I just had a customer that ran me through the ringer! She called me last week for a cake that she wanted yesterday which I agreed to do but because of the time restraints I had to make my own fondant instead of ordering it in like usual.
It took her almost 50 emails and several phone calls just to decide on how she wanted it designed. She would pick something, then change it. Then I told her to meet me for a tasting. She barely touched the samples and brought them home. Then picked one of the samples and then asked for another type cake. Then she asked me to do fruit carvings which I have never done but agreed to do. She kept adding more fruit to the already set price. I didnt say anything. I even gave her a break on the price I normally charge. She had a two tiered cake that would feed over 40 people that I charged $100 for.
So the night before the delivery I had everything you could think of go wrong. Fondant wasnt working, etc. But I stayed up all night and finished the cake. Three hours later she had called my house already four times! So I told her there was nothing to worry about and she said she would meet me instead of me delivering to the location as planned. Im about a half hour from the site and she said she was running late which was fine, I had hit traffic. Im pulling up to the meeting place and get another call and she wants me to drive another 20 minutes to meet her somewhere else! So I agree. I call her back and tell her to meet me in a parking lot. She agrees. Well 45 minutes later she finally shows up. She owed me $80 for the cake and then gives me a $100 and asks if I have change! I said no, so they went got change and she paid me. Fine.
Then, I get an email from her today complaining that the cake didnt look how she wanted it to and that it was messy and hard? Im so mad right now. After all the crap this woman put me through. Is it just me? Or what? But people like this make me not want to be a cake designer.

It seems the more you give them , the more they will take.... and not even be happy with it.... sighhhh..... I hope you did not offer a refund or anything.....

Don't let her get you down hun. I was there I saw the cake it was beautiful!!! It looked so much better in person then the photo shows because of lighting... The fruit... man that was one hectic session and I gotta say I'm sorry if my problems made for some more issues with this order lol. I think as picky as this woman was there really was no pleasing her. She could've had Duff or Toba make the cake for her and it be 200% perfect no problems at all and she still would've complained. She was just a partyzilla from the second she found you on here... I think she got well more then her moneys worth on this one and she's lucky it wasn't me because I wouldn't have driven to another location without charing an additional delivery fee, and I would've just looked at her like she owed me that other $20.~ when she asked me to break it lol... The least she could've done was to give you a little something extra for making you go to a totally different location after you were already at the first location... the nerve of some people... hope she never calls me for an order lmfao

Sorry you had to deal with someone like that. She is the type of customer that made me stop for a while. I now do only for friends or family. Just take a deep breath and remember all the others who love your cakes.

Im sure she wouldnt of been pleased with anything I did. She hasnt asked for a refund but I will not give her one. Between the gas money and the ingredients, I under charged her. Next time I think she should go to Sams club and get her cake. Maybe they will put up with her.
Right now, Im just mad. Im a little upset with myself for letting her get to me but I think I just need a break.

Well hun we liked it and that's all that matters.. it turned out great and just because she's an idiot doesn't mean you did bad lol

You were WAY too nice!

You're mad at yourself because of that - PLEASE take the lesson to heart...
Next time, NO discount, your charge is what you charge. It's "Of course I can do extra fruit, they are $ each. Of course I can wait an extra 45 minutes, it will cost $. Please sign here..."

K... I think maybe you need to update them with what emails have been stated in the last hour or so... this woman is a piece of work I tell ya.... seems like she's just out to get a refund... do NOT cave in and give her one though

Yeah, the update is that she told me that she was too embarrassed to serve my cake to her guests and that she said she went to Sams Club and bought one. But she also saw a picture before delivery and said it was "absolutely gorgeous" was her exact words. Then when I told her that she got a deal for all the work I did. That ofcourse I knew that the cake wasnt perfect but if she wanted a perfect cake she wouldnt of been charged $100 she would of been charged more like $300 and extra for delivery and all the changes she kept making and ordering a cake a week before. She told me I was getting "testy" and that I should know in my heart that it wasnt up to par. I told her that I was getting testy because she was insulting my art and my baking and next time she can go to a bakery and get a "professional" (she also told me I needed more practice, that I wasnt any good) to do her cakes and let them charge her $300 for it.
I just have no use for people like this. It was obvious that she really didnt have the kinda money she was throwing around and that she was looking for ways to get it back. She was a pain from the get go and I was leary of dealing with her. She told me she was a CC member and got my phone number from here which I know is a lie. And since my phone is unlisted, its hard to say how she got it.
I mean really, is that gift cake an "embarrassment" to you? (under my photos Lou Birthday Cake).

