Did I Do The Right Thing? Venting-Long
Decorating By step0nmi Updated 28 Mar 2007 , 5:30pm by alibugs
Ok...so I am a little confused and don't know if I did the right thing. A lady at my bank wanted a cake for one of their tellers. She was referred to me by another teller who I had just made a cake for. I had made the one girl a sponge bob cake where she actually bought the pan and brought it to me, all I had to do was make frosting and the cake. I charged HER $15. It really wasn't a big deal and it was my first paid cake!
Now! The other lady wanted something "bank related" for the other teller that I know and like; and I thought that was lame. She had said something about a dollar cake and I just didn't think I couldn't make something that cheesy so I suggested a "Piggy Bank" and she thought that was okay. But, I was thinking why bank related? So I came up with a much more simple design and something Birthday! It was a 2 layer 8" round with Gumpaste flat candles all around the outside. Then on top I had the writing "So many Candles; So little Cake and Happy Birthday" this woman is turning 47, I thought this was appropriate and I told her it would be $20 because of it being homemade and all and she agreed but then asked how much the "piggy bank" would of been? Like as if that cake wasn't good enough! I told her the same resonings as above for the others and that I would've charged the same for the pig. And she was like..." I don't know I'll have to chat with everyone else cause we all pool in money to buy a cake and gift" And then grabbed the design out of my hand to copy it! 
So, if she would've told me that before I wouldn't have made something that cool! This is a slightly original design! And I racked my brain over it allll weekend to give them something nice! And if they go to the cruddy littel pick n' save right up the street they are getting crap! I even told her that! Cause I was kind of shocked!
Now, was $20 too much for the 2 layer with Gumpaste accents? Am I being crazy? Should I just pass this off as everyone may NOT be able to spend this much money? Should I have went with what SHE wanted?
I just wanted to share cause I am a little upset! And wanted to see what other thought.
Thanks!
You are totally justified! In fact, I would say that $20 is WAY low for a cake with gumpaste accents. I know that different areas are different for pricing but you can barely get all of your supplies for $20 - never mind the time you put in making everything and decorating. Good for you! You don't need that kind of business!
I seriously can't believe you are only charging what you are charging for your cakes! I don't turn on the oven for less than 35.00. You still have to clean up the mess!! Charge what you are willing to work for: NOTHING LESS!!! You are doing the right thing: 20 bucks is an excellent deal for a homemade fresh cake with specialty decorations. I'd have charged 40 for it, but that is just me.
Wow...that lady has some nerve. I don't think $20 was enough for a gumpaste accented cake. She won't find anyone to make her the cake that you could have made her. People can be so obnoxious sometimes!!
Angie
She is in the middle. I don't blame her I would not ok anything without running it by the others. Co-workers can be a real pain when going in together. If she said ok one of them would complain that the group didn't approve "that one".
$20, more then fair
No kidding!! That's a LOW price for a cake like that.. I would charge 3$ a serving and an 8" round 2 layer cake would be 12-16 servings.. and that's without the gumpaste accents. And to have her take your design.. NO WAY.. What a twit!
Well...no i do not think the price fo rthe cake you designed is too much.
However, yes I do think you should have gone with the design she requested. If I order a pink car and the dealer gave me a green one because they thought pink cars were crazy i would be pretty ticked. See where I am going with this? People are more apt to pay for what it is they requested. I think next time it would have been better to have offered her 2 designs if you really wanted to do somethign different.
Also, I think it would be a great idea to discuss the price before you actually take an order.
I often draw design and have them changed or discarded. I just keep them for later.
Remember love, we are technically providing a service. We are not doing favors here...someone orders a product and we come through with it. i personally do not like every design I am asked to do. But they are paying for it so who am I to choose?
Just my opinion.....good luck with you design. Hopefully she likes yours and is ok with the price....can't really get much and the grocery for less the $20...
Julia
When someone is placing an order you kinda have to go with what they want. You can try to guide them in another way (as you see fit) but ultimately it is their choice. As for your price...way too low. In my experience if you charge $20 for a cake then you are giving the impression that your cake is only worth $20 so why not go to the local grocery store bakery and spend $20 and get a cake that the "think" is professional? I don't know what size of cake you are offering for $20 but I can tell you the lowest price cake I have with gumpaste accents is $50.
