Hi guys. Please shed some insights with a particular issue I'm facing. I am a "home baker" with a full time day job and decorates cookies on the weekends. I made cookies and brought them to the office before. My boss loves them would like me to make 50 cookies for her friend who is having a 50th birthday party for her parents. She asked me how much it would cost to make the cookies for her. I quoted her at $3/cookie. She said $3 is very similar to retail price and since she is placing an order for a big batch (50 cookies), I should go lower on the price. I feel that $3/cookie is very reasonable for a cookie that measures 3"x3.5" with 4 colors. I have attached 2 pics of what the cookies look like. It was taken with my camera phone so I apologize for the pic quality. I also have a request to make bridal shower cookies of a dress. I am thinking of charging about $2.50/cookie since it is smaller.
Are my prices justified?
Oh, you cannot charge less than $3 for those! They are gorgeous and the design is so nice. I'm assuming your boss wants them individually packaged as well? And 50 cookies is NOT bulk.....don't know where your boss got that from. You know what indebi always says? Tell your boss to shop around and see what the prices are out there (let him/her do the legwork) and then he/she'll come running back to you!
just because she's ordering more cookies doesn't mean you're getting the ingredients cheaper!
Tell her all 50 cookies doesn't do anything but cause you MORE time spent decorating, baking, bagging, and cleaning up.
there is no discount to the customer unless you get a discount on your supplies!
I think your prices are very reasonable... I charge about $1 per inch for my decorated cookies. Just remember, what you charge is up to YOU. Your customers do not get to dictate how much YOUR work is worth. Stand firm, and if she wants the cookies, she'll pay your prices... if not, no biggie. There will always be another job to come along.
I think your pricing is reasonable, especially for a 3"x3.5" cookie. Will you be packaging each one as you've done in the photo?
I guess you could give her a small discount if you wanted to, just to keep a customer, but if she doesn't want to pay anything for them, tell her to go buy a box of oreos and call it a day.
Thanks for all your encouraging words!
I do feel that my price was reasonable especially when it does come with the packaging of the bag and ribbon! Since I have never sold any of the cookies, I was not sure how much to charge. Reading on the CC forums, I felt that $3 each was very reasonable, with my skill level - I am still a novice after all. I am finding a hard time time putting into words that my cookies are worth my quoted price without coming across as rude or greedy.
To the boss: "50 cookies is not enough for me to buy supplies in bulk at a lower bulk price so my quote is my price for these cookies. If that's not within your budget I understand."
You don't even have to explain yourself; just say, sorry but that's the price and move onwards.
Trust me when i tell you, i NEVER got a repeat order or a referrel order from ANYONE who i gave discounted prices or freebies to. The ones who come back to me are the ones who paid what i quoted, period.
Oh yeah, and don't you just love the ones who say that you'll get a lot of business from them (knowing that you're trying to get your name out there), just to get a lower price. I will never forget the one time agreed to make chocolate favors for a company dinner. Before i quoted them a price, they said that i'd get lots of exposure from this order......blah, blah, blah.............I gave them cost price (don't forget, chocolate costs a lot of money and i boxed them nicely as well)....didn't make a penny....worked really really hard.......................and got not even ONE order from there. Not worth it.
With the 4 colors and packaging individually my prices would be $5/ea. Like others said, 50 cookies is not a large order. Now if she wanted to place an order for 250+ and do it weekly or monthly, then I might consider giving her a break. But 50 cookies doesn't even use a 5lb bag of flour, and ingredients is the only place i would be saving money, I would NOT discount my time.
With the 4 colors and packaging individually my prices would be $5/ea. Like others said, 50 cookies is not a large order. Now if she wanted to place an order for 250+ and do it weekly or monthly, then I might consider giving her a break. But 50 cookies doesn't even use a 5lb bag of flour, and ingredients is the only place i would be saving money, I would NOT discount my time.
It's ONLY 4 dozen cookies. Why does she think that's a BIG order.
I luv'd telling people who asked for a discount for a 'whopping' big order of 4 dz: "I have a client who gets a discount because they order 20 dozen cookies every single day. THAT'S what I call a big order. Now ... how many cookies were you wanting?"
4 dozen? I'd throw that many away in scrap! 4 dz is barely worth turning on my oven!
Ditto !!
On all the above coments....
But if you feel you must give some small discount because she is your boss.. (I wouldn't but I do understand the situation) my husband has me fill out my order form with the full price (yours is right on @ $3) & then show the discount.. that way she knows exactly how much you charge & what you are doing for her.. plus you have it for future records.
Don't short change yourself :0)
If she wants them cheaper, offer to make them and she can package them herself. $3 is a steal.
It's ONLY 4 dozen cookies. Why does she think that's a BIG order.
