—To protect his privacy we refer to the complainant as “David,” which is not his real name.
We see a lot of bad behavior toward grieving people, but this is a new one. Call it the “we’re sorry you were foolish enough to give us your business instead of going to our competitor” defense.
David’s father recently died. Like a lot of people, he looked online to find a casket at a price better than the funeral home could offer. Pleased to find one in a particular brown color that fit his father’s style, he ordered it from bestpricecaskets.com. Even though David’s father didn’t need an oversized casket, David ordered the larger size for $750 more because the brown color was only available in the larger size.
The casket arrived the day before the funeral. But it was black, not brown. With no time to fix the situation before his father’s viewing, David reluctantly used the incorrect casket. But he did ask bestpricecaskets.com to make it right. He was obviously upset, but David remained polite in his email to the casket seller. He noted that mistakes do happen, but he wanted a refund of the extra $750 he paid to get the particular brown casket he wanted.
I’m requesting a refund in the amount of $750, the difference between the total out of pocket expense I paid and the price of a casket that I would have paid had I wanted a black casket. Yes I am including the shipping cost in the refund request as the wrong casket was delivered which caused the hardest week of my family’s life to be a little tougher.
My first inclination was to ask for a full refund but I think asking for the $750 is more than reasonable. Just as I want to be treated fairly, I want to ensure my request reflects that same spirit of fairness. And I think it does.
I’ve had to plan my father’s funeral from start to finish and it’s been a torturous ordeal. This has unquestionably been the hardest week of my life. Please, please make this right without needing to escalate the matter further.
David
What bestpricecaskets.com sent back is hard to believe.
Lets take a look at the one you did receive. Actually upon checking you received the same model number 9477 which was black. You ordered the 9477 which was Brown. The price of the 9477 black is $100 less than the same sized one that you ordered. Same OVERSIZE, so I can extend the price difference plus $50 for a total of $150 off.
As you know, typically the funeral home is thousands of dollars more our price and although you did not like receiving the black casket instead of the brown one, you chose not to buy one from the funeral home. Your funeral home is in the small city of NEW YORK CITY where the funeral home can order any casket you want and have it delivered or go get it in 1 hour. Obviously you did not order the Black casket, you chose to use it rather than buy one from the funeral home for thousands more.
So, they admit they sent the wrong casket, then they blame David for using it even though the color was wrong. What was he supposed to do, paint it brown himself? Magically find another brown casket in less than a day? Notice how bestpricecaskets.com pretends that they don’t understand why David bought a more expensive oversized casket so they can argue he’s not due the price difference.
What kind of business makes a mistake and says, “Well, you were stupid enough to give us your money so what do you expect?”
Amazingly, David managed to refrain from swearing up a blue streak in response to such a provocative response from the casket seller.
As for the rest of your message it almost seems that you are blaming me for your mistake. The funeral home had already prepared the body in the black casket. There was no time to order a new one. There was no time to call you and ask for the correct casket. There was no time to correct your mistake before my father’s services the next morning, just a few hours later. I went with your service because you had a better price point and a friend recommended you. I truly hope you are not insinuating with your last message that because services took place in New York City and that we choose your company instead of the funeral home that this is somehow my fault.
. . . .
I emplore you to put yourself in my shoes for a moment. To understand that there was no time to correct your mistake before my father’s services. To understand how important the color was to all of us. To understand that I simply trusted you and your company to help give my father the send off he deserved. You made a mistake. That happens. It’s unfortunate the mistake occurred on something as important as my father’s funeral, but now the measure of your company is what you do to correct your mistakes. Please refund the $750.
Based on the testimonials of other customers, we doubt David’s going to get much satisfaction. Responding to a similar complaint lodged with the Better Business Bureau, bestpricecaskets.com used the same line on a family that complained their casket was damaged on arrival:
The customer sent us photos and the damage was very very hard to see. The customer chose to use the casket instead of buying one from the funeral home. I called the funeral home to confirm that they viewed the body in the casket and now the casket is buried in the ground.
Of course when the damage is very bad at all the family will NEVER use the casket but rather buy one from the funeral home. They used the casket so obviously even they did not think the damage was very bad.
Anyway, we are willing to give a $100 credit on this casket.
So, are they saying they routinely sell damaged caskets? Are all of their customers simply stupid for expecting to get the product they paid for in good condition?
Bestpricecaskets.com—what’s wrong with you?
Here’s a sampling of other customer reviews, some good, some pretty gobsmacking.