Of course you should have gone wtih the design she wanted - she was PAYING you for it. I am not sure why you changed the design. if you agree to make a certain design, you need to make that. It wasn't up to you to decide the cake shouldn't be bank-related, since that is what she asked you to do.
But I think $20 for any cake is too little.
If I order a pink car and the dealer gave me a green one because they thought pink cars were crazy i would be pretty ticked. See where I am going with this? People are more apt to pay for what it is they requested.
This is exactly what I was thinking as I read this post. I think you should have offered her what she wanted (at least the piggy bank was cute and relative to her "theme") and charged appropriately...$20 being way too low! You could have offered a more "birthday" cake if the cake she really wanted was out of her budget. But, I believe you probably had her if you could show her that you could reproduce her idea in cake form.
I guess I read your original post wrong The lady ordered a specific cake that you agreed to make and then you decided you didn't like her idea and made her something else?
Agree with several other posters that she was the customer and paying you for a service, which you are quite within your rights to withdraw if you are being asked to do something beyond your expertise or a design you don't happen to like. But I think you are on very dodgy ground once you start imposing your opinions on the customer. Sure some customers have weird ideas but this lady's ideas all seemed perfectly reasonable and she and her colleagues were going to pay for the cake. Regarding price the onus is on you to manage expectations from the outset. Not sure why you took umbrage when she asked how much the piggy bank would have cost? That also seems a perfectly reasonable question to ask. You say you were 'kind of shocked'? I expect she was 'kind of shocked' herself at what sounds like it might have been a rather forthright expression of your views. You say you "told her the same reasonings as above for the others" do you mean you told her her ideas were 'cheesy' and 'lame'? Those are just my thoughts on the matter, for what they're worth.
I guess I wasn't clear...she hadn't paid me yet and she just suggested some stuff. It wasn't like a done deal, she wanted to know what I thought or see what I could come up with. She really didn't have an idea she just THOUGHT "bank related" maybe.
I even told her that the pig would be the same price. I DID think it was kinda low for what I was telling her! Because the pig would've been the same type of cake but with the ball pan. Just a different shape and stuff but, with gum paste accents for the snout, eyes, ears and tail. Wow! I didn't even realize how low I was pricing but, I AM just starting out.
I did think that if she didn't want it I would be relieved! 
she is kind of snooty!
Thanks for all the comments! They DiD help me! 
So you haven't done the cake yet or you have? I'm getting confused. I thought she was under the impression you were making a piggy bank cake and you had agreed to make the piggy bank cake. Am I reading this totally wrong??
IMO, if we agree to make a certain cake, we need to follow through. There have been a few cakes that I didn't like and I have suggested different ideas relating to what they want but of course, the ultimate decision is up to the client.
And lastly, I'm just as guilty with not charging enough for cakes. I know a lot of the people I'm baking cakes for and a lot of them are family and very close friends. It's really hard sometimes to charge the appropriate amount.
Well, I got my wish! She doesn't want the cake! Yeah! I know that sounds bad but, I realized it wasn't worth my time.
It definetly was a money issue. Just cause everyone was pooling money in together for the cake AND a gift. And also a couple of them started to say"Why does SHE get the special cake?" So, that settles that!
Thanks to everyone for the advice! Sorry there was so much confusion!
YEAH! I second that opinion! That was hard for me too! Now I am in school so that I will be in charge! I had that problem at a retail store in Georgia...they were all old and katty! I only worked there 5 months! I was smarter than that!
but, I was just glad that SOMETHING stopped them from wanting it! 
I have to say you are wrong. You are not the costumer. You are selling and making cakes. You have every right to turn down cakes, but no right to tell someone there cake idea sucks. I'm sure you may have an ugly shirt in your closet. Did the sales lady there tell you I'm not going to sell that to you, it's ugly.
You are not selling your cakes for enough money either. You are actually making maye a couple dollars after all your supplies and electricity and water.
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