Everything you should know about Funeralocity

Funeralocity reviews

Memorial sites, also known as online memorials, are a beautiful way to remember your loved ones. With a few simple steps, you can create a personalized memorial page dedicated to your loved one.

On these pages, you can upload and share personal memories photos, videos, quotes and stories of your loved ones.

Here is a list of the top memorial and tribute websites in 2022 based on key factors including design, reputation, price and features.

. Memories

Memories is one of the fastest growing online memorial providers in the world, hosting over 500,000 memorials. They are a unique player in the market as they provide a tool to create online memorials for loved ones who have passed away, and as a separate product that allows people to tell their life stories, so that they Be able to remember your own death. . After that, it can become a lasting legacy. Both products are accessed through their well-designed website and free iOS and Android apps.

Each memorial consists of individual memories, which can include text, videos, images, PDFs, sound files and more. A memorial can be made public or private, but family members and friends can always be invited by email or share a link to add their own memories and comment on others. .

Memories are fully personalized, from header and profile images to introductions and memories you add, so every memory is unique.

An example of the memories memorial is with the screenshot below.

Memories offers unlimited space to create memories with all the uploads you want, for a one-time payment of USD $99. For this price you can also share your timeline with as many friends and family as possible, and the memorial stays online forever, so future generations can know the person you missed.

To top things off they allow you to try the product for 14 days before deciding to keep the souvenir forever.

Additional features include:

• Memories Vault – Dropbox-style photo and file storage area.
• Living Timelines — A place to tell the story of your life, or that of someone you know, and preserve it forever as a lasting digital legacy.
• Future Messages – A unique offering that allows you to record a message for your loved one and schedule it to be sent at a time of your choosing.

. Heavenaddress.com

• HeavenAddress is a memorial and obituary website founded in 2009 in Sydney, Australia.

• With HeavenAddress you can upload photos, videos, light a candle or plant a tree which is a recent idea people are doing to remember their loved ones.

• HeavenAddress charges AUD $180 to enter the notice or you can collect this charge through your funeral home which may have an agreement with HeavenAddress to provide it at a lower cost.

• An example of a memorial page is below.

ForeverMissed.com

• The ForeverMissed memorial website was launched in 2008 in the United States.

• On their basic package, they offer privacy controls, the ability to upload up to 5 photos, the ability to have people contribute to the page and customize your URL.

• There is no limit to the number of photos you can upload on their premium package. In addition, you can upload videos, and music and there is an integration with Facebook and YouTube where you can pull media from these channels onto your page.

• A basic page is free to create and the premium subscription is a one-time fee of USD$94.99 or you can go for an annual subscription of USD$47.88 or a monthly subscription of USD$5.99.

• Below is an example of a memorial page from ForeverMissed:

4. Muchloved.com

• Muchloved.com is a non-profit memorial website, founded in 1999 and based in the United Kingdom.

• Their focus is more on collecting donations from loved ones of the deceased. However, you can also upload photos, videos, and music. You can also “light a candle” to pay tribute. This means you can choose from several candles stored in the gallery and write a note of appreciation to post with it.

• The memorial page design can be updated from a number of different templates. An example design is below.

• Creating a tribute page on Muchloved.com is free and they charge a 3.2% transaction fee plus a 1.25% card fee for donation transactions.

5. Keeper

• Capper was founded in 2013 in Canada and was initially known as “Capper”. They have a clean website design and allow people to upload photos, videos, tributes, family trees, grave sites and custom designs with the ability to control privacy controls.

• Keeper is currently free, but may charge in the future.

• An example of what their memorial page looks like is shown below.

6. Remembered.com

• Rememed.com was founded in 2009 in Utah, USA. They have a slightly dated website but give people free souvenirs with 2 paid packages.

• The funeral industry accounts for at least $20 billion in annual economic activity in the United States, with the average cost of a funeral ranging from $8,000 to $10,000. But worrying about pricing structures is the last thing you want to do when dealing with the loss of a loved one. Funeralocity is a third-party comparison marketplace that eases the burden by helping you choose the best funeral home at a price within your budget.

