ok gals, (and guys!) i have to rant! i met with a woman who contacted me about doing her daughter and son's birthday parties. these were 2 separate parties on 2 separate sat. we discussed what she was looking for, what she was looking to spend. i then emailed her the ideas i had after i had a chance to look into them. a full cupcake bar for the girl, for 12 guests, with cookie favors personalized for each, with a price of 68$, this would be providing uniced standard cupcakes in 2 flavors 2 for each guest, plus icing, sprinkles ect. and then one personalized crown cookie for each child. we also set up her sons party with 3 dozen cupcakes decorated with toppers, and a giant cupcake for the cutting cake, for 101$. a wk before the first party, she emailed me and says that another bakery that i am familiar with offered to do it cheaper... well, i was offended first that she was still looking when we had agreed, and then that another bakery would do that. i know this bakery well, and i know that their cupcakes are NOT cheaper, nor are their cookies!! i held my tongue, and told her that was fine, good luck! i realized later that she was probably trying to get me to lower my prices, but they are pretty darn low as it is!!! should i have tried to negotiate?? i only do a couple orders a wk, my choice, due to my recent back problems. but i was excited to do a cupcake bar, so i was dissapointed, but i cant work for free!!!

Steph,

I am not sure about American prices, but I know I undercharge and I must get better at it. I think you have done the right thing, if you feel your prices are good - sounds like she was trying to get you to reduce them and you have called her bluff.
Its not good when people agree a contract with us and then still go looking for better prices ... bit suspicious I think!

Don't lower your prices. You don't need an order so badly that you would be doing it basically for free.

you seem extremely reasonable...DO NOT lower your prices, it is hard to increase them once you go too cheap...also it will help "weed out" the kinds of clients that do not appreciate quality work. I have been told before that I am a bit pricey, but then I have people calling and fightinng for booking spots, so I must be do something right. Stick to your guns, just consider it a blessing is disguise that is how I always look at it.

OMG the same thing happened to me yesterday
So a lady saw my work at my sisters baby shower & she calls me the next day ordering 5 dozens for her baby shower we agreed on everything colors, flavour, quantity, price etc..
I even started shopping for what she wants..
she emailed me yesterday saying she thought about it & she no longer wants to have the cupcakes...
maybe what pissed me off most was the fact that she emailed me instead of calling ..
plus now i learned a lesson to ALWAYS take a deposit

I dont think you should lower your price you know how much they cost plus cupcakes DO take alot of time to decorate ..its not easy
Better luck/customer next time

yeah, angel, i should have! u know i thought more about it, and when we were meeting there were things that she said and did, that at the time i didnt really think about, but now, i look back and think i should have seen this coming! like, she said, oh u dont take checks do u? well, she had told me they were moving to the east coast in dec, so no, sorry. and of course she didnt have cash with her, and she was like oh my husband is on duty for 3 days but i will get the card and pay you after he gets home....yeah right. nothing, until i sent her an email saying i needed payment of some kind in the next 2 days if you want cupcakes at your daughters party. i got the email right after that. i am sure she ended up at walmart!

Sometimes it just works out that way. I had a bride who narrowed it down to me and another bakery. the other bakery was HALF my price. I told her, "I'm sure they'll do a pretty good job for at that price. Let me knwo what you decide."

She decided to spend twice as much with me.