I have a tasting tonight at 7PM, but man - I so don't want to go!!

My house is a MESS (I've been meaning to clean it for the last 2-3 weeks), I have to bake tonight for a wedding cake on Saturday, and I am SOOOO stressing out about our church dance on Saturday(which I'm helping organize and worried about it coming out okay). I know it's not a lot, but I really don't feel like do the tasting tonight.

Although, on the up side, the wedding isn't until January 2009 and is for 200-250 ppl. And thanks to you guys I will DEFINITELY tell them that due to raising grocery and gas prices, their cake will be subject to a 10% price increase if the grocery and gas increases continue as they have been. I figure I'll give them the preliminary price now and then in November/December I can tell them if the price will increase 10%.

How do you tell someone their price might increase after they sign a contract? Come up with your price and stick to it....what benefit does the customer get from a contract that might or might not change???

I have a tasting for tomorrow that I really want to postpone. So I know how you feel!

Yes, you should give them the increased price from the beginning. I t hink it's safe to assume that prices will steadily increase.

I'm with SweetConfectionsChef: Why would you go up on the price.
How would you feel if you reseved a room months in advance, but when the time for the trip arrived the hotel increased your rate due to the ecomomy?
Once you give them a price you should stick to that price.
And you got that idea from people on THIS site?

Thats ridiculous!

Yes. All of them.

I have done so many consultations that I can't stand it anymore. Same old boring couple who choses the same old boring cake. Once in a great while a couple comes along that is fun and creative and wants something different. Once in a great while.

Yes, I always don't want to do my consults! As I bake samples or print out paperwork or start to get things together, I just feel very blah about the whole thing!!

I've seen a lot of posts about increasing cost and people stuck in contracts with last years prices, I could see why ccr03 got the idea from here. I'm sure a lot of CCer's have a "prices subject to change" clause.

I've book hotels that have that clause, based on demand.

So IMHO it's not that ridiculous.

Well, I thought of one example that Doug gave on here (darn me for not remembering the exact thread). Now, don't quote me, but it's like when you go to the body shop. They give you an ESTIMATE and only AFTER they have finished working on the car and done the labor do they give you a FINAL price.

My train of thought is to give them an ESTIMATE now and then in November a FINAL price. If you read the fine print on most booking contracts (hotels, flights, cell phone bills) "prices are subject to change".

EDIT:
By bro gave me a good idea. To tell them if you book by such date the price will be such and such, but after that I can't guarantee the price won't change. I think that is fair.

I remember one particular thread where it seemed like many people were OK with the possibility of raising costs after a contract was signed, if the correct language was used to include that possibility.

Personally, that would turn me off. I feel like what I sign today as a contract should be the final cost. I would suggest that either they get your "current" prices as a benefit of booking this early, or you increase your initial quote to already include the 10% increase that you are expecting for 2009. Just my opinion...

hmm, why do you guys do this to me - making me think?!

I'll stick w/my current pricing if they book and pay the deposit by a certain date and then after that the price is SUBJECT to change. The price will only change IF they have NOT signed the contract and NOT made a deposit.

Oh, and thanks awolf24 - I'm sure we were probably looking at the same thread and you just verified that I am not losing my mind.

I know I have been getting a TON of calls from brides who want tastings for weddings next June. A YEAR away! I think they are looking to pay this years prices. My prices have "start" in front of them, and when they come for a tasting, I tell them the final price based on design. How do they know its the price I am going to change next year?. I would never tell them "subject to change". I know personally I wouldn't use anyone who might suddenly raise their prices on me!! These brides have budgets and how can they stick to their budget if the price is "subject to change". Figure out what you want to charge for next year and quote them that price. Pretty plan and simple to me!

Yeah what Loriemoms says... I do think they want this years prices...

Do you know... I have already booked 3 birthday cakes for January??????????????? They asked me how much... But I told them I didn't know yet... Call me again in Dec. 1st and I'd give them their price... Although I do have them in the books.. maybe a bad idea ?

I couldn't imagine worrying about how much things are going to go up by Dec.

Yeah, I decided to just stick with this year's prices, but I did increase the delivery charge $5 and told them that due to the raising gas prices I was only going to add $5 to the current delivery because we can safely expect the trend to continue. The bride totally understand and had no complaints.

Now the only thing I have to figure out is my christmas vacation. The wedding is Jan. 3. When the mom originally called she didn't tell me the exact date, just that it was in January. Well, I really want to go to Mexico for at least one week, I just have to figure that out now.