• The startup also empowers funeral directors with their funeral excellence program. Funeral homes signed up to the program are featured and agree to adhere to the highest ethical standards and abide by local and state laws. A five percent discount is available to customers who choose one of the 40+ homes in the program.

• Backed by Future Factory, a NY-based start-up management enterprise, Funeralocity is launching in Atlanta as its first market and already has 200+ funeral homes in its market. CEO Ed Michael Reggie talks more about how Funeralocity’s marketplace can give you peace of mind and how it will impact a largely untouched industry.

• Funded or Bootstrapped?

• Funeralocity is backed by Future Factory, a privately held company founded by me that starts and manages companies. The Factory of the Future brings together management, capital and ideas to invest in, grow and operate smart businesses.

What is your pitch?

• Funeralocity provides a third-party comparison website for funeral homes to make it easier for families to choose a funeral home when they need to make funeral arrangements. Our goal is to be the trusted online resource that provides important information and simplifies the process of comparing and reviewing funeral and burial options.

How did you come up with this idea?

• In 2014, an employee at a Future Factory spin-off company spoke to me about the challenges he faced in making funeral arrangements for a loved one. She said it was difficult for her to determine funeral home prices and understand what was being offered. In short, the process was terrifying. Because we have significant experience with startups at Future Factory, I began discussing how we solved this problem with Greg, our Chief Technology Officer.

• After reviewing the marketplace, we realized that no company offered an online solution that simplified the process for consumers and included funeral directors to ensure this. We understand the unique needs of the market.

What problem are you solving?

• Thankfully, people only plan one or two funerals in their lifetime. But it also means they don’t know what services are offered and don’t understand the prices. So, it wasn’t surprising that in a 2016 Harris Poll poll of Americans commissioned by funeral homes, nearly 79 percent said they wanted the ability to compare funeral home prices online, and 88 percent of those surveyed said they would. Said the funeral industry should do better for them. Prices are transparent and easy to find.

Why is it important to provide a service like Funeralocity to help users cope after the death of a loved one?

• People who are grieving often feel overwhelmed and unsure of what to do when trying to choose a funeral or cremation service provider. We strive to take the uncertainty and stress out of purchasing funeral arrangements by providing a way to compare funeral home prices, services, ratings and reviews. This way, families can feel confident that they are making an informed decision and choosing the best funeral home to meet their needs.

• We’ve simplified the search process, but also made it easier for customers to start the planning process. Users can select a funeral home on the site and ask to be contacted to make funeral arrangements.

• Please explain the market/industry impact, both on the customer side and on the funeral director side.

• The funeral industry is a $21 billion marketplace, which has largely failed to leverage technology to improve its online consumer offering. This is despite the fact that consumers are accustomed to shopping online for most other products and services and rely on ratings and reviews to make purchasing decisions.

• Online marketplaces have revolutionized how we shop for everything from electronics to toothpaste and plan trips and events like weddings. We exist to help consumers choose a funeral home, by providing them with a vibrant online marketplace where they can view their options and make informed decisions. At the same time, we’re helping funeral directors reach consumers where they are – online – and generate more business.

• It is inevitable that more purchasing decisions related to funeral arrangements will be made online. We cater to the full range of funeral service needs.

What is a funeral?

• Posted by J. Chad Pendley on June 30th, 2017 under Most Common Questions.
• The question we are getting lately is “what is this funeral for”? There is no short or easy way to answer this humbly but let’s see how I answer this question myself.

• In today’s age, we are all better informed consumers thanks to the internet. We all have access to more information and prices than you can imagine. Also in today’s day and age, we have become very busy and fast acting people who help others “find” things for us so that we don’t have to do the same. This means that we have created a world of middle men/women who play this very important role for us. Unfortunately, we can easily be taken advantage of when we rely on these services… and in this case, some of our weakest moments.

