Okay, quick history......customer wants cake to feed 200 for baptism 
, wants same exact cake I make for the bistro (white wedding with passion fruit filling and special IMBC). I suggest 2 full size (18 x24) sheets, 2 layers (I'm never torting a sheet again!! use suggestion from CC'ers for making 2 thinner layers), chocolate transfers for decoration. She wants me to deliver. Didn't bat an eye when I quoted the price (about $1/serving). Needless to say, payment didn't come thru and quite obviously she changed her mind - Mind you no big deal cuz I had a full week of other stuff anyway.
Well, DH was asked by his boss (bistro owner) about the cakes (were for a friend)....Hubby explained......Boss asked price....Hubby told...Boss says 'thats a little high, they could get a cheaper one from **insert name of local french bakery**' . 
What?????? I use specialty ingredients, that he knows about. I stressed over the price of this for the whole weekend, found Alicegop's pricing matrix and used that (came out to what I had already planned on - Thank you Alice!! 
)
Am I that far off?? Even my parents, cheap tho' they are (love ya M & D 
) thought that was extremely reasonable......... **sigh** just one more reason for me to stick to my day job 
cuz obviously I'm not cut out for this!!
Thanks for letting me vent and maybe setting me right on my idea of value.. 
OMG! I think you were giving them quite a bargain!!! I would have quoted a higher price per serving. I think my lowest is $1.40, and that doesn't have the detail you were going to do! Stand by your product and believe in your value 
) I also just called the **french bakery** to inquire about price and they would be about $50 more than me 
People lie about competitor prices all the time trying to get a better deal, never believe them till you check.
Yeah, I should know this...... the really irksome part of this whole thing is that the customer never told me it was too much (altho' she might of thought so) but it was my DH's boss, who I do cakes for, that made the comment!!!!! I think that was what really got me PO'd .... after I got over feeling insecure about a possible pricing 'faux pas'
And no ladies, I know my cakes taste good and I don't work for free.....that is why when the customer didn't follow thru it was no big deal ( I've been readin' the forums 
!!) Just got me when a 'professional' said something.
Thanks you gals!! I knew it would help to come here and vent!! 
EME I live in the border to Mexico and the cheapest most economic baker charges .95. So I think $1.00 is very very very reasonable!!! Good luck
Well, this just got even better.....The customer called me today!!!! Said she was just checking on things, confirming the one passion fruit cake and the other chocolate ....Uuuhhhhhh????????? Did I miss something here?????? She ordered the cake on Monday the 5th, I had not received any payment by the next Saturday, so I called her, left a detailed message ...had not received anything, need to hear from her, etc. etc. ...She called me Monday the 12th, left message, I tried 2 more times to get a hold of her and she never returned my calls. I assumed she went elsewhere! Not to mention that Chocolate was never mentioned!!!! She is trying to claim that she sent me a deposit and thought I was just doing my thing....... Helloooooo!!!! I told her repeatedly that I would CALL her as soon as I received the $$$ cuz I was a little nervous about having all that cash being mailed!!! That was why I called her LAST SATURDAY to begin with!!!!! OMG ...are people really like this ??
So now, instead of getting to relax and enjoy my weekend, work on a special carved cake for the faculty lunch next week, I get to spend my Saturday (screw tonight !) baking and freezing 2 full size, 2 layer cakes Never mind the fact that I also have a major Stats test to study for, correcting to finish since grades are due next week and a bridal stole to make for my best friend who's wedding is in 2 wks. (making her cake, but had 9 month to prepare 
) **sigh, sigh, slump, slump** I should have posted this in the disasters forum - we need more frowny emoticons! 
I want my MOMMY!!
Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry they did this to you. I don't sell cakes, but from what I've read on CC and the fact that you're in CA, I think your prices are rock bottom! Especially for the types of flavors you were talking about. I do hope everything goes smoothly for you this weekend.
That is too much for me. Sorry you were treated like that. I think your price is very reasonable considering what is going into it. I wouldn't do anything until I recieved at least 1/2 the payment. Then I would not complete it until all is paid. Sounds like she is waiting for you to deliver the cake and she will just hand you what she wants for payment.
I didn't do anything until she paid me IN FULL.....that was part of the problem! Anyway, I think I agree....this is a learning experience and prices are going up as of MONDAY!!
Thank you for the support!! It really gives me a 'warm, tingly' feeling when you guys/gals send your support!! .......*hiccup* or is that just the wine I'm feeling
Well, I'm off to bed....tomorrow is another day! Nite all!!
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