I saw this on the news the other night and was wondering what y'all would think of it.

http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/99_dollar_wedding_cake_20090114

At first, I thought ... . Then, I thought, hey, what a nice hook for customers if you can swing it ...

Of course, I'm not in business. So I'd really like to know what you think.

**As I just shake my head in wonder** - I don't know about the rest of the world, but I can't afford to give my cake away...maybe they won the lottery, and this is their idea of "paying it forward"...!

I'm sure it is very small, buttercream with very basic decor (border a few buttercream roses). They are probably saying it will feed 100 if you do the 1"x1"x4" serving size thus it really will only feed 50 with a typical serving size. They are only offering 2 flavors no frills at all it seems. And they are limiting the timeline of purchase...actually not a bad idea to get a massive amount of orders...kind of like the McDonalds theory...shear volume to make a buck. And they are required to purchase the cake by March 1 and the event must take place in 2009. You know there are going to be those that want more done...upcharge!

I'm not in business but I think its a pretty darn smart marketing tool. You know that the decorations can only be buttercream and really simple. They probably make a ton of choc and vanilla cakes in 3 specific sizes and have them in the freezer.

You know once a bride comes in and says I want a $99 cake she is going to add bows and frills and flowers and fluff to that basic boring cake! Turning the $99 cake into $250+ cake. I would be very suprised if they didn't end up upselling 90% of those cakes. Plus, they are getting a lot of exposure without having to pay for advertising.... smart, smart, smart!!

I actually calculated this out the profit margin would only be about $27.50 each cake, but if you booked 1000 of these cakes for the 2009 year that is $27500 in profit for 2009...500 half that $13750 and even if you booked a mere 250 for the year $6875!

And yes you know they are going to be ready for all the upcharges if a bride decides she wants just a little bit more done to her cake.

Here are the options: http://www.villagedesserts.com/Cakes-Wedding-$99.asp

DANG! Are they CRAZY...LOL! I was thinking just basic border a few BC roses in color of choice a ribbon at base but what they are showing...I don't see how they can do it for that price...that just cut the profit to next to nothing if not nothing! Some of those designs in labor costs alone would be over $50! add the ingredient cost.. and you aren't making anything at all! Not sure why they are doing this except hoping to get brides to upcharge but if you have that many designs offered I don't see why a bride would need to add anything...now I'm with Marmalade1687, shaking my head.

Yep - now that I see the cakes that they are offering - changed my mind! CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If they were doing it with the basic buttercream, couple roses, ribbon border - color choice etc...i can see it - but this - NUTS!

Gutsy move. I'd love to hear what happens and if the risk pays off in 6 months.

Wow, the brides in their area are very lucky.

wow... I set up a couple of 'discount' cakes... but I would not do all that for $99....

What if it brings in a whole new clientele though -- kind of like a "Black Friday" for cakes? This is pretty great publicity...Maybe it will work.

Wow. There was one in basketweave....I can't believe that is not an upcharge!

I dunno about the $99 cakes, but the pink lemonade cupcake sounds yummy!!!

If they were in my town I'd pay 'em a visit with a baseball bat.

That is so not cool...... severely undercutting everyone else like that.

Man.

I bet they limit how many of those orders they'll take for any given weekend. After that they "can't swing that date, we have too many cakes going for that time."

chutzpah, OMG you make me laugh!!!

Hmmmmm....Bait and Switch? Just hookin' em to reel em' in!! I know of bakery that advertises free grooms cake with every brides cake. Not sure the details but I'm sure it's small with minimal decorations

this really bothers me. even thought its no where near where i live, it still sets a poor industry standard. people will start to wonder what they are actually paying for when they pay hundreds or thousands for a cake. i mean seriously $99?? i think thats crazy.

I think I'd like to try that!!! Seriously!