• The idea of Funeralocity is not new, but just another platform from online funeral home comparison sites like parting.com, everplans.com, etc… it compares other industries like travel, airlines and hotels. Funeralocity was created by a company called FutureFactory in New York City, which is basically a venture capitalist company that takes ideas and explores markets to deploy their ideas and maintains feedback to see if This is a good model to put into different parts of the world. The Atlanta market seems to be a good test pilot in general because of how diverse we are. What makes Funeralocity different from others is that since we are a test market they are investing in marketing/advertising and really pushing for local reach and that’s why you see their ads several times a day. Listen or watch. While the idea of these platforms is great for consumers and funeral homes, the problem is misinformation and the risk of overpaying because of the site. These sites claim to be free to users and in most cases, unfortunately for funeral homes, they require us to pay a monthly fee or a large one-time fee to share our information with them. Be able to update the website correctly. These sites are used to pay funeral directors for leads and not for consumers to get accurate information. As stated on their website check with each funeral home as their prices may vary then what they show…. And in the case of our funeral home, they are far away.

• The idea of comparing costs and prices is great for consumers. Having a basic understanding of how the industries pricing equips you as a consumer when you walk into the door of any establishment. The problem here arises when you compare funeral homes. The prices being compared on these sites are for services only and not for products. Services vary greatly between funeral homes. Yes, every funeral home is required by law (funeral rules) to offer certain services in a specific language, for example the basic services of the funeral director and staff. You will see a huge price difference between all funeral homes as there should be. This is basically the funeral home’s overhead charge for things like the building, equipment, parking, staff (licensed and unlicensed), vehicles, certain required services mandated by law and many other items. As you can see this “price” leaves a lot of room for debate as to what kind of service you are looking for.

Basic Services of Funeral Directors and Staff…

• No two funeral home facilities are the same, each location has its own unique features that are important based on each family’s wishes, some are more traditional and spacious while others are more modern and convenient with everything in between. . When building a funeral home, the owner has the option of how he wants to present the funeral home to the public. The law only states that a facility must be licensed but the owner has the ability to go above that if he chooses and it changes the basic service charge. Some families are not interested in large staffs, large seating chapels, large parking lots, large showrooms, custom printing, the best in audio/visual, state-of-the-art equipment, imported chandeliers and heavy historic moldings at every turn. . But for some families that matters.

• How many times in life have you looked at photos when deciding on a home purchase, vacation rental or event venue and been so excited only to be disappointed when you saw the place in person? This has happened to me many times and I can tell you that these sites will offer the same. This is another example of what to look for on the Internet instead of glossy pictures!

• The difference is our people…
• The funeral home staff is particularly unique among the different funeral homes and is honestly the only thing you pay for.

• The funeral home industry is being dragged kicking and screaming into the latest century – by a pair of websites that have started highlighting their prices.

• Funeralocity.com and Parting.com are two startups that enable mourners to shop for caskets, embalmers and cremation services — and find the cheapest option, like a plane flight, car or hotel. Can do at the time of booking.

• Founder Ed Michael Reggie said Funeral, which has no business relationship with Travelocity, chose its name to “make people laugh.” However, he quickly confirmed that the undertakers were not laughing.

• “We have some houses that are not happy to be listed,” said Reggie, a former professor of entrepreneurship at Tulane University. “But the reality is that every consumer wants the ability to compare prices online.”

• The funeral home business is notoriously notorious when it comes to pricing. Sources said some critics claim that undertakers can take advantage of customers who are not in the mood to bargain when grieving loved ones.

• “Prices stay high when there’s no transparency, and that defines the funeral industry,” Josh Slocum of the Funeral Consumer Alliance told The Post. “There’s no other retail sector that routinely hides its prices to get people into the sales office” to sell them an expensive package, Slocum said.

• Currently, only 25 percent of the 20,000 funeral homes in the U.S. provide pricing information on their sites, according to the FCA, a nonprofit consumer watchdog group.

• “This is an industry that is technologically and culturally 40 to 50 years old,” Slocum added.

