One Minute You're Up Then Next Minute You're Down
Decorating By Lazy_Susan Updated 22 Jan 2006 , 5:26am by Mslou
Just when I was all happy about one of the nurses here at work wanting me to make a cake for her, I come in to work tonight and just get all bummed out. I was showing my cakes to the nurses in the NICU and telling them that I was going to make a 12" round cake with fondant icing decorated with fondant roses and topped with a fondant bow for a fellow employee. They asked me how much a cake like that would cost and I told them that a normal price is about $2.00 a serving (I really didn't know since I am so new to all this) but that I was only going to actually charge $40.00 for it. Then they were like "Wow! That's an expensive cake!". Then one of the nurses went on to talk about the "beautiful" cake she got for her two children that was a sheet cake and that they threw in a smash cake for free that only cost her $19.00. I asked her where she bought it and she said "Fred Meyer's" ( a grocery/department store up here like Wal-Mart). It's kind of difficult to argue with that so I just said that I could never compete with a place like that.
So now I am all discouraged. Not that I am getting in to this for the money but because I enjoy it. I guess it just made me feel kinda cheapened (if that makes sense). I am trying very hard to be a very good cake decorator. And I would hope that one day someone would ask me to do their wedding cake. That would be my ultimate.
So do I just stop making cakes for other people before I even get started? Is it that I am truly quoting them too high a price? I soooo wanted to do this 
Maybe I am not good enough? Maybe it is just MY cakes that aren't worth paying that much for?
I'm sorry to be bothering y'all with this but I appreciate being able to tell y'all about it. No one else would understand.
I need a hug 
Lazy_Susan
How can you compare a 12" fondant decorated cake to a simple sheet cake? Your price is not too high. Don't worry! No matter what, you will always have a few people that say they don't want to pay the extra money. People think they want a deal! Prove how good you are and they will change their minds. Offer something they can't get elsewhere. Make your cakes and establish your reputation before you get discouraged. My best customers come to me from other customers. Be sure to give a card or flyer with every cake you do!
Here is a great big hug! Keep doing what you love.
Susan
Look, this will pass. I know it's dissapointing and hurtful to hear such things, but it happens. People dont realise that when they get a cake from a supermarket they are getting a premixed, mass produced product. What you would give them is one of a kind. I started doing cakes for other people about 2 years ago. I work with people (I am in Melbourne Australia) that earn 40-50K a year more than me, and one time one of these ladies asked me how much i charge for a character cake, I told her that without any fillings they were $45(Australian), and she said that it was too much for her, that with her two kids blah blah blah. I didnt budge, now I realise that the $45 (US$33) was far too little, because i work fulltime i always had to take at least two of my evenings to do a cake, in the end when i took away my costs i was working for about $8 per evening, which is crazy. But at the time i did it for the love of it alone. I have never had an order from this lady, such is life. I have put an add at work, and have had 4 wedding cake orders so far, none of them have been under $250AU($US185), and no one has complained. And i have lots of orders, most started with family friends, and friends of friends. That's how it will start. Don't worry about this little incident. You'll see that when people start to realise what great cakes you make, your orders will start rolling in. I dont make any cakes under $AU100 (US$74) now. Who ever doesn't like the prices of my cakes, can go and get a cake from the Cheesecake shop (a franchise that sells cheap cakes here in Australia.)
Now chin up, and keep those great cakes coming
Nati
I think you are way undercharging for a 12" fondant covered cake. Don't be discouraged. Just remember, she is not going to get any kind of fondant cake at the grocery store and the other ones there are very generic. If that is what she is looking for (price over quality), that is fine. You will have customers if your product tastes good and looks nice, and judging by your photos, you have lots of talent.
I started decorating for the first time last summer. I have done a few paid cakes here and there. I was feeling a little down that I wasn't really getting many orders. Now all of a sudden it has just kind of taken off. I have 8 cakes for next month, plus 2 this weekend and 2 for next weekend.....
Be patient and don't let one nay sayer get your down.
Cindy
You will find people who are willing to pay for QUALITY. I have a friend whose little girl refuses to have a Wal-Mart cake....she wants mine! I teased her at her last birthday and told her that I was not going to do her cake and she begged me not to let her mom buy another wal-mart cake. Don't despair....once they see and TASTE the difference, there's no going back! 
Lazy_Susan--
Don't worry about the people who want something for nothing. Good product and outstanding ideas are something they can't get from a store bakery.
Stores don't do fondant here because of the extra time and cost (then they couldn't carge $19.00) Fondant bow added to my cakes cost an added $20-$25.00. I explained to one customer that the bow takes 2 days to make, she didn't realize that.
So hang in there. Like Wal-mart--I do tell people I can do a simple 1/4 sheet cake for $20 (of course, it doesn't look like theirs--I have my own design for simple), but that if they want something really different and great tasting, the price starts at $40.
When I have extra batter left over, I make cupcakes then take them to work as "freebies". The taste usually hooks them!
Susan, most people out there have the attitude of 'It's just cake'....that's something I've run into myself. They don't think much really goes into making and decorating one, don't even have a clue really of what all it takes to get a finished product....but they definitely think they're a good judge of what a cake is worth. That gets me... 
