Funeral Consumers Alliance

I continue to be astounded at the intentional complexity employed by funeral homes when preparing their GPL. I recently called a funeral home to request a GPL by mail, and was told by the funeral home employee that due to the many decisions, options and various packages available, they only do one-on-one consultations and do not provide any pricing or service options without an in-person consultation. In my view, this is really not that difficult...provide what goods and services you offer in a clear format, with specifics provided for each option and clearly delineate what is optional and non-declinable and what exactly is included in the Basic Services Fee. Not long ago, I came across a GPL that was 35+ pages long, with photos, testimonials, laddered pricing structures, the same goods and services listed under different headings and a number of package "savings" options...except that when you added up what was listed, it resulted in a more expensive funeral than had you itemized. The consumer is at such a distinct disadvantage and the audacity of funeral home operators never ceases to amaze me. Please keep up the good work! As citizens and consumers, we all have a right to know our rights and how to protect ourselves.