• When reached by The Post, undertakers said they don’t want their prices online, for a variety of reasons, from fear of undercutting the competition to creating customer confusion.

• “If I put my prices online, the next guy can offer his services for less,” said Anthony Caseri, who owns Brooklyn Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Brownsville and claims it’s the most affordable. It’s cheap.

• See also

Cantrell Funeral Home

• The remains were discovered in the basement of the funeral home where 11 children were found from the roof.
• “I don’t think money should be at the forefront of a funeral,” Joseph Giordano Jr. of Curry & Giordano Funeral Home in Peekskill, N.Y., told The Post before adding: “I don’t put my prices on my website because I want people to come in and see my facility.

• Giordano and other funeral directors also said their price lists should not be shared online because they are too confusing for the average consumer to understand.

• “It’s an incredibly complex price list,” insists Nicholas Grillo of Levandoski& Grillo in Bloomfield, NJ. “There are third-party charges, including the newspaper, organist and the like that can add $4,000 to $5,000 to a tab.”

• By law, funeral homes have no choice but to disclose their prices when asked, which is how Funeralocity and Parting.com exist.

• Funeral started in April after spending two years in Atlanta testing its technology and setting up call centers to gather information about funeral homes. It allows grieving users to view a detailed price menu with photos of funeral homes and customer reviews.

• Both websites offer their listings for free to users and do not charge funeral homes. They make money by promoting businesses that agree to pay a fee and meet certain qualifications to be listed as a top provider.

• According to Tyler Yamasaki, chief executive of Parting.com, despite the service’s benefits to consumers, it’s not a viable business model.

• Yamasaki said the company has recently shifted its focus to selling software to funeral homes to “help them digitize their business” because profits in the overall pricing business were shaky.

• Although it still provides price information on about 15,000 funeral homes, Parting has stopped updating prices.

• Getting prices on funerals, cremations and cremations has not been easy in the past, but thanks to a company called Funerallocity, that is changing. It claims to be the first of its kind to offer easy price comparison across the country.

• The idea for the funeral came from a colleague of the CEO who was having trouble planning a funeral.

• “We started looking around and doing a deep dive,” said CEO Ed Michael Reggie. “And found that there is no comparable website like there is for hotels, automobiles, restaurants, and over 90% of funeral homes don’t put their general price lists on their websites.”

• In 2019, funerals began with prices from 19,000 funeral homes across the country. And with the country reeling from the coronavirus, it has seen a surge in interest.

• “We’ve been bombarded with our site, there was really a lot of traffic,” he said. “We want them to look at the whole market and have reviews and ratings and prices on everything that’s available in that market so they can make an informed decision.”

• Prices can really range. For example, you can expect to pay between $500 and $5,300 for a live funeral in Philadelphia. The range widens when you look statewide. For a full-service burial in Philadelphia, you can pay anywhere from $2,600 to $8,700.

• “What we’ve seen is that many families are now doing live cremations, holding the ashes and going to plan a celebration for the person with people,” he said.

• The most expensive place for live cremation in America is right here in the Delaware Valley, in Redding, Pennsylvania. At $3,547, this is 7% higher than the national average of $2,124.

• And of course we’ve long advised that planning ahead is the best option for getting what you want at the best possible price.

• Funeralocity, the first dynamic online marketplace that simplifies the funeral home selection process, has launched.

• Initially available in the metro-Atlanta area, people who want to plan ahead or have an urgent need for funeral arrangements, including funeral services, photos, pricing and service information, can view ratings and reviews. Visit funeralocity.com for . or zip code.

• Fueralocity, a Future Factory company, was created in response to drastic changes in consumer purchasing behavior and concerns about transparency in the funeral industry. Despite a federal law requiring funeral services to make pricing information available to the public, a majority of Americans surveyed (88 percent) say the funeral industry should be transparent about its pricing. And should do a better job of being easily searchable. The survey, a May 2016 Harris Poll commissioned by Funeralocity among 2,033 adults, also found that four in five Americans (79 percent) prefer to shop and compare funeral home services and prices online if needed. will

• “When you’re dealing with the death of a loved one, it can be difficult to understand the options and costs of funeral and cremation services. Few people know what to expect or what to expect. The process can be confusing. is, and the potential costs can be enormous,” said Ed Michael Reggie, CEO of Funerals and Managing Director of Future Factory. “Using Funeralocity, families can now quickly and easily find the best funeral home at the best price.”

