I would tell her, "ma'am I do not have a record of any email after xxx date, that states we confirmed a price, design, flavor, etc." In the nicest way possible.

If she can find an email that states she sent you a response then maybe you could negotiate with her.

Deposit or no deposit, you are not a mind reader and can not assume she wants a cake because you sent her pictures. She could have taken those ideas to another baker if she didn't respond back to you.

Otherwise, there is nothing else you can do but sympathize with her and possible recommend another baker. Or make a cake several days in advance of her original date.

On the topic of what to do in the future... I always end a response to an inquiry email with "Please let me know if you would like to confirm this order or if you have any additional questions". Its generic enough to put at the end of everything and doesn't bore them with all the policies until that is needed, but it lets them know that the ball is totally in their court.

I can understand everyone's point of view here.

But, if design ideas were sent and there was no response, how are you to assume that she wants to order a cake from you. I have had people inquire and I've sent them cake pictures and ideas. They never responded so I assumed they weren't ordering from me. There has to be some kind of confirmation. It is not our job to "make sure" the inquiry turned into an order.

And who's to say she wanted to pay "your prices" just as she was used to her old baker, she may have also been used to her old bakers prices.

It is the customer's responibilty to confirm or deny.

I am failing to see how this customer is "scary". She is understandably upset that she is not getting a cake she *thought* she had booked. I don't see how that makes her "Scary McCrazy".

I can see fault on both sides. The customer did not respond with further information, but it sounds like she didn't realize that further information was required. It is our job to make sure that our needs are clear as well.

When I have a someone ask me to email them pictures along with the pictures i state. "Please let me know how many ppl it needs to feed, date needed so I can see if I have any openings, flavor of cake and icing, so i can give you a price also, if you plan to use me please give me 5-7 days notice before the date you need it, so we can meet for payment 1st then I can reserve your day.

I don't think she's scary either, just upset about the fact that she never completd her order.

Now:

If she sent this customer pictures and ideas with no response, was she supposed to assume that it was and order and chose the cake, flavor, size, etc. she wanted to make and charged whatever she wanted?

I'm just trying t understand how it became the decorators fault that the customer did not pick a cake design and provide flavors, dates, times, etc.

I am really confused by this.

I don't understand how the customer could have even "thought" she booked a cake when she didn't respond to even pick out a specific cake from the pictures. Even if this baker didn't require a deposit, which she said she does, no cake was agreed upon by the customer to keep the ball rolling. Like other posters said I would tell the customer that you didn't get a response from her picking out a specific cake so you couldn't proceed.

According to the OP, the lady contacted her last night (possibly to finish squaring away the details????). Also, the OP said the lady's email stated she thought the OP had written in her date. To me (if I didn't belong to CC and know how the majority of you guys work), I would think my date was settled.

Also, she apparently has dealt exclusively with another baker for years. If this is the case, who knows how the other baker worked. This lady could be following the same procedure and has absolutely no idea how horribly she messed up. Many bakeries where I'm from never have contracts. You call the week before and you're good.

Hi there...my .02 cents:

I'm in the process of getting married. I have researched location venues, catering, etc. If the vendors have NOT received a deposit, it's a no go. When you purchase..lets say....bedroom furniture, you read the find print, right? Well, the policy is on her website- most likely under FAQ's.

I get orders too where the potential client is interested, but I never get a response. I have to move on to other potential clients who are more interested in getting a cake. The lady never responded to her e-mails. Could it be a fluke that the e-mail may be in Spam? Sure. But the lady never said she had e-mailed her on such and such date to respond. She "thought" that the cake was in the works. Businesses have FAQ's for what? FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
Just because her previous cake decorator never requested that, then tough noogies. That's not how she handles business.
Now when you get a bedroom set at a store and they didn't request your first payment until 2009, why would you assume that the other furniture store would do the same??

I agree with aswartzw - I've thought many times that some people are way too harsh with their customers or potential customers. I think that unless you told her that she had to make her deposit by ___ date, she is not a mind reader - she still contacted you 2 weeks prior to the cake being due. In her mind that was more than enough time to get the details sorted out. It is a simple miscommunication but not by her, by the baker. I'm sorry, but that's how I feel.

i too do not think she is scary, just frustrated with the whole confusion, but in all thruths it is not your fault neither no money no date simple as that, personally if the customer would of approach the situation different, maybe just said that she totally forgot , that she did not know about the deposit in a very nice and respectfull way I think you would of sympathise with her and probably have done her cake, but at this point, things got a little bit out of hand, and you know what they say, when something starts wrong it usually ends wrong (just my 2 cents)

oh my goodness!

this women has MANIPULATOR written all over her. maybe she can push other people around and get what she wants, but not you!

I wouldn't call her back, I would send her one more email and settle the matter.

Something like

" I acknowlege your preference for speaking about this matter on the phone, however, I must return to managing the orders I have for my current customers and cannot devote any more time to this matter.

I am sorry that you may have misunderstood my request for your replies when I said... (list verbadem your words where you asked for her response in all your emails)

At this time I must restate that I require a deposit to secure a cake order and full payment must also be received by xx date, as you failed to follow these requirements, which can be found at www.cakewebsite.com, you have not had a cake order placed with (your company name)

I consider this matter closed and I respectfully ask that you would cease disputing this issue."

to be nice you might add that you sympathise with her situation. Don't apologise for not doing her cake though, this isn't your fault.

Hopefully you will reevaluate how you communicate with your customers. You can never be too clear when it comes to them paying you.

