Coffin supplier to funeral directors

Independent funeral directors, and possibly families or green burial providers who order directly.

You add a margin to the wholesale price and charge for delivery. Repeat orders from a handful of funeral directors can build a steady base.

• Building supplier and customer relationships
• Organising stock and deliveries
• Calm, respectful communication

• Product liability and public liability insurance, including cover for stock in storage
• Check that products meet crematorium and burial ground requirements
• Whether your home or storage unit can be used for stock and deliveries; check with your landlord, lender or council
• Dependence on one supplier or a few large customers
• Sales to the public online come with consumer rules on returns and information, so check what applies to made-to-order items

Startup costs are typically around £1,000 to £6,000, depending on how much stock you hold, your storage space and your online catalogue. These are estimates, so check what supplier terms and insurance will cost you.

Monthly revenue is typically around £800 to £4,000, depending on how many funeral directors you supply and your range. Relying on one supplier or a few large customers is a risk to plan for.

Things to check: product liability and public liability insurance including stock in storage, whether products meet crematorium and burial ground requirements, whether your home or storage unit can be used for stock, and consumer rules on made-to-order items.