• “We are empowering consumers to make informed choices about how to remember and honor their loved ones,” he added.

• Reggie explained that Funeralocity is also helping funeral directors reach consumers accustomed to online shopping and connect with new residents in the metro area. Statistics show that half of metro-Atlanteans were born out of state and did not have established funeral home relationships.

• Prices and other information are available for over 200 funeral homes in the metro-Atlanta area. A 5 percent discount is available to families who choose one of the more than 40 funeral homes that have agreed to comply with the Funeralocity Excellence Program, upholding the highest ethical standards and all local and comply with state laws.

• The cost of living is not cheap. There is no price to die.

• A 2021 study by the National Funeral Directors Association found that the average cost of an adult funeral with viewing and burial was $7,848, up 6.6% from 2016. The average cost of an adult funeral with viewing and burial is $6,970, up 11.3% from 2016.

• One of the biggest costs associated with a funeral for an adult is the casket. Research has found that the average cost of a wooden burial casket is $3,000 and the average cost of one made of metal is $2,500. Meanwhile, a “green burial” casket goes for an average price of $1,500 and a cremation casket goes for an average price of $1,310. The average cost of a rental casket in this study was reported to be $995.

National median funeral costs

• Here’s a look at what you can expect to pay if you’re planning a funeral.

• Cost Type Average Cost Description
• Casket $2,500 A metal casket costs; Your price will depend on the content you choose.
• Cremation Casket $1,310 A fully combustible container, it can be a traditional casket or a cardboard box, but it cannot contain any metal parts.
• Insert $295 container to hold funeral parts.
• Cremation fee $368 if the funeral home does not own the crematory and uses a third party.
• The required basic service fee of $2,300 covers funeral home time, storage of remains and overhead costs.
• Adding the $775 is not required by law, but you may need a funeral home to look into it.
• Other body preparations include hairstyling, cosmetic reconstruction and embalming for $275 in May.
• Use of Facilities/Staff for Funeral Ceremony $515 If your ceremony is at a funeral home, you can expect to pay this fee.
• Sun $325 to transport remains from funeral home to burial site.
• Service Car/Van $150 Transportation of family and guests from the funeral home to the burial site.
• Printed materials $183 Memorial package and guest book.
• Source: National Funeral Directors Association, 2021 median costs

Addressing unknown funeral expenses

• Josh Slocum, executive director of the nonprofit Funeral Consumer Alliance, which helps people plan affordable funerals, says navigating the costs associated with funerals is difficult because most of us only have one or more in our lifetime. The two plan funerals. In comparison, we can buy several cars, cell phones, and major appliances over time, giving us a better idea of what to expect in terms of prices.

• Lack of transparency in pricing complicates the situation. Ed Michael Reggie, founder and CEO of Funeralocity, a funeral and cremation cost comparison website, notes that many of the more than 18,800 funeral homes in the U.S. do not post their price lists online. So, he says, you may need to call several funeral homes to compare funeral costs.

• Joan Smith, vice president of funeral operations for Filner Buchanan Funeral Centers, a funeral home with 13 locations in Indiana, says that although many funeral homes post their price lists online, she recommends that Home prices should be determined “by you”. Get a full understanding of costs.

• “I think it’s important to talk to different providers because a lot of times there are different things that different providers may or may not include, so the price doesn’t necessarily reflect the value of everything you’re going to receive. have been,” says Smith. “I always encourage people to do their homework and be educated.”

• According to funeral rules enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), funeral homes must provide cost information over the phone if you ask for it. Although they are not required to do so, many funeral homes will send you a price list, and some will post their lists online, the FTC says. If you go to a funeral home, the funeral home should also give you a written, itemized price list.

