Customer Asking For A Reciept For Ingredients To See Cost
Business By GypsyQueen Updated 18 Oct 2010 , 10:07pm by CupQuequito
There's a trust issue. Obvious her friend thinks that a 3 tiered cake's cost less than 20 dollars and didn't trust her friend to give her true cost amount. I would be offended. Even before I was into cakes, I knew enough that a 3 tiered cake was much more than 20 bucks.
Where do you get your supplies? I cannot get a 3 tiered cake to equal 20 dollars in cost.
Exactly. The reason I would take offense at this is because it shows a complete lack of trust. In essence, she was saying that she didn't trust her to tell her truthfully how much the ingredients cost. Basically, "I think you might be lying to me and trying to get more money out of me". And it's extremely ungracious of her, considering the generous offer.
You offered to do it for cost, then were offended when she wanted to see how much it was?
What's the problem wanting to see the receipt?
When a car dealer sells cars for cost plus $200 they show you their receipt before you give them the money.
If the fact she wanted to see the receipt, means you don't want to be friends with her any more; then you didn't have much of a friendship anyway.
Actually, the op didn't state she offered to do it for cost...
...I quoted her $20 for a 3 tier 2 layer cake covered in fondant. I told her she could even choose 3 flavors for all 3 of the tiers. I let her know that it would actually end up costing me more than $20 but I'd cover the rest...
I told her it was short notice but that I would do it and just do it for cost. I quoted her $20 for a 3 tier 2 layer cake covered in fondant. I told her she could even choose 3 flavors for all 3 of the tiers. I let her know that it would actually end up costing me more than $20 but I'd cover the rest. When I quoted her the price she agreed to $20 but requested to see the store receipt for the ingredients I had to buy.
emphasis mine
See there...while I did read the entire thing...The following sentences seemed to cancel that out in my mind. Like, "Yeah, sure I can do it. I'll just charge you cost." But, because it was short notice and to get her off the phone and get onto the task and possibly to satisfy the anxious friend as to how much it's gonna cost...."20 bucks. It'll cost more than that but I'll take care of whatever the excess is."
I know that that ain't what was said...just that in continuing reading caused me to mentally cancel out the initial comment of doing it for cost.
my bad...I am so terribly sorry.
You can always offer to do it in trade.
"So the cake will cost me $40 in ingredients & supplies plus 15 hours of labor...sooo....that will get me (let's pretend she's a hairstylist) ummm what 3 cut & styles and 2 highlights jobs?." They get a better idea when it turns into their labor.
You can always offer to do it in trade.
"So the cake will cost me $40 in ingredients & supplies plus 15 hours of labor...sooo....that will get me (let's pretend she's a hairstylist) ummm what 3 cut & styles and 2 highlights jobs?." They get a better idea when it turns into their labor.
good one! 
That's such a good point...I feel a blog entry coming on...And I'll credit you for pointing that out.
I'm gonna be famous
Hahaha, Don't get too excited! I had to call you "HerSponge" because I don't know your real name, obviously. It's going up on Friday.
Just out of curiosity, how is your friendship faring now? Does she still talk to you after all of this? If she was so shallow as to not think of your time and what effort goes into a cake of that magnitude, not to mention waiting until the absolute last minute to try and order a cake for her own child at such a late hour, then I would think that she would be blaming you for the party being a "bust" due to not having a themed cake.... If that IS the case, my suggestion would be that the next time you have a cake to make for an event, make sure you keep all of the receipts for ingredients(as well as price out what you already have on hand- ya know, 90 cents for a tsp of extract, etc.- and show it to her) THEN add in the hours of prep work, baking, cooling, torting, etc. and SHOW her THAT so that she gets a clear picture of what it was that she was asking of you, and what type of challenge that you ACCEPTED because you care about her as a friend. Then, maybe next time, she wont be as self absorbed as to EVER make a request like that to ANYONE, not to mention you...
She has been fine since. She isn't a close friend or anything, just someone I have known since I was little and have always been friends with. I don't see her much because our schedules and lifestyles clash. Her party was a disaster because of her not me and no she didn't blame it on me or anything lol. It was all her decisions (just like the last minute cake idea) that led up to her lame party. I've talked to her since and she has acted normal.
Her: I'll want to see the receipt.
Me: (assuming my gramma pose of crossed arms, peering over the top of my glasses and managing to "look down" at her face while I tell her) I'm giving you a $300 cake and you want to see a receipt to justify paying twenty lousy bucks for a copyrighted themed cake that will take me hours to make, not to mention driving 2 hours to get it to you? Is that what you just asked me? (stand back, keeping arms crossed, enjoy the hemming and hawing and stammering).
Cross her off. The fact that she asked you the day before shows she has no clue and no respect for what you do. You're just an acquaintance that she can use for her own personal gain. I dont' even see a hint of "friendship" with this chic.
You made me laugh out loud because with the picture and how you wrote it I could totally envision it!
When a car dealer sells cars for cost plus $200 they show you their receipt before you give them the money.
Hubby worked in accounting at a very large successful car dealership. the "receipt" they show you; their "cost" is not necessarily what the dealership is paying for that car. There are several pricing levels involved with dealership pricing.
I mean think about it. No dealership can pay their very expensive overhead when they sell a car for $200 profit (and I've seen commercials where they are making the same offer for "one penny over invoice!")
really ..... just think about it.
