Need advice. There's a new bakery in my town which is HUGE, does great work, but prices are below what I would charge. I get VERY LITTLE cake business and have spent thousands of dollars on supplies. Just doesn't seem worth my time anymore as I do have a full time job too. I'm thinking of selling all my pans, cutters, tools, etc etc but not sure how to go about it. Should I list on e bay or what? I know I will never recoup what I have in this whole room of stuff, but I don't want to give it away either!!! Advice???

We had had a lot of luck with ebay. I would try to sell stuff in lots if you can,

Julia

Before deciding to sell, maybe take a step back and wait a bit. Sometimes, people flock to a new place just because it's new. After a while, they go back to the familiar place. I hope that is what will happen with you. The public can be real fickle sometimes. Is there any way you can specialize what you offer that will set you apart from the new bakery? I wish you all the best!

If you do put items on eBay, let us know. I'm sure there's someone who could use the items.

Also, I don't know what you have, but also try craigslist.com. They don't charge for ads. I'd suggest posting lots of stuff on it though, too much trouble for item by item. Also, you have to be careful dealing with some people that may reply. There is no protection like on eBay.

Gemini, I do understand what you're saying and I will take some time to t hink about it. I just don't think I want to work this hard anymore. My job takes most of my time, my supplies take most of my house and I don't have the time to take more classes, etc or the energy to promote. Don't I sound negative this morning?!?!?!? I just could use the room. I probably have $300 just in decorating books!
I'll think some more, but thanks for your encouragement and your advice everyone! If I decide to sell, mybe I'll do little "bundles." All my cake pans....all my books.....all my fondant tools...etc.

Sorry to hear that you are thinking of selling your stuff. If, after thinking more about it, you do decide to go ahead and sell on ebay, please let us know. Selling in bundles sounds like a good idea.

Thanks and good luck with your decision......

Please do let us know. I am just starting out in the cake business and could really use a lot of stuff. Good luck with what ever you decide!!

You'll recoup more of your $$$ if you sell your items on craigs list...as business items. I'd definately group them together in several or even one group to do it fast.

If you decide you still want to do it after thinking it over for a good while. I would try ebay in lots so you don't have to deal with small quantities.

If you might still wanna make cakes....i agree with GeminiRJ...wait a bit....when the new super walmart opened up down here...i had hardly any business for a couple of weeks....then after they got a belly full of the icky crap....they all ran home to "momma".

i agree on craigslist....watch out for the nigerians on there tho.

I would also say wait but if it comes down to you're just tired of decorating, then do you ever what to decorate again? It would be a shame if you sell everything and then miss it and want to do it again. Before selling everything, sell the items that you rarely used anyway. Books, odd shaped pans, etc.

Please let me know if you do sell, I am looking always looking for cake supplies, books especially.
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I would recommend as well if you do ebay to put stuff in lots and let them know that they are only being sold in lots. This will be less aggravation for you. There is Craigslist as well. I have had great success with this
Good luck to you

Please do stop and consider what you are doing....no one here wants to profit from another member's loss. And it would be impossible - short of winning a lottery - to build it all up again, if you do later have a change of heart.

However, having said that...I have made bundle purchases from eBay, they can be very nice ways for beginners like myself to build their equipment base. If you do post your things, please do give a head's up, it'd be nice to have a check for something I'm needing/wanting/should actually have!

All the best!!

are you sure you want to give it up? If you have bought that much in supplies it must be something that you really love. I would think about it awhile and see what happens with this new bakery before throwing in the towl. If you decide to sell maybe you should just sell the excessive stuff and keep the basic in case you change your mind. Chances are I bet you still have lots of family and friends who want you to make cakes.

i just wanted to say that you should keep your stuff cause your job is a lot different work than a bakery i know you have a job , but let me tell you
you will be sad later when all your stuff is gone, but if you do decide please let me know i would def be interested in buying but i really think you shouldnt sell your things once the excitement is gone about the bakery people will come back to you

I understand where you are coming from I have been doing this since I was 17 and am now 35 went and got my culinary degree and there were times when I thought that I just couldn't do this another day. One day I got up and said I'm not baking anymore, until I ralized that I didn't love to do anything else but this. When I am creating it's almost better than "you know what " Just think about it a little

If it's something you really love doing don't let some new business take your dream away. I know a local bakery that has to turn cakes away because they have so many orders. This new bakery can't make every cake in town. Plus you might have something they don't have... I would much rather go to someone I knew or someone who was friendly and helpful than some company that could care less about me. I've been to those places... I am always willing to pay a higher price for better service.