• To help save money on funeral arrangements, you can check out resources from websites like Funeralocity and organizations like the Funeral Consumers Alliance.

• “There’s really no good reason to spend an extra $2,000 or $3,000 on a very simple service when you generally know that someone in your area is more reasonably priced,” says Slocum.

• Direct burial provides an alternative to cremation.
• If you’re concerned about paying thousands of dollars for a funeral, Reggie recommends turning to a direct funeral home. Direct cremation, also called simple cremation or immediate cremation, involves burning a person’s remains immediately after death and omitting viewing, visitation, funeral and burial.

• The Cremation Society of America states that direct cremation allows the deceased to be buried in a simple container or urn instead of an expensive casket. In addition, this approach eliminates the need for embalming, which has a national average cost of $775.

• According to Parting.com, the average cost of a direct cremation at a crematorium is $1,000 to $2,200, while the average cost of a direct cremation at a funeral home is $1,600 to $3,000.

• NEW ORLEANS , June 17, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Funeral Home CEO Ed Michael Reggie spoke with The New York Post about how cremation is shedding light on the cost of funeral homes and cemeteries. By providing a service that enables users to compare funeral home costs, ratings and services, Funeralocity has brought transparency to an industry in which families have found it difficult to find the best value.

• Historically, funeral homes and cemeteries have not posted their fees online. Many consumers looking for services to honor their loved ones lack the ability to thoroughly research the costs and services offered by funeral homes in their area.

• “Funeral homes typically don’t post their prices online for cremation and cremation services,” Reggie said. “Our comparison website shows prices, helping families navigate the process when needed and choose the best possible option.”

• Funeralocity specializes in helping people purchase funerals and funerals. Its platform allows families to find the best value. Those who want to know more about Funeralocity and the services it offers can visit http://www.funeralocity.com.

• Funeralocity is the first funeral comparison website, helping users compare funeral and cremation costs, ratings and services in their area. The platform connects families who have an urgent need or are planning ahead with the best funeral providers for their needs, increasing transparency in the funeral industry.
• Consumers can shop online for everything from a tube of toothpaste to a family home, from rides to flights to the airport when they get there.

• They can even order Thanksgiving dinner from DoorDash, Grubhub or UberEats, have it delivered and find out what it will cost them.

• And yet when it comes to one of the more expensive purchases consumers will make, the funeral of a loved one, there is a huge gap.

• “Silicon Valley is not in the mindset of dealing with death,” said Ed Michael Reggie, CEO and founder of Funeralocity.com.

• Consumers are used to going online for information. Nearly nine out of 10 home purchases and 85% of auto purchases begin with online research.

• And yet, when Reggie, who has been involved in healthcare startups, went online to find pricing information after his father died about six years ago, he hit a brick wall.

• If Funeralocity, a startup, sounds a lot like Travelocity, which started 23 years ago, it’s no coincidence. However, the focus is on helping with this final travel arrangements.

• Reggie said the funeral industry is highly fragmented and the majority of funeral homes still don’t post their cost information online.

• The Federal Trade Commission requires that every funeral home provide price information over the phone and provide detailed price information to prospective clients who visit in person.

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• Funeral workers have fielded many calls. Reggie said the company has price data on more than 14,000 of the nation’s 19,000 funeral homes and is adding more every week. It also updates information, which earlier online providers did not have.

• Eventually, the website will get to the point where users can see which funeral homes are violating the law by not disclosing pricing information, a huge red flag.

• Because funeral prices are vague and difficult to compare, and bereaved consumers are not in the mood to bargain, there can be wide discrepancies even within the same town or city.

• In 2015, the Funeral Consumer Alliance (FCA) and the Consumer Federation of America conducted a price survey of 150 funeral homes and found costs ranging from $2,580 to $13,800 for a full-service funeral.

• “Heavy price ranges for similar funeral services in individual areas indicate that these markets lack effective competition,” noted CFA Executive Director Stephen Brubeck.

