Jason, do you think you might have had no problems with your return policy because there werent many bakeries like yours that catered to those with food sensitivities? People who needed a good specialty cake probably would need another next year, if not sooner, so they were less likely to play these games.
This is a really good discussion on the pros and cons of offering refunds.
Ok let me put it this way, and I do believe in a return policy when WARRANTED . It is food a special made item for just that person. To me it is like trying to return a worn bathingsuit.NO RETAILER takes worn bathing suits back for hygienic reasons.They only take them back if it say ripped on first wear or fell apart on first use.You can not take back the bathing suit just because you do not like the colour anymore. In this profession there is a fine line and we have to judge that fine line on what is fact and what is fiction.We all believe in customer satisfaction, that is why we all worry when a cake walks out the door, when we leave a setup.. Places like Costco are huge not a small bakery , small bakery owners have to draw that line or they will be out of business because of refunds on cakes and goods.If one person a week comes back for a refund or even one a month and we just hand over the refund our business is now out of business. If a refund is warranted a refund should be given but if someone changes their mind that is not warranted . if word gets out that a bakery will give back money for a complaint without investigation or because you changed your mind that business might as well close their doors now.
Eeewww! Good job grossing me out, it has rarely been done
I used to know people who lived in low-income housing, got food stamps, had 4 cars, a 500 gallon aquarium with $200 fish in it, and the woman got her nails and hair done and they bought good clothes and shoes. When they wanted a new pair of shoes, the husband would take the worn, dirty ones back to the store and pitch a fit until they let him exchange them. They did this all over town and even drove 40 miles in all directions to do it in other towns. They scammed restaurants, changed the price of meat at the grocery store, and went to rent to own places and never paid them. They were just that type of people, and they exist all over.
I made the mistake of making them a 3D cake, and a sheet cake to cut. I didn't know to charge first, back then (or that it was actually illegal to charge!) and even though I lived 1/4 mile from them, saw them drive by 5 times a day, and spoke to them about 5 days a week, they never had any intention of paying for their cakes! I realize that now, but I tried so hard to get paid back then!
I saw her last year, and she talked about a sweet 16 for her little girl, and price doesn't matter, it has to be 3 tiers, and yadda yadda...$350 is just fine! blah blah.....Until I told her that payment was due before I cracked the first egg! Her story changed and they got an illegal home baker to make up a monstrosity that looked like my 3 year old made it. She charged them .75 cents a serving and it was too much! And I was laughing my head off!
Costco aside, it seems simple to me. You know that this woman is trying to get something for nothing. You know that the cake was fine because you had feedback from other people and you tasted the cake scraps yourself. You offered her the cupcakes and she refused.
It will do absolutely no good to meet with her, so it's a good thing that she doesn't want to. If she contacts you again I'd tell her one more time that your only offer was the cupcakes, you know that the cake was fine, and that you won't be giving a cash refund. Then watch your online reviews, because she sounds like a bad review wench.
In the future, you might want to implement a minimum order amount., I don't know what the cake was, but you're talking fondant and birthday party for $58, so I assume that you're charging about $2.50 a serving. That's way too low for anything covered with fondant. If you raise your prices a little you might eliminate the bottom feeder clients who try to haggle you down. Set a minimum and stick to it, that will eliminate a lot of deadbeats.
I agree with the minimum. I have a high one, but it weeds out people with certain mentalities. One slipped past me awhile back, but I caught it before I made the cake, refunded her money and wished her well finding a new baker.
A
Original message sent by VanillaSky
Jason, do you think you might have had no problems with your return policy because there werent many bakeries like yours that catered to those with food sensitivities? People who needed a good specialty cake probably would need another next year, if not sooner, so they were less likely to play these games.
That's definitely a possibility. There are actually a few other options for gluten-free cakes in the San Jose area, but most of our birthday cakes were at least nut-free so the only alternative for parents would have been making it themselves. Sometimes even that wasn't an option, since some schools did not allow homemade cupcakes or cakes in the classroom due to allergy concerns.