Instead of selling everything, try putting it away in totes and store it for a while. See if you miss it. If you don't, sell it. If you do miss it, you don't have to keep everything. Just a thought.

The lady who taught me how to decorate quit decorating a few years back. She just got tired of having every weekend tied up. I literally cried for the loss of such a great talent. I couldn't believe that she would just quit. She used to win at the cake shows around our area all the time. That said, all I want to say to you is that you too have a great talent. I looked at your pictures and they are wonderful. I am with the people that say go ahead and clean out the stuff you can part with, but keep the basics. With today's economy we don't know when a little extra money will come in handy. My husband had a heart attack a few years back and was forced to work less hours. My cake money has been our "fun" money and believe me we still like to have fun.

Well, you all are so nice to have responded. I promise I will think about it. I do enjoy it, but it also stresses me out! Maybe when I retire from nursing I will do it more, but hopefully that's many years away! Anyway, I'll talk to the DH, think about it and if I chuck it all, I'm certainly let you all know first!

I agree with everyone to wait. I began decorating in the eighties. I had a period where I did no decorating at all. When I got back into it and opened those old boxes, I found some great treasures that are no longer made or hard to find.

Don't think of it as storage, think of it as a time capsule

Best wishes on whichever path you choose.

Good advice justducky! I did the same thing. After 15 yrs of decorating--Burnout! Quit, boxed up most of my stuff, sold the "junk". 10 yrs. later, daugher married, bug bit me & now I'm trying to purchase a bakery! Whood a thunk it??? I held onto my "good stuff" & I'm glad that I did. I'm more excited about cakes now than I was then. Why? No little ones runnin around trying to stick fingers & toes in cakes, not to mention knocking them over? I have the time (didn't have then) & the patience (also didn't have then) to concentrate & do a better job. Sell now & maybe be sorry later or wait & sell later for "vintage" prices! Good Luck, I understand your delimna.

Sometimes we just need to weed out and clean out our stuff. There's probably tons of stuff that you just dont' use anymore. Box that stuff up and sell or storage it. I did this years ago .... kept the basics, and haven't missed anything that I got rid of.

I was also in your shoes. 20+ years ago, I was devistated to learn the local bakery was cheaper than me and I couldn't go lower. I spent about 15 minutes feeling sorry for myself, then looked around to see what I could offer that they couldn't. That's when I began offering free delivery and staying to cut the wedding cake.

The free delivery was easy because I lived in a small town .... everywhere was no more than 15-20 mins away. But cutting the cake was the big door opener to me. It enhanced my skill as a decorator and became my biggest sales tool that had people flocking to me for that service.

So do some comparison shopping yourself .... what do you do that they dont'? What do you do different that sets you apart? Emphasize and capitalize on that.

I'm organized retentive! My family calls me Monica from friends. Here is what I do, everything gets a year, I do a massive clean out two times a year. If I have something and it hasnt been used within a year, out it goes. Amazing the stuff I dont miss anymore!

Think about it a good while. I did the same thing a few years back. Sold everything I had cause my job took over my life. Now that my company left my state, and me high and dry, I found myself able to stay at home again (my husband still works, etc.) Had to start all over with all my stuff. Prices have gone up like everything else on equipment too. Maybe you could store the most useful items atleast. Who knows. Just like riding a bike when you get back.
Good Luck
by all means do let us know if or what you let go of, I too just Re-started in March. [email protected]