• Stephanie Blackstock, executive director of the Colorado Funeral Directors Association, cautions that as with any product or service, low cost does not necessarily mean good value.

• “Just because it’s the cheapest doesn’t mean it’s the best funeral home for you,” he said, adding that the reputation of the funeral home and the amount paid is what matters. Must see what is on offer.

• For example, one of the most difficult tasks funeral directors face is dealing with family dynamics, especially when there is a history of dysfunction and alienation. This skill is not a line item on the price sheet, yet it can be invaluable.

• Reggie agrees that customers aren’t always best served with the cheapest item on offer. Funeralocity offers an “Excellence Providers” designation to help users locate the most reputable funeral homes in their area. And there are site reviews, though users are reluctant to provide them.

• One way consumers can know if they are getting a fair price is to know what their market value is.

• For example, a full-service burial in metro Denver costs an average of $7,128, which is higher than the state average of $6,880. But that’s below the national average of $7,422.

• This cost includes a casket at an average price of $2,400. They can be purchased at Costco or Walmart for about half the price. And Reggie said funeral homes, by law, cannot refuse outside caskets or urns.

• Surprisingly, a full-service cremation is not much cheaper than a full-service burial. The average in metro Denver is $5,925 versus $5,736 in Colorado and $6,251 nationally. An urn and replacement container run an average of $1,275.

• Direct cremation, which skips memorial services, is the least expensive option and one that is becoming increasingly popular in Denver.

• Direct burial in metro Denver averages $1,719, which is close to the statewide average of $1,687. Nationally, direct burial costs $2,124.

• Denver costs are about 20% below the national average. Blackstock said the competition is about driving prices down.

• Reggie said about 54 percent of funeral services nationally include cremation. But in Colorado, cremations are about 70 percent of the total, Blackstock said.

• Still, Funeralocity shows why it pays to shop. The cheapest price for a direct cremation in Denver is $755, while the most expensive price among funeral homes that share information is above $4,000.

• Shoppers routinely use the Internet to compare prices, whether for appliances, cars or hotel rooms. But online pricing is too low for funeral services, putting bereaved and vulnerable people at a financial disadvantage as they are unlikely to haggle over the costs.

• Consumer advocates are hoping that may finally change as federal regulators are scheduled to take a new look this year at the rule that governs how funeral homes share information with the public. Advocates are pushing for an update to the rule to bring it into the digital age, requiring funeral homes to post detailed prices online.

• “We’re building a consumer coalition to drive change,” said Steve Brubeck, senior fellow at the Consumer Federation of America.

• Federations like the Funeral Consumer Alliance and allies, a nonprofit group that promotes price transparency, argue that the current rule is woefully inadequate for the Internet age. The Federal Trade Commission’s funeral rules require funeral homes to provide prices to customers over the phone and to provide a price list to anyone who requests it in person. But the rule, first enacted in 1984, when the Internet was in its infancy, does not require online disclosure of prices.

• According to the National Funeral Directors Association, a trade group, the typical cost of a traditional funeral in 2017, including viewing and burial, was about $7,400. A funeral with cremation, which is becoming increasingly popular, was about $6,300. But prices vary even within the same market.

• Scott Gilligan, general counsel of the Funeral Directors Association, said that about 20 percent of its members — usually those in large, competitive markets — post prices online, but the association has asked for it on behalf of consumers. Haven’t seen much demand. That said, the group’s research shows that people choose a funeral home primarily because of factors such as a relationship with a particular funeral director or the home’s location, with price being less important. There are about 22,000 funeral homes in the U.S., and most are family-owned, he said.

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• The Federal Trade Commission typically tries to reexamine the rules every 10 years, said Patti Poss, an attorney with the commission’s consumer protection bureau. The last review of the funeral rule ended in 2008, when the commission declined to adopt any changes, according to the Federal Register.

• However, the 10-year review timeline is not mandatory, and the commission can adjust it, Ms. Poss said. The five-member commission, all of whose members were appointed last year, has a full plate, including an inquiry into telecommunications privacy.

