Okay....I have a question for all you cookie bakers/decorators.

Cookies are very much a "side" offering at my store. I love doing them but I do mostly cupcakes, cakes, cheesecake, etc. Every once in a while I get an order for a cookie bouquet. Only one time have I known the recipients to eat the cookies....the others are all "on display".

Also, when I do decorated cookies to put out at the store everyone oo's and aw's over them but I only sell about 1/2 of them (I usually only do 6 or 8 at a time). I do have a couple of regular customers that will order a bunch of cookies for special events and that has resulted in a little more cookie business but I'm just stumped about how to increase sales off the shelf.

I can sell the crap out of regular choc. chip, peanut butter, oatmeal, etc. but I can't sell my decorated cookies off the shelf....and I only charge $1.50 per cookie!

Any ideas? TIA for any help or advise you can give.

i think maybe because some people might see them more ornamentally then eating wise so if they bought one they wouldn't be buying it to eat but to look at but they don't want to pay just to look at it.....maybe it is like art they look and browse but most of the time they don't buy...i dunno that's my theory lol

I have made cookies once where the person wouldn't eat it then and wanted to take home to show other people lol But i only do them for friends and family and people they work with, but most of the time they eat them and see them as food and go YUM! and ooo not just ooo, but they still tiny bit hesitant to eat them at first cose they say they look too good lol

Just thought i would throw that in there

Hmmm...I wonder if you could put together some sort of survey that could help you figure out why they don't buy/eat your decorated cookies. I would include the chocolate chips and stuff so that you kind of throw them off what you are asking about. Maybe you could ask about price, decorations, taste, special occassions, etc. If they complete the survey maybe you could enter them in a raffle for a small cookie bouquet.

i just read what i wrote before and just want to clear up that i didn't mean your cookies are just ornamental, i am sure they taste fantastic! i just meant that genrally that is sometimes how cookies they are perceived cose because think they look too good to eat

Put a few cookies for people to taste it (they don't have to be fully decorated and huge)... but maybe by knowing how they taste , they will be more willing to buy them!

Ok, I love the look of SC's with royal icing on them, they are beautiful, but most people's royal icing does not taste very nice. It's hard and tastes sort of metallic, or theres really no discernable taste at all. If that's what you're making, (royal icing I mean) maybe people have had the type of experience I have had and are afraid to go out on that limb. (I won't buy that type of cookie to eat unless I've tried them and know they're good.) Maybe you could make some very small sample cookies and put them out on the counter and let people see how good yours taste. Then they'd see that they are more than pretty to look at!

I have the same experience, customers go crazy over them, and if they do buy, they buy one for a gift. I charge $3.49 which is still cheaper than most places! I mainly believe it the price, WHAT $3.49 for a cookie! I have sampled and they just get crumbs all over and still don;t buy!

I agree with some of the above comments. Put out several for taste tests.

I am probably the only person here who LOVED Cookies by Design cookies. I never bought the big decorated cookies though because they were like 800 calories a pop. Instead, I'd buy little bags of small round cookies with a dollop of icing. Maybe size is an issue for others as well?

My dad actually schlacks (sp) any cookie I give him. Then he strings them up on a ribbon in the kitchen to display them. He has some that are a few years old if you can imagine that. Actually, he schlacked one and left it out on the table. My aunt wandered along and decided she was hungry. She ate the entire cookie before telling my dad that it was a bit hard. He told her she'd eaten a schlacked cookie. She was certain she was going to fall over and die and he was worried that his collection would be incomplete. Clearly, my family is nuts but they eat my food so they can't be all bad.

That's funny about the shellacked cookie, Bella!

I also agree size might be a factor -- I know so many of the great copper cookie cutters are BIG! I'm taking a second look at my tin cutters because they are often a smaller size.

I like fresh cookies, and it's kind of disappointing to hear people say they're "saving" the cookies. I tell them to eat them, because I'll be making more!

Bella, you are KILLING me over here! That is SO something my sister would do! I mean eat the cookie then inform me that it was a little hard! Did she end up getting sick on it?

This very interests me. I have the dream in my head to start a cookie business, but did not found a courage yet.
Anyway, I was thinking what I would do. First what type of style are you displaying? I would go to theme as - pirate cookies (pirate, ship,etc), than girls (princess, crown, wand, dress..) to mostly give an idea to parents for BD party favors. Holidays - always be ahead - now I would have on display Father's day Cookies (tools, shirts, cars, sport...). Maybe if somebody say ooo - answer - "check my cookie brochure for any party ideas, they are great as favors."......If anybody order a cake, mention cookies to go with the occasion. You have a very GOOD price there!!!
Just a thought.

What about putting a simple pretty sign that says, yes they taste as good as they look. That might help a bit.

I can't give an opinion about the reasons for them not selling, but Bellatheball,
I can really relate to your dad. My mother can't bear to eat my decorated cookies. I tried twice..once with decorated Easter egg cookies and once with mittens. I had about 6 in a vase and they would sit around for months in their little wrappers cause she thought they were too pretty to eat. On the mittens, she brought them back to me a year after I gave them to her. She thought I might want to use them for decorations. From now on I only give her plain icing...no decorations.

Haha, I agree with the previous comment. I think it would be really nice yet it will add some extra cost to have it say "they taste as good as they look" on the cookie wrapper or what-so-ever. But honestly, I don't think you need to worry whether they keep it or eat it because once they pay for it, it's up to them to deicide what they want to do with it. Plus you'd probably get yourself out there even more because you'd have cookies on display in their homes or offices and people would ask about it.

I would also suggest giving small samples or having a deal such as 5 for $x.xx just so it can sound a lot cheaper -- although your cookies are already well priced.

Mel, she never did get sick. Then again, if you have an Italian aunt in your family, you'll realize that you'll hear all about their "bowels" whether then eat a shellacked cookie or not.

Maybe people are associating the taste of your cookies with those of a popular delivery chain and those have no taste at all.

Sounds like you have some good responses that should help you out.

I get the, "It's too pretty to eat" deal myself, but I have done several taste testings and people know how good they are. I guess they get caught up in how pretty they look and are proud to have them and want to show them off.

Anyway, Good Luck!!!!

cakeymom

I'll eat anything except liver, lima beans and brussel sprouts Nothing is too pretty for me to eat. And I LOVE cookies.