What kind of product is it when a salesperson calls you to sell cemetery plots? This is one question that many people have, and it’s also something the FTC has been trying to answer. The FTC can’t regulate how much funeral homes charge for these types of products, but they can offer some insight into what type of service it is.
A burial plot provides the opportunity for someone to be buried in an area designated as hallowed ground with family members or friends. It allows you to plan ahead so no matter when death comes, there are arrangements made for the final disposition and ceremony.
Cemetery plots are not like other goods because once they’re purchased, they cannot be returned or exchanged if you change your mind about them later.
Cemetery plots are not be covered by the Uniform Commercial Code, nor do they have a set price. The price is determined by geographic location and market conditions. As evidenced in this article, when a salesperson calls you to sell cemetery plots it can’t really be defined as anyone thing because there’s no specific product or service being sold.
when a person calls you to sell gravesites? This is one question that many people have, and it’s also something the FTC has been trying to answer. -The FTC cannot regulate how much funeral homes charge for these types of products but they can offer insight into what type of service it is. -A burial plot provides an opportunity for someone who wishes to be buried to purchase a permanent plot with the right to be buried in it. -The FTC determined that when gravesites are purchased from funeral homes they are not considered tangible goods, but rather intangible services for which prices may vary.
Some cemeteries sell gravesites and some don’t. -Gravesites can also sometimes be bought through an estate sale or auctioned off by other organizations.
How can you tell if it’s a product? A service? When someone calls you asking about purchasing cemetery plots, how do you know what type of object is being sold? Is this something like buying stocks or could it just as easily be furniture at Ikea where there’s no set price on anything because supply and demand determine the price?
When you’re called to purchase a cemetery plot, it’s most likely that you are buying a product. The FTC determined that when gravesites are purchased from funeral homes they are not considered tangible goods, but rather intangible services for which prices may vary. A service is something like getting your hair cut or your car washed – there’s no set fee because the quality of work and time put into each job differs depending on what the customer wants. When someone calls asking about purchasing gravesites, how do you know whether this person is selling furniture at Ikea where there’s no fixed price or if he/she is offering plots for burial in cemeteries? It depends on the details of the offer.
The FTC determined that when gravesites are purchased from funeral homes they are not considered tangible goods but rather intangible services for which prices may vary. A service is something like getting your hair cut or your car washed – there’s no set fee because quality differs based on what the customer wants. When someone calls asking for the price of a service, they are asking for an “estimate.”
Trying to sell cemetery plots over the phone is a fast way to get reported.
So, when a salesperson calls you asking if you want information on buying cemetery plots they’re probably trying to scam you or sell something else that’s not legally allowed at Ikea but still needs burying somewhere (probably). If it sounds too good to be true, then it definitely is and should be ignored. You might think $99 gets your loved ones buried in an institutionally managed garden of eternal peace with perpetual care for just one measly dollar per month! But when there are no prices listed upfront, this could turn out to be a bad deal because quality varies widely from place to place – meaning what seems like the best option may actually be the worst.
