This Lady Is Starting To Get To Me!
Business By melhoneybee Updated 2 Jul 2009 , 7:38pm by bettinashoe
This lady has emailed me a couple of times with pictures of first a kind of stupid looking mad scientist cake, and then a very cheesy boring looking princess cake. These cakes came straight off of that site that teaches moms from home how to make cakes for their kids parties. Cool cakes for kids or something like that. I am just getting a really strange vibe that this gal maybe has made these cakes and thought she did a great job or something and is now trying to find out from a real custom cake business (me) what she should charge for it. I quoted her a price for the mad scientist cake (hmming and hawing all the way, because I think it is pretty darn ugly) and then she emailed me right back and asked if the price included this and that element too (just checking, she said). And then she emailed back again and said, well I will have to talk to my husband about that cake, but what about a cool princess cakes?? Like this one (insert cheesy princess cake pic) how much for this one? LOL I totally think that she thinks she's got some skills now and is trying to find out how to price her cakes! LOL I decided to nip that in the bud, because I am not here to price other people's crap! I just told her that these cakes aren't really professional level and that they are actually meant to be made by moms at home for their kids and to let me know if she wanted something really cool...I haven;t heard back yet! Have you guys ever had anyone like this, tying to get pricing on the sly? HA!
I've had a couple e-mails asking to quote this and the to quote that, and sometimes I do get the vibe that they are trying to get quotes... Like two days ago I got about 4 e-mails for a boys 1st birthday party. Like really? People have no shame sometimes... Next time I will redirect them here... lol
I've had a couple e-mails asking to quote this and the to quote that, and sometimes I do get the vibe that they are trying to get quotes... Like two days ago I got about 4 e-mails for a boys 1st birthday party. Like really? People have no shame sometimes... Next time I will redirect them here... lol
I've had a couple e-mails asking to quote this and the to quote that, and sometimes I do get the vibe that they are trying to get quotes... Like two days ago I got about 4 e-mails for a boys 1st birthday party. Like really? People have no shame sometimes... Next time I will redirect them here... lol
The fastest answer -
I'm sorry, but I wouldn't be able to quote you a price on that, as I do not copy other people's work.
How does that sound?
Theresa 
She might really like the pics. I've done several requested "reproductions" from that website.
I had a lady email me several times over (like 6-7 times over the course of a year).
Every time she would ask me what the price was for a 3-D cake of some sort, she was always very specific about the flavors/fillings and serving sizes. I did'nt catch on until about the 5th email that she was having me price her cake jobs.
The email address looked familiar so I checked all my old emails and sure enough there she was asking about 3-D cakes every time and never responding to my qoutes. I guess she was new and did'nt know what to charge so she pretended to be a customer and ask me. To tell you the truth had she been upfront about it and not wasted my time with fake inquiries I would have helped her no problem.
But with a little research I found her myspace page and all the "cakes" (I'm using that term loosely) she had asked me about.
I don't want to be harsh but if she actually charged her customers what I had qouted then there are some p!$$ed off customers out there, her cakes where a wreck!
So when she contacted me last time (about 2 months ago) I told her I can no longer give out price qoutes without a 50$ deposit and I will email her a Pay Pal invoice right away so we can proceed with the inquiry.
She never paid the invoice (although I sent her 3 reminders just to be a pain) and she has'nt contacted me again.
these stories are priceless! Love the OP's response!
Thank you, thank you! 
I am learning from the best INDY! hehe No crap takin' in my cake world! LOL
what happens when someone asks a pricing question on this forum, the majority of the advice is to contact local bakeries to see what they would charge, perhaps that is what these people are doing, emailing local cake people and probably telephoning local retail bakery locations. we/you have told them to contact you and now that the cake baker/decorator is in your/our territory we're not so willing to give advice.
what happens when someone asks a pricing question on this forum, the majority of the advice is to contact local bakeries to see what they would charge, perhaps that is what these people are doing, emailing local cake people and probably telephoning local retail bakery locations. we/you have told them to contact you and now that the cake baker/decorator is in your/our territory we're not so willing to give advice.
what happens when someone asks a pricing question on this forum, the majority of the advice is to contact local bakeries to see what they would charge, perhaps that is what these people are doing, emailing local cake people and probably telephoning local retail bakery locations. we/you have told them to contact you and now that the cake baker/decorator is in your/our territory we're not so willing to give advice.
yea...but that's only for a one time thing. Obviously these folks are "using" these decorators and asking over and over. When we give the advice it's for people that are starting out to get an idea of what the rate is in the area...not to ask a decorator every single time you make a cake 
what happens when someone asks a pricing question on this forum, the majority of the advice is to contact local bakeries to see what they would charge, perhaps that is what these people are doing, emailing local cake people and probably telephoning local retail bakery locations. we/you have told them to contact you and now that the cake baker/decorator is in your/our territory we're not so willing to give advice.
yea...but that's only for a one time thing. Obviously these folks are "using" these decorators and asking over and over. When we give the advice it's for people that are starting out to get an idea of what the rate is in the area...not to ask a decorator every single time you make a cake
what happens when someone asks a pricing question on this forum, the majority of the advice is to contact local bakeries to see what they would charge, perhaps that is what these people are doing, emailing local cake people and probably telephoning local retail bakery locations. we/you have told them to contact you and now that the cake baker/decorator is in your/our territory we're not so willing to give advice.
She has a point!!!
what happens when someone asks a pricing question on this forum, the majority of the advice is to contact local bakeries to see what they would charge, perhaps that is what these people are doing, emailing local cake people and probably telephoning local retail bakery locations. we/you have told them to contact you and now that the cake baker/decorator is in your/our territory we're not so willing to give advice.
AND, it would be a completely different story if the person would come out and say "what would you charge for something like this (insert pic)?" (Still not sure that I would help price actual individual works though!) Or what are your price ranges for celebration/3-D/wedding cakes? (This is more like what people on here talk about. Getting a feel for the ranges other bakeries in your area charge, most of the time this can be done right by looking on someone's website.) Instead, this gal is trying to disguise it as if she really plans on ordering from me! THAT is what I don't like! 
btw step0nmi I LOVE your avatar pic! So very pretty and unique!
btw step0nmi I LOVE your avatar pic! So very pretty and unique!
Thank you!
(p.s. if you look in my photos you will see that it's not all that unique, i just can't remember who to give credit to right now 
)
Has the lady contacted you again? Maybe the next time she does you could ask her if she is shopping around and getting quotes from other bakers? You could even point her in another direction...
I'm curious if any of you who've received these emails have done an ip search to see where these requests are coming from, or if you've noticed any new "decorators" selling these designs in your areas.
It's sneaky. From what I've seen on here, if you're honest about starting up, you get some honest advice and direction. The email requests just seem to be a lazy way to get someone to validate their work.
You could respond with "well, if that cake was done professionally, it would cost $____, but if it looks like the image you sent me, I wouldn't pay more than $_____"
I also love your response, KSMill. I'm going to keep that one! I haven't seen anyone on CC would would not willingly share any information they could, including pricing. If they would only be upfront and open about what they need.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%