Funeral Planner FAQs

Do you have questions about how eFuneral works? Below are questions frequently asked by funeral planners, along with our responses. Don't see your question listed on this page? Feel free to Contact Us at anytime.

• Is eFuneral really free to use?

  Yes.  eFuneral is a free service that helps families in need of funeral services quickly find and compare local funeral providers that meet their requirements. Once you choose the funeral home that best meets your needs, we will connect you to that specific funeral home to move forward with your service.  You simply pay the funeral home for the services they perform, as you normally would.

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• I'm not sure what services I need for a funeral. Will someone help me understand my options?

  Funeral planning can be confusing and difficult, and we’re committed to helping you through the process. If you’re not sure what services you may need, consider choosing from one of our pre-set packages.  You’ll see these options as you go through our step-by-step process for submitting your service request. And remember, you may always customize any of the packages.

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• Am I obligated to use any of the funeral homes from which I receive a quote?

  Absolutely not.  There is never a cost or obligation to use eFuneral.

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• How are your verified reviews different than other reviews?

  We only allow individuals that have used a funeral home’s services to leave a review and rating for that funeral home. By verifying the reviews, we try to ensure the validity of the feedback and maintain the integrity of our review system.

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• How long will it take for funeral homes to respond to my inquiry?

  We immediately send your inquiry to the funeral providers in the eFuneral network, and those in our network that meet your specifications have the opportunity to personally respond to your inquiry. Those funeral providers may choose to respond instantly or over the course of several hours. We also make every effort to contact funeral homes outside of our network so they have the opportunity to respond to your inquiry as well.

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• What if I send my inquiry outside of normal business hours?

  Even outside of business hours, funeral providers in our network are immediately notified of inquiries. Many will respond to you instantly, while others will respond as soon as they can.

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• If I submit an inquiry through eFuneral, will funeral directors be able to contact me directly?

  We keep your personal information confidential and do not share it with any funeral providers until you select the one with whom you’d like to move forward.  Once you choose a funeral home that fits your needs, we’ll reach out to that funeral provider to let them know that you are interested in their funeral services and to provide them with your contact information.

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• Will I be contacted by anyone else?

  We contact the individuals that submit inquiries through eFuneral to ensure their needs are understood.  We also follow up after the service to ensure that the funeral homes they selected provided them with satisfactory service.

  We will never share your information with anybody else unless you ask us to connect you to a specific service provider.

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• How accurate are the quotes I receive?

  The funeral homes in our network must honor the quotes they provide.  Simply click “Activate Quote” on the offer page of the funeral home you would like to select.  You can then print the offer and take it with you to the funeral home you choose, or you can simply write down the information along with your reference number. 

  And if, after meeting with the funeral director, you’d like to add services, you are welcome to do so. 

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• How many funeral homes are in your network?

  The number of funeral homes in our network grows each day.  Since our launch in February 2012, we have focused on building our network of funeral homes in Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio – therefore, our network is larger in those areas.  However, upon receiving inquiries, we contact and request responses from all funeral homes that meet the inquirers’ specifications regardless of location.

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• May I choose a funeral home outside of your network?

  You’re certainly welcome to choose whichever funeral home you wish.  While there is no obligation to choose any of the funeral homes that offer you quotes through eFuneral, we hope that eFuneral saves you time and hassle by helping you compare providers and make an informed decision.

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• Who may become a part of the eFuneral network of funeral homes?

  Our network includes all types of funeral homes – regardless of faith, culture, or any other specific group served.  We do require, however, that the funeral home have a physical location and a licensed funeral director on staff.

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• What if I need to talk to a real person?

  We’re always here to help.  During business hours, you can chat with a live support specialist on eFuneral.com, and you can always reach a live person by calling 1-855-eFuneral.

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• What rights do I have as a consumer of funeral services?

  Funeral services are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission, which affords consumers certain rights and privileges.  To get a full sense of what your rights are, there is a useful guide that the Federal Trade Commission has made available — both in English and in Spanish.

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• What should I do if I have a negative experience with a funeral home?

  Sometimes things may not always go as planned.  If your negative experience with a funeral home is one you feel you can resolve directly with the Funeral Director, we certainly encourage you to do so.  You are also welcome to report your experiences to us, so we can maintain that information in our records.  If you went through the eFuneral Network to find and work with your provider, you are certainly encouraged to leave candid feedback (whether it is positive or negative) in our verified ratings and reviews section.  You can even do so anonymously.  

  If you experience behavior from a funeral home that is egregious in nature and is in violation with federal laws —  going well beyond something that can be resolved directly with the Funeral Director or through a confidential review — you may report your experience to the Federal Trade Commission at FTCcomplaintassistant.gov or through its toll-free consumer complaint hotline at 1-800-FTC-HELP.

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• Will all of the funeral providers in your network have the ability to respond to my inquiry?

  All funeral providers in our network that fall within the distance radius of your inquiry will be able to respond to your inquiry, provided that their membership permits them to do so. We offer free memberships to funeral homes — with the only limitation being that they may respond to up to 5 pre-plan inquiries per month.  Those free members that have already submitted 5 quotes in a month responding to pre-plan inquiries may not be permitted to respond to your pre-plan inquiry unless they upgrade their membership.

  All funeral home members — including free members — are permitted to respond to an unlimited number of inquiries received from individuals that expect a service to take place within six months or sooner.  

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