Mors 200 Arts Final - Funeral Service Merchandising- Chapters 14-16 Part 3

Facilitats the optimization of a firm's product offerings, the value it offers to its clients, and its profit generating abilities.

What products have sold well (and why) What products have not sold well Allows successful planning of future merchandise presentations, product selections, and pricing strategies.

Average (Mean) Median Mode Range

The sum of a group of numbers divided by the number of units.

A value in an ordered set of numbers which represents the midpoint, whereby there are an equal number of values above and below the midpoint value.

The value that occurs most frequently in a group of numbers.

The upper and lower limits of a series of numbers.

A division of the total into four segments, each one representing one-fourth of the total. Simply categorize merchandise into manageable segments within definitions established by the funeral home and can be helpful in tracking sales history and establishing future sales goals.

Unit pricing Bi-unit pricing Functional pricing Itemization Package pricing

A method of price quotation in which one price includes both service and casket.

A method of price quotation showing seprately the price of the service to be rendered and the price of the casket.

A method of price quotation in which the charges are broken down into several major component parts such as professional services, facilities, automobile, and merchandise.

Required in every United States funeral home since the advent of the 1984 FTC Funeral Rule. The method of price quotation by which each unit of service and/or merchandise is priced seprately.

A pricing method which groups together selected services and/or merchandise so long as the consumer is given a General Price List and the appropriate merchandise price lists. Not prohibited by the Funeral Rule

The consumer recieves the information he needs to make a decision The information is given in a manner that gently and patiently educates the consumer Should not resemble a sales pitch or seem practiced or canned.

The funeral director will give the consumer some basic information regarding caskets (or vaults, or cremation containers, etc.) The funeral director will give the buyer an idea of exacty how many caskets he will see on display and the range of prices he will encounter.

Remove some of the director's burden of information delivery Can help depen the consumer's understanding of the product

Visual aids Short informational videos Wood and metal samples Presentation binder containing professionally designed graphics

The method of selling merchandise whereby the funeral director remains in the selection room throughout the selection process. Some see this as an annoyance, others welcome it.

The method of selling merchandise whereby the funeral director does not stay in the selection room during the selection process.

There or four caskets utilized to educate the selecting party regarding the elements of casket construction.

Has long been the preference of most funeral homes. Considered best if this is located within the funeral home itself, and on the building's main level. Best if everything is displayed in a single room

Within the funeral home, upper level location Within the funeral home, lower level/basement location. Within another building on the funeral home grounds An off-premises site

Greater control over the merchandise offered and the manner in which it is displayed; the selected product is available for immediate use by the funeral home. The consumer experiences a minimum of inconvience when the selection room is on-site; he needs not travel to another location Merchandise is tangibly displayed to the consumer. Some consumers find it difficult to assess value unless they can see and touch the actual product before them.

The funeral home's overhead expense is increased due to display stock, inventory and facilities. Increased funeral home overhead is reflected in the consumer's final (higher) cost for goods and services. The traditional selection room occupies valuable floor space that may be better utilized by the funeral home for other purposes.