Ok... I don't have a bakery or anything like that but I do make makes etc. for ppl from my home as a on the side hobby because I love to bake!!! Well I have this lady needing a baby shower cake right for Jan 19th...

Ok so first thing she does is change the date then change it back!

Then the cake she wanted now she has starting asking about other types of cakes because she's not sure if it's the one she wants and I've already purchased the supplies!!!

I was nice I told her she needed to make a def decision because time was running out and I had other people I was making things for also!

Did that sound too harsh? Because I haven't heard from her since?????

Thanks for the advice...

JBL 

Sorry this posted twice Idk why it did

Sorry this posted twice Idk why it did

It doesn't sound too harsh to me. People will keep changing things up until the very last minute if you allow them to.  Put your foot down at the beginning and let them  that after X date no changes can or will be made. Did she pay you a deposit?

your clients/friends need to understand that you are not a 'bakery' -- there are no big trucks dropping off oodles of ingredients to your door --  you get in your car and hit the grocery stores and shops yourself -- tell her you already purchased the ingredients to fulfill the order she already placed -- needs to understand that you are one person not a company that can just sell that cake to someone else, can't place those ingredients back on the shelf -- you already are out the money for them -- that you already in good faith began to meet her expectation --

even if you go with the other flavor that she wants -- at delivery you could tactfully mention this or at least when she orders next time like ypierce said --

yeah it's a pia but you gotta educate them -- best to you

Thank you.... No I didn't require any deposits because it was a friend of a friend... Kinda  wished I did now and will in the future!!! 

Ok I understand ppl have a change of heart mind etc. But how long should I give someone to change any thing? Prior to date of service?

i did not allow any changes after the last payment (and no refunds at all) and i got my last payment a good month before the event and that's for weddings but for a normal type baby shower or birthday where they aren't necessarily ordering 6 months in advance i'd say two full weeks so checks can clear and i don't have to stress -- if they order within two weeks -- pay now -- no changes -- bam

I don't allow any changes be made once the deposit is paid. Paying the deposit means they've agreed to the quote and accepted all the details of the order. Now there will be occasions that arise where changes may need to be made and I'll use my discretion in those situations but this is not one of them. Once someone makes a few changes then inquires about other things that's a red flag to me  especially if no deposit has been made. People tend to be a little more decisive when they have money invested. No deposit no order once deposit is made no changes  bc that could potentially lead to changes in price and that's a can of worms I wouldn't want to open with challenging customers. I don't see it as mean I'm running a business here and it has to be straight across the board for every customer. I can spot a challenging customer a mile away now and I have a certain set of steps I follow to reduce the amount of time I invest in the quote and ordering phase. The more time you spend on her changes the less your making on this order. Your actually being nice about it bc I would have told her "supplies and ingredients for your order have been purchased changes are not a possibility at this time the deposit was paid and the terms were agreed upon". But I believe that since you home based and not operating as a business your contract isn't binding 

that's one way to do it but if someone books six months in advance and needs to make changes two months out -- you run the risk of losing the order altogether by being so rigid -- caterers for example will take final head count that same week and sometimes even day of make a change in count so there's that too -- for me a deposit meant they booked the date not certified every last detail -- but once the last payment (of three) was made -- game on --

so for a difficult customer (you can't mitigate them all it's gonna happen) only calculate/confirm their changes after the cut off date

best to you

I allow changes subject to availability and nothing already being made up to 2 months before.  Thereafter, it's up to me if I do them or not.

Thank you for your help... Because it helped me take a stand and it worked!!!! Lol

She told me today the date had changed again!!! Well that was just the last straw!!!

I said ok look I'm trying to be as understanding as possible and work with you but no more changes or you will have to find someone else!! I have other cakes to make and I can't continue this back and forth conversation! 

Now if you would like the cake the way you last decided and the date applied today then that's fine but final!!! And I'll need cash pmt today!!

She said ok and I'm picking up cash in an hour lol

I feel much better :)

yay! good for you!