Wow, thank you everyone for ALL of your comments-whether or not you agree with me!
For those of you wondering about the "scary" comment-I just hate conflict, so it terrifies me. And I think it totally freaks me out that she is reacting this way, because it is too much.
But, my point of view is:
I acknowledged FIVE weeks ago that I was available for that date, but no cake was agreed upon as she ceased communication with me. I had sent her an email with two ideas, and heard nothing until last night.
I really do not mean to be lacking in compassion, but I feel like she dropped the ball. And like I said, I get dozens of inquiries each week, and don't follow up on them(when I don't hear back), because I am out of a price range, or whatever, a lot of the time. I think that it is the client's responsibility to contact me and order from me if they are interested. When I didn't get a response, I assumed she wasn't.
As far as the deposit, I was waiting for the design to be finalized before we "talked money". So, I didn't want our first conversation to include I need you to give me money to continue. I figured that once she decided on a design, that I would send her a quote, and instructions for the deposit.
I hope that makes sense!

I personally feel that if you have it listed on your website (that you require deposit, etc) then there's no need to question. Some of us have website to contain all that info. on there for potential clients to see and for a reason.

I dont mean to sound harsh, but some people have to understand that if you're interested in something, you have to make sure you get all the details first before buying. Always check the under the hood before buying. As I mentioned, if it's listed on the website, then shame on her for not checking. We're cake decorators, not baby sitters.

For reasons like this, I spell out my terms in the initial e-mail response. Since my terms are different for cakes and other items, I always include the information so there is no confusion. For instance, someone just e-mailed me today about cookies, and how long they stay fresh because she was giving them as a gift. She didn't ask about payment, etc. but I always let people know up front what my terms are.

I responded:

Thank you for your interest!

My items stay fresh for about a week, with no problems, but I recommend
getting the order as close to the date you are giving them as possible.

I do require a 50% deposit (or payment in full) at the time the order is
placed. 72 hours minimum notice is required for orders, if less than that
is given, I charge a 10% or $5 rush fee - whichever is greater. I accept
checks (as long as it is received 1 week prior to pick up date, it can be
mailed) or PayPal.

Please let me know if
you would like to place an order.

Thanks!

this lady can't find another cake in 2 weeks??????

Babarooskie....What movie is that name from?

YES!!! I read through this whole post waiting for indydebi! Finally I was rewarded! You hit it spot on indy!

I too sympathize w/ the customer...sort of. Yes, it's a shame she will not have a cake from you...however it's her own darn fault. She should know that in this world, any business transaction is not final until the contract or $ sings!

indydebi wrote:

This is exactly what I was thinking. From a customer standpoint, if I inquired about a cake, and no agreement was made, and the cake lady starts calling asking if she's still doing the cake.. I'd begin to think she was desparate for business and would run the other way. I had a tupperware lady a few years back that borderline stalked her clients with numerous (and I mean numerous) follow-up phone calls.

Yes it's really too bad the customer is not going to get the cake she thought.. but if the OP has lots of business and this is the first time something like this has been an issue... I would say the client really should have researched or asked for a bit more information. The OP has stated that she's had many people inquire without going ahead with an order.. so to her, this very well seemed like a situation she's had many times before.

So here is the question-do I respond to the last email? Or ignore her?

This was what I was thinking of saying, please let me know if it is OK or if I should add or subtract anything

"Although I did acknowledge in April that I was still open for that date, no cake or cost was agreed upon. The agreement was contingent on you accepting both the design and price, which you did not follow up on. When your communication with me ceased, I assumed that you were no longer interested, and filled the date. Due to this, I cannot make your cake, as that date is no longer available. My policies are clearly outlined on my website.

The deposit is only one piece of the puzzle: I was waiting for you to accept the design, and did not hear anything for five weeks. Once you had agreed to the design, I would have sent you a quote and then at that time requested a deposit. When customers cease communication and do not respond to the brainstorming ideas, I assume that they are shopping around and went in another direction. Since you gave me no indication that you were interested in the cakes I sent, I thought this was the case with you as well.

Again, I apologize for the confusion. The other bakeries I referred you to are excellent, so please contact them at your earliest convenience. "

"Although I did acknowledge in April that I was still open for that date, no cake or cost was agreed upon. The agreement was contingent on you accepting both the design and price, which you did not follow up on. When your communication with me ceased, I assumed that you were no longer interested, and filled the date. Due to this, I cannot make your cake, as that date is no longer available. My policies are clearly outlined on my website.

The deposit is only one piece of the puzzle: I was waiting for you to accept the design, and did not hear anything for five weeks. Once you had agreed to the design, I would have sent you a quote and then at that time requested a deposit. When customers cease communication and do not respond to the brainstorming ideas, I assume that they are shopping around and went in another direction. Since you gave me no indication that you were interested in the cakes I sent, I thought this was the case with you as well.

Again, I apologize for the confusion. The other bakeries I referred you to are excellent, so please contact them at your earliest convenience. "

I think that's very well put and to the point. ..and I also think that your last sentence was a way of saying "don't contact me agian about this issue".

OK, I just have to add this. It is too funny. I was just telling my mom about this lady, and I was like "Her name is so familiar!" And when she asked me what it was, my mom said "Oh my gosh! That's the lady who hit me with her car last year!"
About a year ago, my mom was waiting at a stop sign on her street, and this lady rear ended her. She was a total nut job, and the insurance company (who insured both of them) told my mom "This lady is something. She has real problems".
I noticed that she has a very distinct phone prefix that only people in her town use, so I am sure that it is her.
She lives right behind my mom! This is too funny. I think I won't be sending anything now. If it is the same person, she is a total psycho you know what.

Yeah, leave this one alone!