• Still, a review of the funeral rule in 2019 has been scheduled for several years, Ms. Poss said, and “is going to happen sometime this year.” She was unable to say when the evaluation might begin, but said it would be announced on the commission’s website and in the Federal Register.

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• The Commission generally seeks public comments to help determine whether a rule remains relevant, and whether a change is warranted. Ms. Poss noted that one factor to consider is, are technological changes having an impact?

• Joshua Slocum, executive director of the Funeral Consumer Alliance, said the rule is in dire need of an update. The union, along with consumer federations, unsuccessfully petitioned the Federal Trade Commission in 2016 to expedite its review.

• Posting prices online would make the rule much easier to enforce, Mr. Slocum said, because regulators are only able to visit a small fraction of the country’s funeral homes to check for compliance.

• The commission enforces the funeral rule, in part, with secret inspections of funeral homes. It reported last year that about a quarter of the 134 homes visited in a dozen states in 2017 failed to comply with federal cost disclosure rules.

• An analysis of 200 funeral homes last year by the Funeral Consumer Alliance found only 16 percent of websites with their full price lists online, although about a quarter posted some information, such as packaged services.

• More recently, research by the coalition and other groups found that online price disclosure was spotty even in California, the only state that requires funeral homes with websites to post price information. Add a line or list of services and note that prices are available upon request.

• Here are some questions and answers about funeral services:

What happens if a funeral home fails to display its prices correctly?

• The Federal Trade Commission can seek civil penalties of up to $40,000 for each violation. But first-time offenders can enter.

Is there somewhere to compare funeral prices online?

• Commercial websites such as Parting.com and a new entrant, Funeralocity.com, offer funeral home search and pricing information.

• Ed Michael Reggie, founder of Funeralocity, said the site lets shoppers find prices on funeral homes in 100 major markets and assigns “excellence” ratings to funeral homes that meet its standards and prices. Shows. Funerals, he said, earn a referral fee when customers book services with funeral homes that have that status. The website says those homes agree to offer discounts to customers who select them through Funeralocity.

• Consumer advocates say they generally support wider availability of information online but caution that third-party websites may receive financial incentives to promote one funeral home over another. .Mr Slocum of the Funeral Consumer Alliance also said it was difficult to keep price information updated because doing so required companies to call or visit individual funeral homes. As with any website, he said, buyers should use a healthy skepticism when evaluating services.

How can I manage funeral expenses?

• The Commerce Commission advises consumers to gather information in advance if possible and compare prices with at least two funeral homes. It notes that consumers are not required to purchase a casket from their funeral home. They can buy elsewhere and have it delivered.

• AARP’s website offers recommendations to curb costs, such as buying caskets online and avoiding funeral packages that offer discounted caskets because the funeral home can make up the difference by charging more for other services.
• Reggie told the Miami Herald that he believes funeral expenses should be more transparent. Making this information more widely available can help make funeral planning more straightforward and less time-consuming. Funeralocity lets users compare prices for funeral and cremation services and read reviews of funeral homes. Funeralocity also has an Excellence Program that allows it to thoroughly vet funeral homes by evaluating their business practices. When customers work with an Excellence provider, they can take advantage of special discounts.

• “We intend to be the definitive source for funeral expenses in America,” said Ed Michael Reggie, CEO of Funeralocity.

• Since its official launch in April 2019, Funeralocity has expanded and now has over 10,000 funeral homes in 100 metropolitan areas across the United States. It aims to provide detailed pricing for each of the country’s 19,000 funeral homes.

• Interested parties who wish to learn more about Ed Michael Reggie, Funeralocity or the services it offers are encouraged to visit Funeralocity’s website at http://www.funeralocity.com.

• Boilerplate: Funeralocity is the first funeral comparison website, helping users compare funeral and cremation costs, ratings and services in their area. The platform connects families who have an urgent need or are planning ahead with the best funeral providers in their area, increasing transparency in the funeral industry.