Costco wholesale club is testing six models of steel caskets at two of its locations in the Chicago area.

Costco's general manager Gary Ojendyk told CNN Money that the wholesale retailer has set up a special order program in which customers can choose a casket from either of the two locations and then have it shipped to their mortuary within 48 hours.

'We're trying to offer value to our customers like with everything else that we sell,' said Ojendyk.

The budget-minded caskets will be manufactured by Michigan-based Universal Casket Co. According to Edward Jones, Universal's general manager, the price range of caskets can vary greatly from a few hundred dollars to even thousands of dollars, but their caskets will come with a suggested retail price of about $799.99.

Jones adds that while most caskets are still typically purchased at funeral homes, the Internet has also become a viable place to purchase caskets, with sales that have picked up over the last few years.

David Walkinshaw, spokesman for the National Funeral Directors Association, told CNN that he doesn't think Costco's casket market will impact the funeral home business too harshly.

'Third-party suppliers have been around for a while now. Costco is pricing caskets at $800, but many funeral homes offer caskets for much less than that amount. I don't think this will change the landscape of the market.'

Walkinshaw also says that 'In moments of death, people are looking for peace of mind and comfort. They don't want to be running around to different stores. With a funeral home, they can be guaranteed that the condition and delivery of the casket will meet their requirements. With a retail store, those issues are no longer the funeral director's problem.'

The caskets run 84 inches in length and 28 inches in width and are available in a variety of colors.