My family owned and ran a number of funeral homes for ALMOST 100 years. We sold JUST BEFORE the 100 year mark. We are glad we got out when we did, which was 10 years too late in my opinion.

The bottom dropped out of the industry, people don't want to pay for funerals anymore ( very rationally in my opinion ). My family's funeral home and a few other local funeral homes were fighting for scraps. Just like the local shoe store, the funeral home is going the way of the dinosaur. Things were getting desperate. The industry is stodgy and old. My father didn't get into the business to be a fucking overpriced casket salesman.

This seems like a great idea. Not even the funeral homes like having to gouge on caskets.

It is a weird industry and not one I am going to attempt to defend. I will say that almost every culture has some sort of burial ritual, and having elaborate funerals was a sign of respect and a very old practice.