When you open this article, it means that you might have noticed that selling tombstone would be a good deal. It is actually the case. Tombstone industry has not been hot from ancient times for its characteristics. But have to say that this is a profitable business due to less competition and the feature that the price of custom gravestone is hard to compare. Thus, if you have the desire to start a business, selling tombstone is a fine choice. In this article, we will analyse the tombstone market in South Africa and introduce the ways to start headstone business in this country.

The Market Requirement of South Africa

As the most developed country in Africa, South Africa is also the biggest gravestone consumer in this continent . Marble or granite headstones are the mainstream products in current market. As the society advanced, a growing number of people have the ability to purchase large cemetery monuments. Therefore, the tombstone market in South Africa is on rise, as well.

The Types of Tombstone Business

Tombstone business can be divided into wholesale and retail trade. Their operating conditions, target customers and marketing channels are total differently.

1. wholesale headstone business

Doing wholesale headstone business means that you must be a supplier that are able to supply a huge amount of cemetery monuments. And your products should have competitive advantages. If you can’t provide a very preferential price, you shall have excellent productive power like exquisite workmanship or outstanding design capability. Otherwise, it is hard to survive in the market. In South Africa, the number of sizeable tombstone wholesalers is small. Because wholesaling tombstone requires many advanced processing equipment, a certain number of cheap and skilled workers and professional designers. Also, there must be abundant natural granite stones supply locally. Or the material costs will be high. But South Africa can’t meet all these conditions. So headstones mainly relies on import.

2. Retail Tombstone Business

If you are a newcomer to this industry or your fund is limited, we would like to recommend you to do retail business. The bar for retailing gravestone is not so high as wholesaling it. Your can just be a middlemen that doesn’t need to master too much professional knowledge. And the cost of investment can return quicker. Find customers and factories is your primary task.

The Ways to Start Your Tombstone Business

If you have made up your mind to do retail trade, then you should find the way to start it. There are three reliable business models for tombstone. Cooperating with cemeteries, opening a cemetery store or working as a craftsman.

1. Collaborating with cemeteries

Collaborating with cemeteries was undoubtedly a stable and long-term business. But you have to get in touch with the man at the wheel and persuade them to accept your business. You can pay them a sum of money for advertising or give them some commission when each time they sell your tombstone successfully.

2. Open a cemetery stone

Opening a cemetery store is another method.You can mainly push tombstones and sell some other local cemetery products as well. This is also the benefit of opening a store. You could get profits from different goods at the same time and change the products flexible. But remember, even you are capable of selling other kinds of cemetery products, it is not a wise move to place too many of them in the store. Or customers will fell dazzling and can’t not recognize which product you mainly sell. Naturally, they will not think that you are a professional tombstone seller. Putting more headstone samples and placing some books about products catalogue and patterns can attract customers effectively.

3. Working as a craftsman

Working as a craftsman requires that you should have work experience in tombstone industry. Because you need to purchase materials and make tombstone by yourself. If you doing the production job own, the costs will be much lower than other retailers. For an artisan, a small workshop is necessary. Many of them like renting a big store or work room and divide it into two independent spaces. The outer space is decorated well to present products and receive guests, the inner space is used as a workshop. Taking this way to introduce your tombstone can enhance customer’ trust.

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The Equipment for Tombstone Business

Even if you are a retailer, you still have to prepare some equipment for tombstone processing. Once the guests have bought finished products from you, you have to engrave the name, birth and death date of the dead on gravestone. If your customers order customized granite monuments, then you can ask factories to complete the job. Today, most tombstone equipment are driven by electricity. The modern engraving machines are laser and controlled by a computer program. Using these tools can help you increase work efficiency greatly and learning to control the machine is also not difficult. But if you want to be a artisan, the equipment that you need to prepare will be more complex. Besides engraving equipment, you should buy cutting and polishing tools, even some traditional tools such as hammers, graver, etc. Besides, some special chemicals are indispensable.

The Approaches for Marketing Tombstone

There are various ways for marketing tombstone. To cooperate with cemeteries, churches, funeral service institution or social service organization and convince them of introducing your products. Moreover, if you guests are satisfied with your products. They will recommend you to their relatives, too. But all these are traditional marketing methods. As Internet is rapidly developing in twenty-first century, more and more people begin to shop online. Therefore, you can build a tombstone website so that others can find you. Also, advertising on the net is also a good choice. However, we don’t advice you to open online store on e-commerce platforms like Amazon and other similar sites. Many headstone sellers have gotten lessons of failure from these shopping sites. These places are more suitable for selling cheap and small finished products such as cemetery flower vases, funeral flowers or urns for ashes.

Xiamen Mason is a tombstone manufacture that has nearly 20 years of production and 8 years of export trade experience. We have done wholesale gravestone business with customers from South Africa for several years. If you want to start headstone business, we would like to help you. Our service team will guide you the specialized knowledge that you need. We ensure offer high quality products to you. Just Visit our site xmmason.com to learn more about us.