Something I've started pointing out to people who scoff at my making a business out of decorating cakes is this - The cakes that come out of grocery store bakeries and places like Wal-mart are NEVER fresh. It is rare to find that type of a store that actually bakes their cakes in-house. 99.999% of them are shipped to the store frozen...have been frozen for an indefinite amount of time...and will stay frozen until it's used or past their guidelines for 'freshness'. Not to mention the fact that the commercial mixes they use for the cake batters is chock-full of things that you won't necessarily find in a store-bought box mix or definitely not in a scratch cake batter. Same goes for the icing mixes they use...no telling what's in that. They're both full of 'stabilizers' and other preservative type things that allow them to be kept around FOREVER! And to me, and most other people when it's pointed out to them, that's not a good thing. lol 
When people think about it, they realize that with a small bakery business or a home-baker that they are getting super fresh cakes made to order just for them...then they start to see why they can't get a 12' fondant cake with flowers and bows for $19.99. Even for those of us who freeze cakes after they're baked, they're likely not frozen for months before they're given to a customer. Plus, being a home-baker or small bakery, we can control our ingredients much better & even customize ingredients to a customers desires or needs. Chain store bakeries would laugh at you if you went in with special requests for ingredients. And there's also the whole custom decoration(s) aspect....a big store bakery only does what it does and nothing (or not much) more for you to choose from. We, on the other hand, can at least try to do whatever the customers imagination can come up with!
This is what I would do where the nay-sayer there at your workplace is concerned...next time the topic comes up, just ask very nicely if the stores do fondant cakes; or if they do custom, unique designs. Then maybe occasionally bring in a 'practice' cake (for the break room) that you know is a good, reliable & SUPER YUMMY recipe...not just a yellow cake with buttercream filling...something that'll knock their taste buds into high gear! lol 
And decorate it beautifully and as 'unlike' a store bakery's cakes...use fondant decorations, paint on the fondant, icing colors other than white, ivory or chocolate, make little fondant nurses!!! lol Anything you can do to make it unique and beautiful and not like anything you'd see at the store. And make sure to put some cards with your name & number on the table beside the cake.
Once people see the cake(s) they'll realize it's not the same as a store cake, and when they taste it they'll notice the difference too! When people have a 'custom cake' once for a special occasion, they rarely go back to the store bakeries for cakes. They then know the difference and can appreciate it & know it's worth it to have the kind of cake they want & have it look the way they want - or at least have more options than the stores give you. But for most, if store cakes is all they're ever had they just think that's what a cake is. You've got to get 'em thinking by giving them a glimpse of what you can do....and you were right in saying that you can never compete with the chain bakery....YOUR CAKES ARE BETTER THAN THEIRS! You're in a different league than them, so it's apples & oranges!! lol 
Don't listen to that kind of talk!!!
Get it out of your head!!!
Ears closed, chin up!!!
Keep your chin up, Sweetie. These people don't realize that the quality of your cakes make those ol' store bought things look like iced crackers!
Quality vs cheap? Give me quality every time. You will form a customer base that will realize this sooner or later. Hang in there. PS I looked at your photos, you do great. Don't let them get you down!
Your fellow employee is comparing a Ford Pinto to a Porche. Don't even dwell on this a moment longer.
I have dealt with the cheapO's a lot and they want cake but don't want to pay the price for a good quality cake. And PLEASE don't feel like you are a bother, we all know your pain and have went through the same thing, so just keep in mind when it comes to your cakes your the boss and you don't have to lower your price or even do one for these price snobs
Most people don't know nor understand how much of ourselves we put into a product we make and that being the case, each thing is a one of a kind creation. No one else will ever have one exactly like it That alone is worth the $$$
Don't fret your talent will make itself known and people will be knocking at your door with their requests for cakes - your one of a kind creations!
So hold your head up and go for it.
Criminey! You're only charging $2 serving for a fondant covered cake?? 
That's a bargain!!!!
Don't you worry about people making snide remarks about your pricing. It will happen, and there isn't a way to prevent it. But you will also find customers who think you're the biggest bargain in the world for your beautiful work and will pay pretty much whatever you want. If they want to pay WalMart prices, there are WalMarts everywhere and they can just go on. If they want a really special cake, they'll come to you for it.
Chin up. Focus on the person who liked your work well enough to ask you to make her a cake and to pay for it.
{{hugs}}
Deanna
Thank you everyone for all your kind words. It's just hard sometimes when you want something bad enough and then feel like you have been shot down. I mean gee whiz. It takes me 6-8 hors to make that kind of a cake and one of these nurses makes that and more in just one hour at work. Am I not even worth one hour of their work time?
I will try very hard to not let them get me down. I am just a very sensitive person and if y'all haven't noticed I am always looking for reassurance that what I have made is nice.
I love each and every one of you. You are all truly my very best of friends. I mean that...
Lazy_Susan
Your fellow employee is comparing a Ford Pinto to a Porche. Don't even dwell on this a moment longer.
Now that is a good example!!!
I think some people might just say a lower price because they want to see if you will change your price.....But don't you do that.
Your cakes are great ....let them go to grocery stores some people like them and you can't change that.
Your cakes will go to someone that appreciate good cakes.
Instead of getting hurt feelings, next time take the opportunity to explain how much time goes into creating fondant decorations. You can not expect your coworkers to know anything about cake decorating. They were simply comparing the sizes of the cakes.
You can offer different types of decorations than the grocery stores. Although, be sure to check out what your local stores have to offer. Meijer now has cupcake cakes and Barbie cakes. I really need to buy a cake to see if they taste the same as in years past. They're cakes used to be fine-just like any cakemix cake you would make at home.
::scrunch:: ::squish::
oops you should have put down the pastry bag before I gave you a bear hug!
::tasting::....oooooooo.....::snatching pastry bag and cake and running away!::
(must have been one of her excellent german chocolate cakes!)
just remember to think this about Ms. Cheapskate:
"every party needs a pooper, that's why we invited yooper!..."
You must not let these cheap people get you down. I live in Centralia, and run into the same thing. Cakes I charged $5.oo a serving for in Olympia, they want to pay .50 for. I just don't let them have the enjoyment of eating my fresh baked and decorated cake. I know my kitchen is clean and all ingredients are the best. It is our duty to educate people about GOOD cakes. Keep up the good work !!
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