Reading your story reminds me of my SIL! You give her an inch she'll take a mile and then some! Read your post again and learn from it! You major over-accomodated her (believe me, I've been there). Next time, she picks up the cake (or any customer for that matter) and do NOT go out of your way again! Time is money and her time is no more important than yours! I know traffic cannot be helped, but 50 emails? She's freak'n nuts! I used to think that being assertive would make ME the BI**H, but not anymore! Better luck next time! I'm sure your cake was fabulous! Is a picture posted in your gallery? I would love to see it!

OMG!! Bring her on....... I'll just smack her FOR you !! Your cake is beautiful..... don't let her get to you !

Yes, its the gift cake called Lou. Thanks for your support!

maybe she was treating you the way she'd treat her dealer, because that girl is definitely smokin some serious crack!!!

your cake is beautiful!

Two words for her...

"B*tch, please!"

Your cake is very pretty! Yeah, I see a couple of minor issues with the cake (cake board underneath top tier showing, etc.), but nothing major. $100 was certainly a bargain.

Tell her you'd be willing to give her 50% off her next order (you know - to ease her "embarrassment"), and I'll bet she'd jump at it! LOL!

ok, how do I say this without offending you.......I think this cake is not as flawless as the other cakes in your photo gallery. The pink wedding cake - good God, it's gorgeous! And there are many others that are just very crisp and extremely well done....

You said there were fondant issues with this cake (tearing, I think) and the cardboard is visible at the base of the top cake, which maybe gives it a less formal appearance......maybe she was disappointed in the outcome after seeing your other cakes.

I would never want to offend anyone but figure you wanted honest opinions. I also think if she was unhappy with the cake, she should have spoken up immediately when she picked it up/had it delivered. That was the time to voice complaints about how it looks, not afterwards.

P.S. and I realize I have no room to critique a fondant cake as I have never done one before - I am just comparing it to the others cakes in your photos and noting the differences.... and in this case, I would not refund her a dime, nor would I offer a discount. Chalk it up to experience.

No, your not offending me. I know it wasnt perfect and I admitted that. I never claimed to be a professional baker. I flat out tell everyone that Ive only been doing this a year. So if she see's a cake that she likes and expects it to be flawless, then she needs to go see someone else. I cannot produce a flawless cake. Tasting? I have never had a complaint about my cakes being hard. My son had eatin the leveled part of the bottom cake that she was complaining about. It was sitting on the counter on saran wrap over night and no it was not hard or dry or frosted.
But your right, if she had a problem where she was going to be embarrassed by the cake (her exact words was she was too embarrassed to serve it), it should of been said at the time of delivery. She also should of said something when she saw the picture something like "this should be done" blah,blah, blah. But she said it was "gorgeous" and Soooo cuteeee was her exact words.
Im done with it though. Im not going to lose sleep over this person. No matter what I did, it wouldnt of been good enough for her. She wanted someone like Duff or a 5 star pastry chef doing her cake but didnt want to pay for it.
She had just emailed me and I told her I was done and good luck finding her fairytale decorator. And left it at that. I just know that my time is valuable. I WILL NOT EVER, go out of my way again. They want something, their paying for it. Im just tired of always feeling used after doing a cake. I do decorating for me. It makes me happy. Especially when I get the oohs and ahhs over it and the OMG's when they taste it. Ive been there. I know. Before they even knew that I was in the room and did the cake. So yah, it may of not been a flawless cake but she will not get a flawless cake and all the changes and the 60 emails where she couldnt make up her mind, someone adding extra fruit to her fruit salad for free, and her adding extra carving to it for free, she wont find that out there for a price. A major one. So Im going to walk away feeling good to know that I did my best and the little prima donna can hire someone else to make her cakes and she will pay for it dearly. And I hope she chokes on it.

you need to tell that woman to go jump in a lake and "try not to drown":::cough::: Your cake is very pretty and I think you did an excellent job..should tell her to show you a receipt of the "sams club cake" ..lol bet she aint got one and i bet she ate that cake...im sure after she paid 80 dollars for a cake that there is no way in he** that she would throw that cake away..if she did she is more of a fool then i have ever seen...

Your cake is gorgeous! I've never had a Sam's club cake, but after reading other posts, I know it can't compare to the talent you have in your cake! You gave her a VERY good deal on the cake. You should have charged her consultation fees every time you had to email her about the cake.... haha.