I just love CC and reading all of the posts, getting new tips, learning other ways to do things.
When I started cake decorating it was to have something for me and my daughter to do while my husband worked afternoons. After awhile I started selling my cakes. Well, I'll just get to my question.
I don't think it is neccessary to explain how much flour, mix, butter, time or anything else went into producing the final product, neither do I think it is necessary to explain my price. I will admit I did at the beginning try to explain mistakes, and guess what, the customer never even saw it. They would say, what mistake?
So do I really need to explain all that stuff to my customer, to me I don't think so, but what do you say?
Help me out because I cringe everytime I read where someone say that is what they want/will do.
I don't think it's needed, what I do if someone says something is point out that I'm not the grocery store or something simple to that effect. I know of someone else who tells people simply that she doesn't just open a bucket of icing. I think comments like that are probably better than a long explination if someone makes a comment about grocery store prices.
I think when you explain people will see it as you rationalizing what you charge what you do. And sometimes they will see if you have to rationalize it that you aren't totally comfortable and they may try to talk you done.
Set your prices and stick to them. If someone is not willing to pay them, then they don't get a cake. 
You never have to justify your prices...do you expect an explanation for the charge if you go to a nice restaurant?
The more details you give them, the more ammunition they have in trying to justify why your price is too high. If you list out 4 eggs, then they are thinking "oh wow...she's got a whopping 25 cents wrapped up in this!"
I've said this a million times on here already ..... they are not paying for the food / ingredients. They are paying for your time and talent!
Look at it this way .... when you go to a really nice restaurant and your bill for dinner-for-2 is $100, does the waiter stand there and explain the cost of the beautiful building? the electricity to cook the food? how much butter they use in the sauce? how many people are involved in preparing your meal? Heck no! They politely point you toward the casher so you can pay the dang bill!
If anyone ever makes a comment about "that's pretty high!" (and for the record, I've never had anyone say that!), my response would be along the lines of "you get what you pay for." And I would hold out my hand for my check or my cake back.
I give my customers my prices, and they can take it or leave it. I am so busy, that I am getting ready to go up on them. Work smarter not harder.
I don't know what to do either. Sometimes I see it one way and other times I see it another way. I agree you don't get an itemized bill from a restaurant, but you do get one from your mechanic and a good bit of it is usually labor. Because ingredients don't cost THAT much, what most people are paying us for is our time and skills, kind of what I pay a mechanic for - time and skills. And the same thing goes for a mechanic, oftentimes you get what you pay for. But then to be honest I've only itemized a bill once, because I was doing it for my alumni group and I was donating my time and skills.
Great Reply.
I had to giggle about the waiter and restaurant. You are so right!! I made Easter Egg cakes last Saturday before Easter and it took me 5-8 hours. They were for my grandkids and they could care less what they look like, but I am just a beginner so it takes me such a long time. So I have to agree that it's not the ingredients, it is the time. and I'm sure you guys are so much faster. (How do you do it)? Buy the way, what is the average time it takes you all to make say a sheet cake or a tier cake. 
hmmm....I guess I have a slightly different opinion then.
When the waiter comes to the table, he doesn't verbally explain all the charges, but he does hand you a check with the cost of each item listed for you to look over before paying.
If someone is being difficult and harping on you for pricing your cakes at a certain amount...and is just not generally getting the fact that it takes time, skill, even talent to make a one of a kind cake.....then I wouldn't go on and on trying to convince a person like that why your cakes cost what they do.
However....if someone genuinely asks about the price of your cakes (as showing an interest as to what makes certain things more costly than others), I think it's a good thing to take the time and educate them for minute.
For example:
Fondant's more costly than BC. Fondant requires a bit more skill in handling then bc.
Gumpaste flowers are timely, and require a learned skill, thus are more costly than using silk flowers.
Any gumpaste or fondant decorations add to the cost of the cake because that's added time for you in the decorating process.
Time is money. And the more time it takes to produce a one of a kind cake, then the more money it costs.
People need to know these things. If we don't tell them, how will they learn?
I don't know what to do either. Sometimes I see it one way and other times I see it another way. I agree you don't get an itemized bill from a restaurant, but you do get one from your mechanic and a good bit of it is usually labor. Because ingredients don't cost THAT much, what most people are paying us for is our time and skills, kind of what I pay a mechanic for - time and skills. And the same thing goes for a mechanic, oftentimes you get what you pay for. But then to be honest I've only itemized a bill once, because I was doing it for my alumni group and I was donating my time and skills.
My husband's family has been in the auto repair biz for over 50 years.
