This is funny.

This guy emails me through my website from all the way across the country, saying that he's getting married here NEXT JUNE but would like to meet and do a tasting this month. I'm thinking, "Hmm, New York out of town money. No problem." I tell him what days I'm available, and he says OK and we plan to meet, which takes like 4 emails back and forth. In email #5, he asks about my Bake Me A Cake option (my more affordable but very limited flavor/design option) and asks why it's so much less than my standard pricing. I explain, in some detail, that it doesn't require a tasting, consult, or a deposit; it's white cake only, two layers of cake, no flavored filling, limited designs etc. He writes back that he understands that and thanks me for explaining it. THEN he goes on to say that now he has *more* questions. (I'm like, ..."great"...)

Now he wants to know if we "could find a middle ground" between my BMAC option and my standard cake, because they DO want a tasting and a single flavor (though I noticed he leaves out that my BMACs are white cake only), and they don't mind the 2-layers of cake part, but that they want colored frosting (BMAC are white with colored accents), and that my regular price of $4.00/sv is too high for them...

So...you want pretty much one of my regular cakes with most of the options and all of my time, but you want it for the BMAC price? Am I missing anything? LOL Oh--and let's remember that my BMAC cakes are for weddings of 75 and fewer, which means this guy's yanking my chain for a very small event that is over A YEAR away? Give me a break, dude, I have stuff to do today...

After laughing for awhile, I told him unfortunately there is no "middle ground" because to price each option individually is time consuming and expensive in itself, (heck, I'd already spent more time with him than I ever do on my BMAC cakes), and then...I referred him to my least favorite competitor to see if they will dicker with him on his cake wish list and wished him luck.

Ya gotta hand it to him for trying, though...

Well, he thought you were Priceline, but lucky for you, you aren't! Way to stand up for yourself and your pricing!

In my newsletter, I have a similar option. There's a disclaimer along the lines of, No tasting, no design consultation, no sketches. You need cake, I bring cake. And you can not use emails in place of a consultation. More than two emails or phone calls = cake at the regular price.

Exactly, leah, that's what I was thinking...as I read through his lengthy list of questions and requests in like his 6th email to me..."You have already wasted more of my time than a full-price cake usually takes". My BMAC cakes are like one phone call, a visa #, and I show up with a cake. Dh said he sounded like a car dealer, wanting to price out and dicker on each different facet of the cake and get a whole new price quote. lordy Like I have time for THAT nonsense. I am not that Progressive.com chick. go away LOL

Hubby wants to know if this guy negotiates a "middle ground" with his employer on payday?

I too have a similar option, although I'm not getting any nibbles on it. Everyone wants to do a change here, or a change there - what do you not understand about no substitutions?? I also state on my website that once you hold a consultation/tasting with me, this cheaper option is no longer available.

Another one from hubby: "This ain't Kmart and you wont' see any blue lights in here."

I do not offer that option - what a fricktard this guy was. LOL I had a lady email me about a cake for next year and wanted my prices. I told her I had not set prices for next year and wouldn't for several months. I told her what the prices were per serving this year. She emailed back and said that was higher than they wanted to pay and wanted to stay in the $300-500 range. Well...don't call me then! LOL She then asked if she could get a discount if she ordered a groom's cake, too.

"Self", I said to myself, "she wants me to do more work for less money I don't think so. My mother didn't buy my lunch tickets for no reason. I emailed back and explained briefly that I use only quality ingredients - not a bucket of bakery icing (not dogging anyone that does) and that it is made fresh with real butter and the fondant is made fresh with white chocolate. I also stated that I and I alone make their cake - the sugar flowers are made by me by hand...not purchased wholesale. I went on to say since I made a top quality product that I did not offer discounts.

She emailed back saying her daughter would be in touch...daughter was very much committed to having me do her cake. We shall see!!

Can't blame people for asking...but just because they ask doesn't mean they are going to get what they ask for. My dad used to say "wish in one hand and poop in the other and see which one fills up the fastest".

LOL @Denise

"Self", I said to myself, "she wants me to do more work for less money Twisted Evil I don't think so."

The way that reads on the screen is funny...=)

What gets me is they will haggle for the discount, and then email you after the wedding and say something was wrong with the cake! I bet the recent emails we have seen were clients that haggled from the get go.

I've learned that people who haggle up front will almost always not surprise you if they come back and complain afterwards. I think they study a book called "How To Be The Squeaky Wheel and Win"

DH always says, "They say the squeaky wheel gets the grease. I say, The squeaky wheel...gets replaced. Lose their name."

haha what a funny thread.

The squeaky wheel gets replaced.... ain't it the truth!

Wow! I'm a voice teacher and can totally relate. People just don't get private small businesses like they do large ones.

My step-mother-in-law made her husband commit to a rule that if the item was over 10 cents he had to offer less at garage sales & etc. She often comes up with huge stories that are complete lies to get a cheaper price and she is filthy rich! After knowing her, I realized I just can't budge for anyone's sob story. It might just be a huge lie.

My sister is having a wedding in Seattle. She didn't want to pay more than 300ish. I have no idea what she's getting. Maybe its one of those clearance cakes you were talking about. She had put a deposit down before I offered to make it. I'm glad I'm not! It'd be really simple and oh so time consuming.

I think people have no idea how much work goes into a simple cake. I didn't until I started doing it. They think, oh just make it white and put a few ribbons on it and a topper. Make it taste good, too. That's hard! I had no idea!