My point was about ruining a friendship because that friend wanted to know the true out-of-pocket cost of a cake.
My friend wants to see the receipt, I might get a little pissed, but I wouldn't toss that friend over a cliff.
I've been mad at friends and they at me many times in our 40 year friendships.
Who said I was throwing away a friendship? I never said I wouldnt be friends with her from now on. I guess you didnt read the part where I said I still went to her party the next day.
At the Sizzler I don't ask to see the invoice for the steak and potatoes.
At hair parlor I don't ask to see the water bill when I get my hair colored.
At Starbucks I don't ask to see the bill for beans and creamer in my coffee.
I ask, 'how much for this wonderful service or item you are providing for me." And I pay for it or I don't.
I would have been tempted to just buy the flour, sugar, eggs etc and bring them over in a bag. With the receipt, of course.
If all she wanted was to pay for the ingredients, let her make her own cake.
Poor clueless wonder.
christyann
I love my friends, but I wouldn't turn on my mixer for 20 bucks!
Who said I was throwing away a friendship? I never said I wouldn't be friends with her from now on. I guess you didn't read the part where I said I still went to her party the next day.
It wasn't you, GypsyQueen, it was just that some of the other posts seemed to say 'dump her as a friend.'
That to me is so... excessive.
At the Sizzler I don't ask to see the invoice for the steak and potatoes.
This has nothing to do with the topic, but I love the word "Sizzler" after watching the Kids In The Hall. "My name is Jerry Sizzler...and this is my sister...Jerry Sizzler."
I guess you had to be there.
I always offer to make cakes for friends birthday party gifts. But the gift is my time...I always have them pay for the materials. Which on a toy story cake you described would be alteast $40 if not more. I find that backing out of orders that seem crazy is the best way to go. If they are weird in the beginning than you can pretty much guarentee they will be weird throughout the entire process.
Wow that is so rude of her! I've made quite a few cakes recently for friends and I've started charging for the supplies and getting the money upfront. I'll give them a quote for supplies and if they don't like it they can get one at Wal-Mart. They've all paid it of course. I've only done one cake for $20 and that was for an 8" round cake covered in fondant with fondant cut outs. Every other cake has been $30-$40 for supplies and I generally spend all of the money on supplies.
If someone asked me for a receipt I would first write them up an invoice for the full price of the cake including my time and then ask if they still wanted to see the receipt of if they just wanted to pay the $20.
If someone asked me for a receipt I would first write them up an invoice for the full price of the cake including my time and then ask if they still wanted to see the receipt of if they just wanted to pay the $20.
Oh THAT is a good one!
good job turning her down!.. a 3 tier themed cake is quite expensive to make and quite a lot of work! She didn't deserve it!
I would have gone postal! People have no idea the amount if time, work and effort that goes into making a cake! I had a friend site and watch me make gum paste roses for about 10 hours one day. After that she had a much bigger appreciation of what we do.
I think you handled it just fine. If she wanted to pay you more (which i doubt) she wouldn't have asked for a receipt and just given you more than you asked for.
Sorry that happened to you.
I agree with lacklin, I always get 1/2 down and the 1/2 when they pick it ip. And they have to pay 2 weeks in advanced for me to do it. If not than it is 100% up front. If people want to eat cakes that are made months in advanced and frozen and shipped to their local grocery store and walmarts than you really don't want that kind of clientel anyway. And wedding cakes are paid in full 2 weeks in advanced so that the check clears before there cake goes out the door. Good for you for telling her to go else where, it is much harder to deal with friends and family so as long as they know up front how you work there is no room for eras. I also have a contract with all big fondant/ wedding or gum paste cakes that the cust gets a copy of so there is NO misunderstandings about what they signed.
$20 - holy cow!! that wouldn't even cover the cost of fondant. No way.
Wonder if she asked the store where she ended up getting her cake for a list of ingredients 
Their cost would be about $2.00, since they get everything in major bulk and don`t pay what home bakers do.
Glad you turned her down, but next time, instead of giving a price, ask what the budget is. If they give you a blank look, you can assume you were expected to supply it gratis. A good rule of thumb for home bakers: if I volunteer to bring it, it`s free - if you ask, you pay (and if it`s free, it`s my choice, not yours).
I often bake cakes for relatives and close friends. They always ask me how much. Depending on how close we are I at least ask for the cost of the supplies, if not a little more for my time if it is a special request. Mostly I find that if I offer to make my cake the gift, then they start asking for extravagant cakes that would wind up costing me more. So if I want to make it a gift, I don't say anything until delivery. It is up to me totally if I want to take something for it.
"MY GOOD FRIEND" is really a true friend that appreciates the fact that I took 2 wks to help her find the perfect cake, then let her change things around at the last minute. When I gave her the price, she wrote the check for more! I also see wanting to help someone out, I do that too. I had a family member want a cake, she wanted what I felt like was alot & I know how she was raised, they have money but her dad raised them not to spend it if you can get it for nothing. I had to tell her the price up front, I also worked with her. I'm glad you didn't do the cake. Kudos to you.
Although I make my fondant, I would have totally pissed her off by running to Michael's and purchasing even the 1 tub of Duff's to just prove a point! Then factor in the hours of just waiting for the cakes to come out of the oven. At minimum wage, 3 tiers, you're looking at (for Arizona) $21.75... you're already at $40! She was smokin' something. :p
I would have asked her "why". But I'd go with Lacklin's response.
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