The same thing can be said for any business with a strong competitive advantage though. For example, if you have exclusive flavors or products that are popular locally or superior decorating skills, your customers will want to stay on good terms with you so they can place future orders. Even without a competitive advantage, if you make high quality products you have inertia working in your favor -- customers tend to stick with businesses they have had good experiences with rather than risking their big event on a new vendor.
Honestly, if I don't like a meal I ordered I just mark it up to experience and don't eat there again.
What is wrong with people?
Food is not something you can promise everyone will be satisfied with in terms of taste. It's subjective.
You make the best product you can. It will be the amazing to some and sawdust to others.
If she was a normal person, she'd just find a new baker.
I'm with everyone who said she just wants to have her cake and eat it, too.
Don't worry about losing business from her because of bad mouthing.
Everyone at the party knows what your cake really looked like and how yummy it was.
Her sour remarks can't take that away from you.
Stand your ground and cross her off as a non-customer.
mommachris
Originally Posted by costumeczar
Costco aside, it seems simple to me. You know that this woman is trying to get something for nothing. You know that the cake was fine because you had feedback from other people and you tasted the cake scraps yourself. You offered her the cupcakes and she refused.
It will do absolutely no good to meet with her, so it's a good thing that she doesn't want to. If she contacts you again I'd tell her one more time that your only offer was the cupcakes, you know that the cake was fine, and that you won't be giving a cash refund. Then watch your online reviews, because she sounds like a bad review wench.
In the future, you might want to implement a minimum order amount., I don't know what the cake was, but you're talking fondant and birthday party for $58, so I assume that you're charging about $2.50 a serving. That's way too low for anything covered with fondant. If you raise your prices a little you might eliminate the bottom feeder clients who try to haggle you down. Set a minimum and stick to it, that will eliminate a lot of deadbeats.
Excellent advice Kara.... I'm going to increase my prices so I avoid these kinds of clientele. I'd rather spend time on orders worth the money.
This woman told me she was new to the area and I tried to be nice to her by not charging her for the fondant work.... looks like it doesn't pay to be nice nowadays :-/
AYou should have a very clear contract and a signed one for every order. I would never negotiate the price Walmart Costco etc. Has set prices!! if they can not afford it then get something they can afford. I had a wedding cake that the customer didn't store correctly and the colors faded it was very unfortunate but I have a clause stating that I am not responsible after setup however I gave a gift certificate for a small cake ( since it was displayed and ate) the client ordered a new small cake and loved it. She is now a return client and has brought me more orders from friends and family. Which made the good faith gift certificate worth it.
I had this EXACT thing happen to me recently. The customer also had an issue with price and decided on a decorated sheet cake instead of a tiered baby shower cake. I had ALSO baked several of the same cakes for other clients who thought it was delicious. I happened to have the actual leveled piece from the morning as she called me to complain. The cakes are always moist and so it was in this situation. The customer complained that it was dry and no one finished their piece and so she threw it away. I told her I was surprised, and had never received a complaint on this cake before. I also explained about the other cakes and that i had personally tasted the piece i had leveled and found it to be moist and flavorful. NOTHING was wrong with this cake, but in a true effort to be professional (while fiery mad) i offered either a small% off her next cake order or i offered to make her a small plain cake in a different flavor, suggesting that maybe it was the flavor she didn't approve of. She took the free cake and then parted with the words that she should have just bought her cakes from costco as she normally did to save all the trouble. No surprise but i never heard from her again. Moral is you cant please everyone, so be professional in your reply and chalk it up to experience.
I was really worried the first time that I had to stand my ground abut a cake. My Dad told me that if you refund someone who has no proof, then word gets out and every cheap skate will order a cake from you. It happened 3 times in the first year and never again in the last 13 years. chances are that if she complains to someone who mentioned they were getting a cake from you, they already know her as a cheap skate complainer.
If it clears your mind, give her a gift certificate! No money refunded and the cost list low to you.
Keep your head up and don't let a miser get the best of you!
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%