I saw this on Craigslist, and I'm waiting for a response...

3/3/2009

Cupcakes and happy faces - business opportunity

Simply Cupcakes of Naplesis a growing online cupcakery in Naples FL. Now, you can prosper from our experience and grow a successful cupcake business in the reading area. Enjoy the rush of owning your own cupcakery and the joy of providing an appreciated and desired product.

We show you how to make a high quality cupcake that will impress your customers, keeping them coming back again and again. We give you everything required to open your cupcakery along with the advice and assistance to make your hard work successful.

Just reply to this ad by way of email and ask for more information on this incredibly simple and very prosperous opportunity.

Sometimes the simpliest concepts are the most lucrative. We look forward to hearing from you!

"Make Cupcakes; not war"


I'm rather suspicious, but curious too!

It sounds like a franchise opportunity. Couldn't hurt to email and see what the response is.

Have you google: Simply Cupcakes of Naplesis. Also, check with the better business bureau in that area.

These are some suggestions. But you also have my curisoity going.

Let us know.

Mazz

I got curious too, lol. here it is

http://www.simplycupcakes.net/PricesSimplyCupcakesofNaples.html

I googled it. They have one in quite a bit of different areas on Craigslist. The main thing I noticed is grammar and capitalization issues which is a red flag to me that they are not "professional" listings, but maybe listings by someone who is getting paid per reply to their ad. I'd be cautious.

It does seem a little strange that their grand opening is March 6 and they are already franchising? I would call the shop directly, not reply to the CL ad, to see what is really going on.

I found this on their website:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=120348551330

It looks like all they are selling you are things you can get opening your own shop.

business cards, post cards, address labels, apron with logo, cupcake boxes, cupcake pans, recipe book, pastry bags, tips and a scoop.

And assistance in complying with local laws and requirements on operating a cupcake business, which we all know is different in every state but you would still have to either open a storefront or have a seperate kitchen from your home to bake(if you are in FL). Assistance can just be telling you where to look for the info in which case you can find it here for free.

So really, why would you pay $5000 for things you can just order from Global Sugar Art, BRP box shop.com, Michael's & Vista Print, have someone design your own logo, & set up your own website?


Edited to add: I'm not saying it's a scam or anything. It's just they are just opening and you would be paying into a business that hasn't even made a footprint in the sand yet.

They said you get to use their name too, so it does sound more like a franchise.

Just be careful and check it out. There are so many scams out there!

I don't know what to make of them but what they are doing is not different, just not the norm. It looks like they are attempting to ride the cupcakery trend like a lot of others are as well (but they are starting from the bottom up). Perhaps they are offering to teach all of the money making secrets to the cupcake baking business to the average (hence craigslist and ebay) who might not have the experience but they have $4K+ laying around and they might not be working right now.

My 2 cents is that they are just trying to make money like everyone else by thinking outside the box. And they probably don't mind ticking off every baker who has worked on their secret recipes and techniques for years in the process by making McCupcakes.

Here's an article from Wink News in this area from March of 2008.

http://www.winknews.com/features/monday/16949271.html?skipthumb=Y

I tried to bring up the video where they were featured and couldn't get it.

Their cupcakes look yummy.

Yeah- the info from eBay is the same as what I was emailed late last night. It's an idea... And I replied with the same concerns- a web link to .Net that didn't work- spelling and grammatical errors- things like 'we operate as a web based business' but they have a store opening this week... I said I'm curious, but suspicious too! I'll see what the response I'd to that and let you know! Also, they did remove the post from craigslist!

My wife and I are the owners of Simply Cupcakes of Naples and we noticed over 75 visitors on our web site from this forum today so we were curious. I would hope that those of you who are making comments have received our full information. If you have, you know that we have been in business for three years as an online cupcakery. The business has grown to a point that we needed extra equipment and space so we are opening a retail location (actually tomorrow). We are opening with a large base of repeat customers and for the most part will still sell mostly a dozen or more at a time. What we are offering people is a complete and proven business plan. It includes a web site that has online ordering, a logo, recipes and a complete manual. There is much more but I won't list them. It is not a franchise since there are no ongoing fees. We have found many people who would like to go into the cupcake business but don't know where to start. Our program allows people to start a business without making the usual mistakes. Yes some of what we provide can be ordered by anyone and people who can do it should. However, we have found many people who want to be in business for themselves but not by themselves. I invite anyone who has questions, comments or criticisms to email me [email protected]. By the way, this is not an advertisement; just an explanation.

Ken Glasgow / SimplyCupcakes of Naples[/ www.naplescupcakes.com

Wow! A resonse directly from them the day before they open! That's a good sign of a solid support system, I think!

I dont know about ya'll but now I am curious!

I emailed to the email address that was provided just now. Very curious about this.

Yeah, it's given me some food for thought.. I just don't know if I can get those prices for cupcakes around here. We;re a strange bunch up here... at the grocery, 6 cupcakes is $3.69 and I've seen the sales drop since they broke the $3 line...

Do you think the bigger cupcakes are made in that super-deep pan that Wilton makes??

I can sell the big "muffin" size ones for $5.00 depending on what I put on them.

You already have your own clientele and all of your equipement, why do you want to go that route. I think that company focuses more on people who knows nothing about baking on the whole.