AHi. I'm not a legitimate 'business' but I've made cakes for friends and charge a small amount, just to cover ingredients really.

I talked to a girl last Thursday, it is her eighteenth birthday, and gave her a quote and talked about cake designs, she picked the one she liked the best. Told me she wanted to go around and see other prices.

That was over a week ago, when should I hear back from her? I texted her today asking how her decision was going and mentioned i needed as much time as possible. (It's a difficult cake, lots of elements and fondant work) she said she is still deciding.

Do customers usually take this long?

Most of the time, if a client is serious about ordering from me, they do so within a couple of days (1-3) typically after a couple of emails and a call to finalize details. 

ASo she may not be too keen?

Should I give her a call?

You could contact her and give her till date X (a reasonable time that would be enough for you to prepare for the order without rushing) letting her know that you would need to know by that date to be able to execute the order properly.

AWill do. Thanks for that :)

AYou've priced a complex cake for the cost of ingredients & she wants to shop around !!

A

When you are not serious about running a legitimate business and charging appropriate prices, you are bound to run into more than your share of customers who are not serious about placing an order.

AWhat Jason said. Plus by not running a legitimate business and pricing below market you hurt every other caker in your city. Please stop, get serious, and price at market rates.

People who sell cheap cakes get cheap customers, simple as. 

 

They are the ones who mess you around all the way until the last minute, then try to find a way to get a refund afterwards, if they even pay at all. 

 

If you're making a cake for a friend, then you should know what she's like about making decisions and what kind of person she is. This is why most people who bake for friends only do it for the ones they know well enough to know that they will appreciate it and respect their time and efforts enough to not mess them around. When you start taking 'orders' from people you don't really know, and calling them 'customers', that's when you are running a possibly illegal business. 

With the exception of my infamous sister, I find that the more questions a potential customer asks, the less likely they are to order. I have no idea why or what the correlation is, but usually if someone is ready to order, they get in and they get out. If they haven't figured out what they want then they are more likely to waste your time.

 

 

Jen

I totally agree with ellavanilla too.  From my experience people who are serious get down to business and then leave it your capable hands and move on to other details.  People who ask a lot of questions and can't decide quickly aren't really interested.

A

im not hurting anyone's business, I am doing cakes only for my friends! Not extravagant cakes, or wedding cakes for 'customers' They're friends. Do you all charge friends the full price or would you give them a discount?

to add, I have a legitimate business. So i am making a cake for ANYONE it is documented, free or otherwise

You should just turn down her business, it sounds like she has no understanding of the cake world and she will not give you enough time or money to make the cake. I like to surprise my friends with cupcakes and cakes, so I don't charge them...but only if I have the time. It's my gift to them on their birthdays.   My friends are willing to pay market value, but I don't ask.  

 

If I am making a new design for the first time, I tend to charge a little less because I don't know exactly how long it will take.  Then when someone else orders the same cake, I will charge more knowing exact costs and time involved.  I am always careful, however, to always cover the cost of my ingredients.