I think it's an awesome idea...........I just wish I had low enough costs to offer it myself. I notice they say only ONE cake per wedding couple and that it needs to be paid for in full at time of order and NO REFUNDS. Sounds just like a black friday for cakes.....seriously though, I think it's a wonderful idea and some of the designs are very beautiful!!! My biggest fear with this is that the bride and groom would serve MY $99 cake along with some nasty wal-mart sheet cakes!! lol You know that's gotta happen w/ these cakes

I really could understand it if it were truly BASIC buttercream cakes, in fact I am thinking of trying this myself, but ONLY with a 10" 8" 6" cake truly basic decor, stacked, all components totally disposable. They can pickup if waiver signed or I'll deliver within a 10 mile round trip $1 extra per mile over. Cake tops extra. No modifications other than color selection allowed. Then if they don't like any of the $99 designs then we can start talking custom turkey!

Edited to add: I will only have 4 selections of designs available, no fillings except BC, 2 flavors (vanilla or chocolate) to choose from, and entire cake must be same flavor. Really bargain basement cakes. I mean if a bride is truly strapped for cash and doesn't care she will choose from the limited selection, if she wants more then she has to choose from the normal priced selections or custom design.

This is kind of like the car dealers who advertise the $7999 Kia Rio but it has no AC, no radio, and is a manual transmission. Most people (especially here in Texas) won't actually purchase that $7999 car, they will add the AC (another $1200), add the radio (another $300), want auto transmission (another $2000), so after it is all said & done they are actually paying $11499 for the car. Samething with cakes...offer the very low line bargain basement, no frills cake. Most want more so there go the upcharges.

Horrible thought--- but who knows if they will actually make the cake? Maybe this is a last ditch effort to save a failing business and they need a bunch of $99 pay offs to pay the rent/ lights/ employees?

I would be worried, especially at that price, if they will be there to bake for me in September 09.

Desperate marketing for a desperate bakery? NO INSULT INTENDED, if they can do it but.... buyer beware!

I agree that this will probably hurt more than it will help (everyone) in the end, but you do need to really look at & consider what these cakes are. All BC icing & decorations, the silk & fresh flowers are usually provided & set up by the florist or bride/groom family members, not the bakery. Otherwise, I don't see anything super special about any of these cakes. The decorations are beautiful but modest IMO and yes basket weave is time consuming, but I find it really easy to complete. They have started something though that will be hard to avoid for all cake decorators from now on, which is sad I think.

I wonder what they taste like?

I am from the area, its kinda making me curious. I see it says additional cake for regular price I wonder what regular price is, they might be making a little bit more money, I guarantee that anyone going in there will have to buy more cake. In this area my weddings have always been 150 - 275 people and usually all pretty large ones. Oh well maybe I should take a trip to Williamsville this weekend. If I dont get snowed in suppose to get 2-3 ft!

[quote="Ayanami"] The decorations are beautiful but modest IMO and yes basket weave is time consuming, but I find it really easy to complete. quote]

Yes but when you are paying someone else to do the work, a basketweave can take hours to do an entire wedding cake that serves 100! Most bakeries like that pay a minimum of $10 per hour to a skilled cake decorator (most actually way more) so once you consider ingredient costs of almost $50 and the decorators time the cost of labor ranging anywhere from $30 to $50 you have absolutely no room for profit anymore. I think if they were truly offering bargain basement designs in BC then ok, but when you up the anty with the designs they are showing and so many choices, THAT is what is a disservice to the industry. Offering a cake more along the lines of what you would get at a grocery store would be acceptable with this offer.

you know they are prolly shipping them in frozen....frozen cakes are cheaper than the stuff to make them, hence the only white and chocolate.

sams sells cases of 10 inch rounds and cases of 5 inch bistro cakes...in white and chocolate.

i thought of using them for "price buster" lil stacked cakes...you'd only have about 10-20 minutes in it...(if ya ever "did time" at an in store bakery).

my thought - i bet they have a tie in to some classes or something, and get them doing the requeted decorations - students are happy to practice, very easy for the bakery!
xx