Charging For Cake Samples???
Business By cakesbykellie Updated 22 Nov 2006 , 4:38pm by candyladyhelen
does anyone charge for samples or are they built into the pricing matrix everyone has?
Thanks for the feedback!
I personally don't charge, but I also don't offer a meeting for everyone. I let them know about the price and flavors and my experince before I mention a meeting. At a bridal show that I attend, there are some decorators that charge if the customer wants more the basic white or chocolate flavors.
I believe a tasting should be for the bride and groom.
and free for the person paying for the cake.
All others should be charged..or you will be decended upon by a hoard of hungry cake loving locust!
lol
I charge upfront. $20 for 5 flavours. Then if the bride and groom choose me to do their cake. I take the $20 off the price of their cake. So basically if they walk away, I'm not scammed for free cake. But if they book they get it for free.
I don't charge for samplings and I do catering also, so my samplings are cake and various hot food dishes. I invite them to bring as many people as they want who may want to help with the decision (the most was 7). My booking rate is pretty good, so this has not been a problem issue for me.
I charge, too. If they book, I refund the price of the tasting. If not, I'm compensated for my time and product.
I charge $30 for 10 flavors (5 premium + 5 standard) for a maximum of 3 people. My booking rate is just over 75% right now. When I wasn't charging, it hovered around the 55 - 60% range. The fee, I think, has weeded out the ones just looking to score free cake.
I charge $25 for 3 cake flavors and 3 fillings at bridal consultations. If they book their wedding cake order with me AT THE CONSULTATION, then I apply that $25 towards their cake order. If they call me 2 weeks later and book their cake order, they don't get that little perk. Just an incentive I use to help make the sale at the consultation.
If someone wants to taste a flavor that is ordering a regular cake (and by that I mean any cake that isn't a wedding cake), they can purchase a 4" cake from me for $8. I've only had one person actually ask for this though. Most of my customers have come to me by word of mouth, so they trust that the cake is good.
I personally like how Duff has it (it's listed on his site)... Get the CC #, put the "hold" on the dollar amount... Then if they're a "No show" the card gets charged
Every "freebie" tasting I've had set up so far has canceled out on me with no call or show causing me to say there's a tasting fee. BUT, I also tell brides that if they're willing to come in when I'm baking other cakes that I'll wave the fee. I've had one cancel that way and needless to say, she's not going to get another chance at a freebie.
Yes, I understand the importance of a "Free" tasting, however, I like the idea of getting some sort of deposit towards the cost of things that's later reimbursed, or doing tastings every once in a while that are open to the public for free.
I give two free small samples (small meaning 6 x 2 buttercream, nondecorated) in two flavors of their choosing. After that it's $5.00 per 6 x 2 inch cake sample.
I have not done a tasting-per say, but if I do I will definately charge with reimbursment if the cake is ordered. I have done a complimentary 6" 2layer cake decorated the same as the wedding cake would be-with about 50/50 ordering/not ordering. In the end I feel taken advantage of-all that time of making the cake, helping them pick a design, pricing then nada. Just not for me!
I have done one free tasting so far and got booked. I had one also scheduled the following day and cancelled an hour before our meeting and never heard from again. That time I didn't mind because I already had some cakes available. I would have been teed off if I had to bake just for them. I'm considering charging for next time. At least they would take it more seriously. For those that charge for them, do ask them for $$ in advance? It's just that if thay pay at the same time as the tasting, what if they cancel at the last minute? Then I would have made the samples for nothing!
I charge $20 for two flavors of cake and filling and they have to pay in andvance. The money is NOT refundable, unless they place an order.
I do not charge for a bride tasting. I don't do them for regular cakes. I have had very few tastings where they don't book. It's just part of the business. I only offer one cake flavor & my buttercream frosting. That's it.
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