Is there profit in making and selling wooden pet caskets?
A member at FamilyWoodworking.org asked this very question… for his father. If you’re a woodworking hobbyist looking to supplement your income with your skills with wood then this is a great thread for you!
Of course, this wonderful thread is as much about this guy’s father as anything. Well, here are some excerpts to show you what I mean:
“…With Dad, once he is locked onto an idea, no will convince him it won’t work. He is convinced that there is profit to be made making and selling wooden caskets for pets. So he has bought the stuff, purchased a bunch of special tooling and supplies from a local 100 year old casket factory here in Maine, and has been making pet caskets.
“But nothing is selling. Several stores he approached won’t let him put caskets in their store because its “creepy” and word of mouth just isn’t doing much either.
“Its kind of sad to see him pound out casket after casket to a non-existing market, but as he says “you can’t sell something that isn’t made”. I like his conviction, but I wonder if his niche market is too creepy and special to make any money at it?”
And here is some of the best advice I picked out from the FamilyWoodworking crew:
Make What You Can Sell:
“It is very difficult to build a business trying to sell what you can make. Always much more fruitful to make what you can sell.”Advertise at Vets and Pet Cemeteries:
“Since I agree that this is more an urban/city/wealthy person’s purchase, these people are also going to need a place to put their pet once they have the casket. So, find the cemetery and try to place some brochures with them. Or, also check with some city/urban vet offices (they’re the ones who would be helping folks who need to put down beloved pets) and see if they would like some brochures as well.”Make Urns Instead:
“I think urns are the way to go, and he can probably make them without coffin up any more money for tools.”Make Pet Beds Instead:
“Just recently and I’m not even sure where, I noticed an article about beds for pets. Many different styles, beds with headboards and foot boards, creative contemporary, arts and crafts, even smaller reproductions of the bed their masters sleep in.”
Check out the thread at the Family Woodworking Forum: Woodworking for profit: Diversify?
Greetings—
Our company is requesting a sample of a miniature durable cardboard coffin
manufactured, to our Specifications, with a raised hatchet imprint on the cover
of the coffin. We also would like a quote for bamboo and wicker coffins without
a imprint of a hatchet on the lid. All the coffins will have a satin liner; along
with, a toy hatchet which has a metal head and a wood handle. The approximate
size of the hatchet will be 7 inches long. The coffin will be approximately 10
inches long — 5 ½ inches wide— 2 ½ inches at the top, and the bottom, and
3 inches high.
Please inform us, of time frame to make coffin and hatchet, and what the costs
are for a sample, Sent to Tampa, Florida, U.S.A.
. Also do you have packaging costs Options, for mailing directly to
our customers. What is, the minimum order of our product? Our concept has
been copyrighted and must be protected. Will also need a Non-disclosure
agreement signed by your company.
Respectfully submitted with the doctrine of conscience – good faith – trust – reason;
Wilma
We specialize in environmentally friendly wicker willow coffins or biodegradable caskets.(Online http://www.wovenwickercoffins.com). Our coffins support the weight attains 300 KG,all of them are environmental protection.We have about ten kinds of different styles,our coffins are protected by a Patent of the China republic.
The wicker or bamboo can be easily biodegradable,and friendly with environment.As more and more families and communities look for eco-friendly solutions to everything in life, we provide fitting tributes to those choosing to honor their environmentally conscious lifestyle at the time of their death.
We already had experience of export the American market.
Each one of our coffins has been beautifully and caringly hand woven by one of our skilled basket makers, making each coffin unique and special.
Wicker is one of the few truly environmentally renewable resources. Our wicker products are hand made in china from material grown and cropped in licensed plantations.
Hello Wilma.Check my site http://www.petcasketmemorial.com for selection and reviews of some pet caskets, urns and memorial.
Hello Wilma,
I have a small company that offers crosses as memorials, also grave markers .Feel free to view at http://www.crossestobear.com.May you find closure in what your looking for .
thanks
CnFenterprises