $4,000,000 in liability insurance. These figures are the company's own claims as published on its site.

Caskets and cremation products

The casket line includes wood caskets, metal caskets, cremation caskets, custom caskets, oversize caskets and rental caskets. According to the company, each casket is individually constructed by a group of craftsmen, with processes that include kiln-drying, matching of wood grains and hand finishing and polishing. The catalogue also lists casket vaults, crosses, head panels and casket corners as complementary products.

For urns, Casket Outlet offers wood, metal, stone, cloisonne, crystal, ceramic, fiberglass and bio urns, as well as companion urns and pet urns. A keepsake category includes metal, stone, cloisonne, crystal and tealight keepsakes, along with cremation jewelry bracelets. Urn vaults and urn ornaments are also available, and the company provides engraving and photo engraving services, plaques, porcelain photos and photo frames and holders.

Headstones, monuments and cemetery markers

The monument division specializes in granite markers, bronze markers, upright headstones and monuments. Granite marker options include flat markers, custom image markers, pillow markers and slanted markers. Bronze products include bronze markers, bronze image markers, custom image markers and bronze name and date tabs. Monuments are offered in standard upright shapes, custom shapes, crosses and statues.

Additional cemetery products include porcelain photos, photo frames and holders, cemetery stone vases, cemetery lanterns and memorial statues. The site also displays finished works in granite markers, bronze markers, upright monuments and porcelain photos. Design and price quote services are listed for monuments, along with production and shipping policies.

Funeral flowers

Casket Outlet operates its own flower warehouse and professional florist service. The flower selection is organized by style, including casket sprays, standing sprays, arrangements, wreaths, crosses, hearts and pillow flowers, as well as sympathy flowers and cremation wreaths. The company also offers flower packages by colour and fresh flowers at retail and wholesale, with individual stems such as roses, lilies, carnations, chrysanthemums, gerbera, snapdragon and gypsophila, plus greens. Artificial flowers for cemetery use include saddle flowers, silk crosses, silk hearts and silk wreaths.

Consumer rights and legal context

A significant part of the company's message concerns consumer rights in Canada. Casket Outlet states that Canadian law allows consumers to buy funeral items such as caskets from a source other than a funeral home, and that funeral homes cannot refuse to accept a casket or related merchandise purchased elsewhere, charge additional fees for receiving it, increase itemized service fees, or treat the family differently because of the outside purchase. The company refers customers to the Board of Funeral Services (Ontario) for more information.

Showrooms and delivery

Casket Outlet has showrooms in Toronto and Montreal where customers can see the products first hand. The company offers free delivery anywhere across Canada. It also provides order tracking for caskets, urns, monuments and flowers, and lists shipping and return policies on its site.