Helpful information about ordering, delivery, installation, and product care from Memorial Group

Before you order

Please confirm your cemetery's requirements in writing before placing an order. Cemetery approval remains the purchaser's responsibility.

Ordering & Cemetery Compliance

Some cemeteries and funeral homes sell markers directly and may discourage families from buying elsewhere. By law, you are entitled to purchase your headstone or grave marker from an outside vendor.

Before ordering, please confirm the following with your cemetery, in writing:

  • Color/material restrictions — do they limit granite color or bronze finish?
  • Size restrictions — minimum/maximum dimensions?
  • Marker type allowed — flat, bevel, slant, upright, companion, infant, bronze?
  • Delivery & installation rules — does the cemetery charge its own installation fee?
  • Accessories — are vases, flags, or memorial lights permitted?

Where available, our team can assist with cemetery verification and approvals. Final acceptance of any marker remains subject to the cemetery's own rules and approval — it is ultimately the purchaser's responsibility to confirm the marker conforms to that cemetery's requirements.

Engraving & Production

Depending on the product, material, and design, lettering and artwork may be produced using sandblasting, laser etching, carving, casting, or other appropriate production technologies. Photo-realistic laser etching is available for portraits and scenes on eligible products.

Production timelines vary by brand, product, and order complexity — see your brand's Production & Delivery Terms for current estimates.

Important: Production time, shipping time, and cemetery installation time are separate and not guaranteed to align. Please do not commit to or promise an installation date until the marker has been delivered and installation has been confirmed directly with the cemetery.

Financing

Financing options vary by brand and product line and are detailed in each brand's Financing Terms. In general, eligible orders may qualify for our installment program and/or third-party financing (such as Klarna or Affirm), and first responder and veteran pricing may be available. Ask your sales agent for current eligibility, terms, and documentation requirements.

Shipping

Shipping options and costs vary by product, brand, and delivery location. Some products may qualify for complimentary shipping within a designated service area — eligibility must be confirmed with your sales agent before purchase.

Headstones and monuments are crated for transit and shipped via common carrier. Our shipper will contact you or your delivery contact ahead of arrival. If your stone is being shipped to a workplace or an alternate address, please make sure the recipient knows a grave marker will be arriving.

Rush Orders

If you need your stone by a specific date, contact us before ordering so we can confirm feasibility. Rush orders move to the front of the production queue and carry an additional charge.

Insurance

Shipping insurance is included at no extra cost. In the rare event of transit damage, contact us within 24 hours of delivery with photos of the damage; we will handle the claim and produce a replacement.

Installation

Your order includes an engraved granite or bronze marker; installation (typically setting the stone in a concrete base) is a separate step. Most cemeteries can recommend an installer, and some allow self-installation — check with your cemetery first.

Each order includes an installation instruction sheet with base dimensions — please share this with whoever installs your marker. We can also arrange installation through our partner installation company and provide you with a quote.

Cancellations

Custom & Personalized Orders (including personalized grave memorials, ceramic pictures, urns, memorial rocks, cremation jewelry, and similar items):

  • You may cancel within 3 business days of payment. Cancellations within this window incur a 10% administrative/service fee.
  • Once design or production has begun, the order is non-refundable, except in cases of a confirmed product defect or a company error.

Returns & Exchanges

Stock / Non-Customized Products:

  • Returns are accepted within 10 days of delivery (the postmark date on your return determines eligibility — items postmarked after 10 days are not returnable).
  • The item must be new, unused, and in resalable condition.
  • A 10% restocking fee applies to all returns.
  • You are responsible for return shipping costs. If a non-personalized product with an add-on is returned, the add-on cost will be charged.
  • We do not accept returns on cremation products that have been filled with ashes or used.
  • To start a return, reply to your order confirmation email — you'll receive a response within 24 hours during business hours.

Custom & Personalized Products:

  • Once work has started, these items are not returnable (see Cancellations above for the window before work begins).
  • If a product arrives defective or incorrect, we will replace it at no additional cost. You may be asked to provide photos for internal review. Report defective or incorrect items within 24 hours of delivery.

Damaged Items

Before signing for delivery, please inspect the packaging for visible signs of damage. If damage is visible, note it with the carrier at the time of delivery when possible.

If you discover damage after delivery, notify us within 24 hours with photos of both the packaging and the product. Because we work with different suppliers, a claim will be filed with the shipping company, and we will arrange a replacement.

Cemetery Installation Fees & Regulations

Listed prices do not include cemetery-charged installation or endowment/perpetual care fees — these are paid directly to the cemetery. Confirm costs and payment timing directly with your cemetery; some cemeteries require full payment before accepting delivery.

This Master Policy is used consistently across sales scripts, invoices, website, checkout, and Customer Service FAQ for all brands. Brand-specific production timelines, shipping terms, installment programs, installation availability, product-specific return rules, and current location promotions (e.g. Smart Showroom offers) are maintained separately in each brand's Brand-Specific Terms.