eziFunerals Owner and Author of self-help funeral guide ‘What Kind of Funeral?’, Peter Erceg discusses eziFunerals online platform and how the company is helping to bring transparency to the Australian funeral industry.
After writing What Kind of Funeral?, Mr Erceg said he noticed a lack of transparency throughout the death care industry and customer dissatisfaction, prompting him to launch the online funeral planning platform eziFunerals.
Mr Erceg said factors that concerned him about the funeral industry were the lack of competition given the dominance of the big funeral chains, the lack of consumer awareness around what services were or were not independent.“
“The majority of consumers are not aware that most of the local funeral director businesses are owned by two listed funeral stocks, InvoCare Limited (ASX: IVC) and Propel Funeral Partners (ASX:PFP). Between them they currently control over 40% market share nationally (…and growing)”, he says.
“In Australia, these corporates control the industry and traditionally sell funeral packages, like bronze, silver and gold. Often these funeral packages are advertised and sold as a way to get you to pay more. With those packages you’re paying for things you don’t actually want or need, it’s not personalised.”
‘Unlike other funeral comparison sites, we do not get involved with the consumers final selection of funeral director and we do not receive commissions from funeral directors’
eziFunerals operates by listing independent funeral homes that subscribe to the platform. The consumer is in total control. Customers are able to create a customised funeral plan, detailing either desired conditions for their own funeral or the funeral of a loved one, which is posted online for listed funeral homes to browse and respond to with an itemised offer.
“I’m trying to disrupt the business model,” Mr Erceg said.
eziFunerals helps the bereaved shop for burial and cremation services and offers online funeral quotation tools that allow those in need of immediate arrangements and those planning for the future to find the best value in their area.
“Instead of picking a funeral company by guesswork, families will be able to shop around for funeral directors, and get the right funeral at the right price before proceeding to contract”, said Erceg. “Unlike other funeral comparison sites, we do not get involved with the consumers final selection of funeral director and we do not receive commissions from funeral directors”, he says.
Its platform connects families who have an immediate need or who are planning in advance with the best funeral providers in their area, increasing transparency in the funeral industry.
Erceg sees his online funeral platform model not as undermining funeral directors economically, but as empowering small to medium family owned funeral homes to increase their market share and give huge firms, like InvoCare and Propel Funeral Partners, a run for their money.
eziFunerals, www.eziFunerals.com.au , is set to launch in other countries. Equity opportunities are available.
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About eziFunerals
eziFunerals supports individuals and families cope with end of life decisions, death and funerals. We are an independent, Australian-owned and operated company, and are not a subsidiary of any other corporation. We do not conduct funerals and we are not part of any other funeral company.
