I really need some advice/support.
A week or so ago, and man ordered the sushi cake from Confetti Cakes, plus a 3 tiered gerber daisy topsy-turvy cake. I had never done a topsy turvy cake, but read the article I found here about assembling it at the bakery and then taking it all together to the site.
I worked SOOOO hard on this cake, and when it turned out, it was totally adorable! The only problem was that I was having a hard time with one of my daisies staying attached to the cake.
So yesterday afternoon, I loaded up the car with the sushi cake, and ther gerber daisy cake. I had 5 pieces of PVC in each of the bottom 2 tiers, plus a dowel going through the entire thing, and even a couple of more dowels in the bottom layer. I get in the car towards the restaurant (which was 30 min away), but realized I had forgotten my camera. I turned around (CAREFULLY!) and heard a little thump.
"Oh crap" I think. I think the daisy had finally fallen off. So I pull up front to the house, tell my husband I forgot the camera, and he runs in to get it. I decide to peak through the window of the car, and yep, it has completely fallen over!!!!!!!! All three tiers, all over the back of the car!!!! Thank God the sushi cake was OK.
I have 1 hour before the suprise party starts, and it is 30 miles away! So, I run to Kroger like an insane woman, beg the bakery for some 6, 8 and 10 inch rounds. They refuse and say I have to preorder. I start sobbing, lookk insane, and end up buying GROCERY STORE cake, and scraping off bright blue icing to cover the darned thing in fondant.
I end up stacking the tiers, getting them covered, and salvaging what gumpaste flowers I could. Crying the whole time.
When I showed up at the restaurant, I could have died. Everyone thought the cakes were cute, but, here is my question:
How much money do I give him back? All? Some? Please help!!!!!!!!
So sorry to hear of your disaster How much did the second cake look like the one they ordered? If it was pretty different, plus the insides were from a grocery store... I'm sorry but I would have to say refund the whole thing (but not the sushi cake of course). If it were me, I would probably also send them a small gift certificate to encourage to them to come back and try me again.
Kate714 Forum Fanatic
Joined: Aug 12, 2006
Posts: 1185
Location: Connecticut
I'd also like to see the second cake. Did it look at all like what they ordered? If the design was accurate, I'd give them a good chunk back, but not all.
Pat yourself on the back for getting that second cake done though! I think I would have just cried!
mjs4492 Forum Fanatic
Joined: Aug 31, 2006
Posts: 1258
Location: Elberta, Alabama
Birthday: Aug 31 Gallery Supporter Member
Posted:
Sun Sep 23, 2007 3:39 pm
I almost threw up reading this!!!
I'm sorry but I would have to give a complete refund and maybe the person will offer to give you something. I think it would show your honesty, integrity and how much pride that you take in your cakes.
Wonder why it fell?
summernoelle Forum Fanatic
Joined: Mar 08, 2007
Posts: 1432
Posted:
Sun Sep 23, 2007 3:41 pm
I don't have a photo because I was too frazzled to take one.
It was 2 tiers instead of 3. And obviously it wasn't topsy turvy either. I got gerber daisies on it, though.
I am torn, because he didn't get what he ordered, but I still got it together enough and spent more $$$ to get something there. I think some people would have just apologized and not given anything extra. I also can't really afford it. It will be a bit of a hardship for us to pay him back. ($150. I also spent an extra $30 yesterday, plus about $90 on supplies for the first cake). But...I don't know what is morally right. I want to do the right thing!
Maybe take a cue off their reaction. If you think they were ok with what they got, then maybe offer half back. If they were unhappy, even if they were polite about it, I would give it all back to save my rep.
and a side question... the supplies for the first cake were $90??? Does that include all new pans?
GenGen Forum Addict
Joined: May 17, 2007
Posts: 758
Location: Northern Idaho
Birthday: Dec 16
Posted:
Sun Sep 23, 2007 3:49 pm
*post deleted (i accidently replied here instead of another post some how. sorry for the mix up)
Last edited by GenGen on Sun Sep 23, 2007 3:53 pm; edited 2 times in total
snowqueen93 Junior Member
Joined: Sep 11, 2006
Posts: 87
Posted:
Sun Sep 23, 2007 3:50 pm
Personally I think you should refund a good chunk of it. I understand that it might make you work at a loss for this one but that is a part of being in business. The reason I think you should refund it is that 1. you gave him less cake than you were supposed to (two tiers instead of three) 2. the design was different than what he ordered and 3. it was store bought cake, not homemade. While you had to put more out to partially fix the problem it still was not what he ordered.
If it were me, I probably would give at least 1/2 of the charge price for this cake back, maybe even more, and a discount on his next cake.
I would charge them FULL price ........you put it together, paid for supplies, etc........ Did they complain ? If they ate it...they bought it..... how about give them a gift certificate for a future cake.....
I wouldn't give it all back either cause you put all that time and effort..I would give them like a next time free sheet cake or something not too fancy. but I think the cake is beautiful especially the cercumstances you were under. but you do what you feel you know what type of work you do.. if you don't feel like it was your best work than you give back the money.
DelightsByE Forum Fanatic
Joined: Jul 26, 2004
Posts: 1229
Location: Williamsport Maryland
Birthday: Aug 23 Gallery Supporter Member
Posted:
Sun Sep 23, 2007 3:54 pm
I have a few comments, I hope you will find helpful.
The first is, you will want to contact this customer right away. Acknowledge the "accident" without going into details. If he is gracious, he won't pry. Offer him a refund of whatever HE thinks is fair. Be prepared to refund the whole amount of the cake, although I would be willing to bet he won't ask for a full refund.
The other comment is, (and I have to preface this by saying I have never done a topsy-turvy cake before but have read the instructions many times) I think the cake was doomed to fall over. From what I can see in your "before" photo, the center of gravity is not centered, which makes it top heavy. You could cram the bottom full of dowels, and even with a center dowel, it was going to fall over. I'm sorry to have to tell you that...physics was not on your side with this cake.
I'll leave it up to the experts here to give suggestions as to what to do differently next time.
Sommernoelle, I have a very strict no refund policy. But, if I make an error or if I have an issue during delivery that cant be corrected 100% I refund the money. That said, try calling the client and asking him what you can do to make it up to him. He might say everyting is fine. He may only ask for half. I dont think he would ask for the entire amount since you did provide a cake. And if he does then explain its going to take a couple of weeks.
princessdepastel Junior Member
Joined: Aug 24, 2007
Posts: 45
Location: Houston, TX
Birthday: Jun 11
Posted:
Sun Sep 23, 2007 4:08 pm
i just started decorating so i dont really know much about being on the decorator's side of the fence. but i've bought a few cakes in my past and if this had happened to a cake i ordered i would expect the whole amount returned (not for the sushi cake, of course). i'll give it to u straight... please dont take this offensively. if i ordered a cake from a decorator who was supposed to deliver it to me, i would expect them to know how to do it correctly. if not, then it wouldnt be my problem. same with anything u order. if i were to order, lets say, some clothes. if they were not EXACTLY the way i asked them to be, i would expect a full refund. ya know? im so sorry this happened, but im sure it happens to everyone a few times. hey, i even see things happen on ace of cakes! lol. im sure it's gonna happen to me someday.... i cant wait u should be excited, this was a big learning experience! yay!
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How much did the second cake look like the one they ordered? If it was pretty different, plus the insides were from a grocery store... I'm sorry but I would have to say refund the whole thing (but not the sushi cake of course). If it were me, I would probably also send them a small gift certificate to encourage to them to come back and try me again.
