Shoppers routinely use the internet to compare prices, whether for appliances, cars or hotel rooms. But online pricing remains scant for funeral services, putting bereaved and vulnerable people at a financial disadvantage because they’re unlikely to haggle over costs.

Consumer advocates are hoping that may finally change because federal regulators are scheduled to take a fresh look this year at a rule that governs how funeral homes share information with the public. Advocates are encouraging an update to bring the rule into the digital age, by requiring funeral homes to post detailed prices online.

“We are building a consumer coalition” to promote the change, said Steve Brobeck, senior fellow with the Consumer Federation of America.

The federation and allies like the Funeral Consumers Alliance, a nonprofit group that promotes price transparency, argue that the current rule is woefully inadequate for the internet era. The Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to provide prices to consumers seeking them over the phone and to give an itemized price list to anyone requesting one in person. But the rule, which first took effect in 1984, when the internet was in its infancy, does not require online disclosure of prices.