How much do you charge for deposits???

and how do you take them cash/ post dated check....assuming they are refundable after they return stands etc.

I wish I could help you with experience here but I cant, but I know my aunt, has them write her a check if she knows them well, and if she doesnt she tells them CASH deposits. For cake tier and stuff she charges them twice the amount of buying that set again, or if its just cake boards, she charges them 50.00 (the board I am talking about is the kind that my uncle cuts from wood he buys at Home Depot.) Of course she has plenty because she mainly does party cakes, but to buy the wood again to do this, paint it, cover it with contact paper, it adds up. I hope that helps a little

flayvurdfun...this isn't on what deposit to charge, but on the boards to use for the base.
I've gone to a local lumber/hardware store and ask if they have scraps of sheets of plywood of different thicknesses and sizes they cannot sell, they can only sell full 4x8 sheets. So far I've been given these pieces and in return I bake them a cake! The one gentleman who has helped me stated that any cake is fine as long as it's not "a wedding cake"!!!

Whew, there for a minute I thought we were going to discuss dishwasher stains on our pans again.

A cash deposit on a cake is not an unreasonable request, definitely not if it is for a "specialty" cake.

Janice

I thought I was going to get anaswer from Lastings ? but instead ya'll lost me lol ok I'll visit this one later gotta love ya'll...

If you are talking deposits on boards and other hardware--I take a case deposit of double the amount it will cost me to purchase the item. They have about 5 days to return the things to me, cleaned and in good condition. I will then refund their deposit on the spot.

I have recently gotten burned on NOT taking a deposit--so this is now my strick policy--no matter who the person is (OK--so I won't make my sisters or mom give me one--but you get the idea!)

Now--if it's cakes we are talking about, I require a 50% deposit when the order is placed and the remaining balance paid in full - cash - 3 days before the event. If they plan on writing a check, then it's 10 days.

Again--I have recently been burned with allowing someone to write me a check the day of the event (it was a friend of a friend) and the check bounced. I did eventually get the $$, but it wasn't until about 3 weeks after the event. I required them to pay cash and refund me the charges my bank charged me for their bounced check.

I hate to be so strict on my policies--but I'm not taking the chance of getting burned again. And, I feel it's better to have a straight-across-the-board policy than changing it for every person.

And, in case you are wondering--it was the same person I practically had to staulk to get my boards back who bounced their check. Lesson learned!

Lisa

Hi Lisa, I think you are right to establish rules and stick to them. Your deposit fees sound reasonable, and you've given some good examples on how to base these fees.

It is a shame that a few undependable people can make life difficult for everyone, but that is true no matter what kind of business you have! I'm glad you were able to collect, that way the lesson was not as expensive as it could have been.

Thanks for the information, I think I'll benefit from your experience.

i have not done that yet, but i am sure thinking about it.

thanks very much my original question was on the deposit for supplies...
Some one posted a link to a sample letter that earlene gives to a client and
I loved it so much ....until now I didnt have any rules set in place but after reading it .. it gave me alot to think about....
I love the idea about making the deposit twice the amount of the supples. ....
She had left this part blank on her form so I wasnt sure what was fair....

As far as checks go I never had any problems with any one ..but as I go to different vendor to get supplies for various projects i see that more and more are not acceptting checks.......

Maybe this is the way to go ....hmmm not sure she also stated that in her letter...she would not accept checks after her 3 weeks prior cut off date....

Flav...i love your idea about the wood boards......i may have to seduce my local hardware guys with cake as well......

im sorry bless..... i got lost too!!
what was the question?

lastingmoments...and others, I apologize for mentioning the boards when it wasn't even asked about.

Maybe this is how this should have been answered.. because I can see where the one poster understood the question as one thing (I too understood it that way) but was meant the other.

It depends what kind of deposits you are talking about.. deposit for cake, or stands/boards. I have been decorating for years, but that was before the digital camera.. Polarid camera is what I had... tells you the age area there.
I worked for a very distinguished bakery on the east coast, or at least then it was considered that... anyway, if I recall correctly wedding cake deposits were to be made 2 months in advance (since this was the only bakery in this area...others existed like 2 hours away) and it was I think 20% of what the cake would cost, then a months away another 50% of what was left was due, and then a week before the wedding the rest was due. That was just cakes. For the toppers (yes back then and here in this town these were rented), cake plates, and whatever else (used boards then too) you made a deposit of like 20-30 for them... at this time this was alot of money, and it was cash only....

Anyway, I believe if the question and answers were kind of like this it would have brought attention to all deposits, not just boards and such...
I hope my older way of thinking helped someone somewhere.

sorry ...see thats why I asked because..... I guess the question can go either way.....no body was right or wrong....in was in general about everything because everybody does things differently.

I used to charge a deposit on the cake and that was just fro the cake.....50% up front the balance due at your convience but no later than 2 weeks before (for checks to clear).

I never thought to charge for stands or anything that can be reused I just always got them back and if something was missing it was usually just odds and ends that arent that exspensive.

Then I saw the post and she said that she charged a seperate deposit for the items. And never mentioned about $$$ towards the cake.

So now I thinking should i revise my contract should i ask for both?

what do you think

Most definately you should or at least make sure your contract says (the amount of the deposit is for this and this and this).... you do absolutely great work, and you should make sure you get everything back. Even if its just odds and ends they add up and why should you lose that? You are doing them a favor to allow your talents to be used for thier sakes....

You know I think that your right.....

I feel that since Im still learning ....then its ok. But after all this great advice and since I see that hey it doesnt matter how long youve been doing it...your still gonna learn things later.....Im officailly put my foot down....or paper at least.

even though I was not the one that started this post I thank you all for your wisdom this truly is the best way I been learnibg the ends ands out of this new world !