I hope you’re not insinuating consumers shouldn’t opt out of buying caskets online because of ONE company? I know of a number of these related to ‘official’ caskets & funeral home mis-steps including too short, too narrow, wrong color, wrong interior, etc. ( I sing at funerals so I’m more aware than most of what’s involved.) Truth be told, every year more than a half-million people buy caskets online with zero difficulty.
I’ve bought several caskets online over then past 10 yrs including my own father’s & couldn’t be happier. I spent just $968.00 online for a beautiful slate-grey casket with ‘chrome’ appointments & a pleated satin interior. The funeral home wanted over $6 grand for the same thing. It arrived on time & there were quite a few compliments along with a number of “Why did you buy such an elaborate casket when it’s just going to be buried?” (Most thought the chrome was real instead of plastic) When these found out we paid less than what most pay for a plain pine box 4 since decided to go online themselves when the time came.
I’ve also bought 3 others including one for a friend’s aunt who wanted the ‘absolute cheapest’. He was quoted over $1800 for a ‘plain pine box’ at the funeral home. Lucky I went with him. Twenty minutes later using my tablet his aunt ended up in a lovely brocade-covered ‘plain pine box’ with a sateen liner for just $780.
One bad experience or company does not mean everyone should opt for spending 2 & 3x – or more – for caskets at ‘licensed’ funeral homes.
Well… Just another opinion because I just had a good experience with this company… Ordered my 1st choice, verified delivery etc . Next morning at 7:30 a.m. got call from company who stated: we’re all out of the number you choose ( You can imagine my immediate reaction!!) Then she said: however we’ll send you an upgrade of at the original’s price!!!. I’d made a second choice in my notes so gave her the 2nd choice number. The more expensive Casket arrived on schedule. I got to see it as it was uncrated and was very pleased..it was more than I’d anticipated .
Never the less it’s a BIG bummer that anyone would get bad/poor treatment at this most critical/ emotional time. I think the above gentleman is right in pursuing his complaint.
My experience with this company took place at about the same time as the complainant (June 2015) and I was pleased with the quality of merchandise, price, speed, and professionalism of the individuals with whom I did business with over the phone.
I’m not sure how to reconcile such totally different experiences except to guess that maybe Best Price has a rogue jackass employee on the payroll.
Based upon my experience I would recommend the Best Price folks wholeheartedly. I felt much less abused by them than I did with most funeral directors I have known.
Casket Delivered with scratches, Deliv guy & Funeral home noted defect, the agent @ Best Price Casket! very rude and illegally charged addl $50/-.
I ordered a casket for my dad from Best Price Casket! and had it delivered to Beck Funeral Home in Round Rock TX. The Casket arrived at the funeral home and immediately the funeral home called me and said there were scratches on the casket and they had the person who delivered note it on the receipt, they provided a copy of it to me . When I contacted Best Price Casket , the lady said they cannot do anything about it. when I insisted that I did not buy a defective product and they should replace it , she said the funeral home said it was ok , I asked for the name of the person who said it was ok and she could not provide me one and I insisted again that I was the one who purchased it and it doesn’t matter what the funeral home says , you have to replace the casket, the she said she has to see pictures of the scratches , I asked for pictures from the Funeral home and sent it to them via Text to the tel No (214) 909 9633. Best Price casket never responded to my text , then when I called them back there was a man who picked up he would not give me his name , called me a stupid and said he can only give $50/- back and threatened me saying if I insist further , he will have the casket picked up knowing fully well that I was in a vulnerable situation with my dad’s funeral the next day and then hung up the phone. It did not end here . he went ahead and illegally without authorization charged my credit card an additional $50/- and then voided it and called me back and said I will get my money back after five business days. when I questioned his actions he called me a stupid and hung up. I have evidence of the scratches (pictures) the delivery receipt with the endorsement of the scratches, the credit card fraud of charging me additional $50/- without my authorization . I am not sure how this shady and insensitive business has earned a A credit rating with BBB..
A person calls me again yesterday and yells at me for posting a review at BBB and does not give me his name even after several requests for the same
DO NOT USE THIS BUSINESS
Hello, what online company did you use?
Terry H. is the owner of Best Prices Caskets and more than likely the rude person you spoke to. Very sarcastic and extremely rude. We have all got to remember that when bad things happen we must report to the Attorney General as well as the BBB. The reason best price has an A rating is because people are so exhausted from the complaint that they do not go the ninth mile and dot every I and cross every T. It is a pain I know. But I personally am in the process of going all of the way. Best priced reps are rude and dishonest and given the responses to reviews I am convinced they often write their own. Terry threatened one company to ruin them if they complained. We must also remember with the age of online business getting bigger, many companies look huge but people are doing business out of their garage.