Pricing A 3-D Fondant Figure

Business By cakeflake Updated 8 May 2008 , 7:54pm by cakeflake

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cakeflake Posted 6 May 2008 , 11:56pm
post #1 of 6

Ok I've done a search and couldn't find anything on here so maybe someone can tell me- Has anyone ever done pricing just for 3d fondant figures w/o the cake? A family friend wanted me to do a cake for her grandbabies first b-day but she won't be able to make it here out of state, so she's asked me if I can just do a 3-d fairy to put on top of the cake. I made one for her other granddaughter and she liked it so much that she wants one for the second girl now. I'm not so worried about them being eaten because the moms want to save them, but I have no idea what to charge for just a 3-d figure. Would you charge according to size or detail? Or maybe a flat rate for any 3-d figures and then just times that by how many figures are made? I'm so confused. Also how would/could I ship something like this? Any suggestions? TIA.

5 replies
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cakeflake Posted 7 May 2008 , 5:11am
post #2 of 6

Ok ladies - I can't hear any of you when you all speak at once! So let's just take a breath and slow down and go one at a time. I'm sure everyone will get a chance to have their say! But seriously- I'm trying to wait patiently for someone who can give me some brilliant advice about this. So c'mon you all and cough up all of your knowledge- stop holding out on me. I need you!!

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BrandisBaked Posted 7 May 2008 , 5:30am
post #3 of 6

I charge (on cakes, never done them without a cake):

Basic 2-4" figure (not resembling a particular character or person): $10-15 each

Cartoon character (or something that I have to copy and get "right"): $15 - 20 each

Caricature or a person (from photo): $25-50 (depending on setting/clothing)

If I charge $15-20 for a fondant bow, I'm surely going to charge extra for figures.

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kansaswolf Posted 7 May 2008 , 5:35am
post #4 of 6

This is one of those times that I personally think an hourly rate would be helpful... But I don't run a business...

I would definitely charge more for more detail, regardless of the size of the figure. You're going to be spending time coloring fondant (which *I* hate...), painting, attaching, setting up to dry, etc... I can see a really good figure taking in the hours to do... I don't know what the going rate is where you are, but I could see STARTING the price at $20 or more, and upping it for detail. (Besides, how often does this really happen? Really, because I don't know...)

Also, I wouldn't ship it. Too much risk of being broken, IMO... Especially a fairy, which would have wings, etc. If you pack it right, it MAY be okay, but I'd think that'd be too much risk for me...

Good luck with whatever you do, though! icon_biggrin.gif

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trumpetmidget Posted 7 May 2008 , 7:01pm
post #5 of 6

I have never charged for a fondant figure like you are talking about, but I agree with pp - I would start at $20 minimum, and I may go higher. You have to think about what you spend on fondant (I make my own, so just for that fairy, you are looking at a batch of fondant. That costs me about $5 or so). Then, you have to think about the time. For me to make a really good figure, with lots of detail, at least 2-3 hours to do it. I would like to earn a good amount of money. So, for one figure, like on my "reflections" cake - those are pretty detailed - I would charge about $35. For my troll on my bingo cake, I would charge $20 (his face is pretty detailed, but the rest of him is simple). But, like I said, I never charged for figures, so I don't know if I am off the ball park or not. Think about how much a handmade clay figure at a nice knick knack gift store goes for. You're looking at bookoo bucks. Fondant and clay are the same medium, except you shouldn't eat the clay. HTH. Good luck.

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cakeflake Posted 8 May 2008 , 7:54pm
post #6 of 6

Thanks everyone this helps a lot. Trumpetmidget I need to go see your cakes- they sound intriguing!

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