I luv'd telling people who asked for a discount for a 'whopping' big order of 4 dz: "I have a client who gets a discount because they order 20 dozen cookies every single day. THAT'S what I call a big order. Now ... how many cookies were you wanting?"
4 dozen? I'd throw that many away in scrap! 4 dz is barely worth turning on my oven!
Indydebi! You are too funny.
debi, i knew you'd have a great answer. You just crack me up! You are so right. An order worth discounting is one that is a large standing order whether daily, or weekly.
Those are not 'quickie cookies' and are very well done. Stand firm on your pricing. Very firm. I can see the time that went into those, the quality and with the sizing as well, $3/cookie packaged is good. Again, stand firm. If you waver, read Indydebi's comment again.
By the way, very nice designs and great job on those!
It's ONLY 4 dozen cookies. Why does she think that's a BIG order.
I luv'd telling people who asked for a discount for a 'whopping' big order of 4 dz: "I have a client who gets a discount because they order 20 dozen cookies every single day. THAT'S what I call a big order. Now ... how many cookies were you wanting?"
4 dozen? I'd throw that many away in scrap! 4 dz is barely worth turning on my oven!
*LOL*...indydebi... dont ever leave us.... your realistic view combined with a twist keeps me smiling even when the day has handed me my own hind end!!!!! Thank you!!!!!
Tell her that is a discount, the going price is $5 per cookie.
Perfect answer! lol And as Debi said, 4 dozen is not a "large" order... liek is aid I charge about $1 per inch and that does NOT NOT NOT include packaging/ribbon/tags/labels, etc. That's just for a cookie... the price you quotes her is a DEAL!
This kind of thing drives me crazy about how it's "close to retail". Your products are homemade, custom cookies. If she wants "retail", go get retail.
This kind of thing drives me crazy about how it's "close to retail". Your products are homemade, custom cookies. If she wants "retail", go get retail.
Exactly! I've gotten those retail comments also. I said this in another forum that it amazes me how people assume that they should be getting something for less from you when you are custom making an order for them. I bake other cookies, too (choc chip, butterscotch, etc.) and sell them by the dozen of the same flavor. I had a lady want a dozen of six different types and was put off by the very reasonable price that I quoted her. "I want to try two of each of those flavors," she says. Excuse me, I am supposed to make six batches of dough just to scoop off two cookies and you want them for next to nothing? Do I have McDonald's-I-can-sell-these-3-for-a-buck written on my face? Sheesh.
$3 per cookie is a steal and stand by it! Those cookies like great.
*steps down from soap box.*
Excuse me, I am supposed to make six batches of dough just to scoop off two cookies and you want them for next to nothing?
I had similar things with catering. People dont' understand that a caterer is not a restaurant.
had one lady from a corporate client who wanted a dessert buffet and also a lunch-for-one for their special guest. She asked for tea as the drink. I asked if there was a special kind he liked. She asked if I could bring 4 or 5 kinds so he could pick. I said, "As long as you're ok with Snapple. I'm sure you understand how I can't go buy 4 or 5 six-packs of tea ... 24 bottles ... so he can pick: ONE."
She said she thought I might have those on hand. I said .....
"I'm a caterer, not a restaurant. A restaurant buys food on spec and hopes someone will come in and order it. A caterer takes the order and THEN goes to buy the food. I dont' keep anything "on hand"."
They are so used to the drive-up windown mentality.
It's ONLY 4 dozen cookies. Why does she think that's a BIG order.
I luv'd telling people who asked for a discount for a 'whopping' big order of 4 dz: "I have a client who gets a discount because they order 20 dozen cookies every single day. THAT'S what I call a big order. Now ... how many cookies were you wanting?"
4 dozen? I'd throw that many away in scrap! 4 dz is barely worth turning on my oven!
*LOL*...indydebi... dont ever leave us.... your realistic view combined with a twist keeps me smiling even when the day has handed me my own hind end!!!!! Thank you!!!!!
I totally agree with BFisher2. Indydebi, your experience and no-nonsense attitude is something we should all get daily doses of!
Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement! It feels very good to have a community who shares the same passions as you do and who believes in you, even on days when there is doubt. All your comments and confidence in me really helps me learn about self-worth.
Thank you all!!!
I agree with akgirl10. Give her the discount and let her wrap them herself. I had a similar situation happen to me with a party planner. I told her my price was my price. Sure the cookies don't really cost that much to make, but your time is what you're being paid for. It takes a long time to bag and tie cookies and clean up the mess after you're done creating.
.......and like i said in a different thread, the amount of money people are willing to pay for cakes, or miniatures is quite surprising; but when it comes to cookies, they do have the scoop and drop view and don't realize the amount of time it takes to decorate. Even my husband didn't realize until he watched me work on cookies 2 nights in a row.
People think that if you're making these at home, it should be cheaper cuz there's no overhead, and it's assumed you're a beginner if you don't have a storefront.
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