If you want to itemize the cost of the cake on your invoice, then be sure you put the price of the eggs the CUSTOMER is paying, not the price YOU are paying. The price on your mechanic's bill for the new battery is not what the garage paid for that battery..... it includes their markup since they buy them wholesale. The labor charge includes overhead expense like the $15,000 lift they had to buy to work underneath your car, the $20,000 computer system to do the diagnostics, the seat covers they put in your car so they don't get grease and oil on your seats, the rent for the building, the insurance they have to carry, blah blah blah. When your bill shows $60 an hour labor, I can guarentee you that the kid who worked on your car is not getting $60 an hour.
When you get a bill at a restaurant, you don't get a bill that lists the chicken, the wine, the mushrooms, the butter, the rosemary, the labor for cooking it for your Chicken Marsala .... you get a bill for Chicken Marsala.
Don't cause yourself your own headaches.
Nobody really cares the work or ingredients that were used to make a piece. So it is not necessary to recite the tome.
As for you cringing, if you want to stop, you have to actually develop an attitude and decide to stop cringing........ 
Okay I'm a smarty pants. 
I agree with all the comments that we don't need to explain. I stated that I don't explain my prices...they are as I state-take it or leave it. Its just that some posters go on a tangent about what the customer don't realize about cake decorating, and they want to explain. I find it unneccessary.
[quote="indydebi]When you get a bill at a restaurant, you don't get a bill that lists the chicken, the wine, the mushrooms, the butter, the rosemary, the labor for cooking it for your Chicken Marsala .... you get a bill for Chicken Marsala. [quote]
Funny...My DH and I were just having this conversation about a bride that I believed might nickel and dime me since I agreed to only charge her the cost to make her cake instead of costs+labor+profit. I mentioned that I would be pissed if she had the audacity to ask me for an itemized list of supplies, ingredients and their respective costs. At first, he didn't see why I'd have a problem with this. I pointed to our couch and said that we didn't walk into the store and ask how much and, when told, ask for a breakdown of the cost of the wood, coils, fabric, etc. We knew when we went in that either we couldn't look at all the materials and create the couch or (if we did have the ability) were choosing to have someone else do the work for us. We inquired about the price and bought it because we agreed with it. If we hadn't agreed, we were free to walk away. It would be silly to say tell me what you needed to make it. Do your own research and make your own product. Otherwise, pay me and leave me alone to do what you're paying me to do. I'm ranting now...said bride DID think the costs of the materials was too high! 
She saved $250.
Don't cause yourself your own headaches.
Very good point!! I don't feel an obligation to explain my prices. Either a client wants my cake or not. When I'm handing over the cake is not the time to be deciding whether they'll pay me for it or not. Uh uh. The job is done, pay up.
You know, I agree with both sides. Some people really don't understand things like, fondant cost more than buttercream as someone else stated...some don't even know what fondant is. I find that I do have to explain this 'cause some ask for elaborate cakes that require fondant. On the other hand, I have people that don't understand that this is a business. Time is required to prepare certain cakes and I have to charge for my time as well, no I don't owe an explanation as to why I'm charging what I charge. Some of these people do want a "Mike's Amazing Cake" for a Walmart price. No respect for the art, just want a cheap cake. Well, gotta pay for it no questions asked. No rant here, I feel ya!
Since starting this, myself and my family have adopted a new attitude toward this business. As much as I love it, I work harder at it than I do my full time gig. I think I get angry when the value of our time and work are under-appreciated. That said, there are some people that will innocently ask about clarification on things. I will explain some things to a degree. I'm hopping off of my soapbox now. Good night Guys!
nickel and dime me
LOL LOL LOL Tomoore, I promise that's what it feels like sometimes!
I used to be the person that practically gave away the cakes I made ~ I probably just covered the supplies but no more! And still I felt like I needed to explain/rationalize the cost.
Well, not any more, I FINALLY realized I wasn't being paid enough for the time spent making everyones cakes so if people don't want to pay the prices I have set they can go somewhere else, no sweat off my nose. I have plenty of other things I could/can be doing not to mention a full time job and a child that just started playing soccer. I don't feel like I need to explain myself either as you can get either a personalized made to order cake that is moist from me or go somewhere else that better fits their budget.
Sorry if I sound harsh I just finally smartened up 
I guess it depends on what we are talking about here. I do not think you should justify your prices by saying I paid this for eggs and this for oil and this for cake mix (or flour, sugar...) and this for powder sugar and this for crisco/butter. I also don't really think you should do a detailed list saying cost of supplies cost XX amount and my time costs YY amount.
I do think that is not quite the same thing as if you do fondant or gumpaste extras or even filling vs buttercream. Because you have a base price and are adding to it. So if a customer sees that an 8in buttercream cake costs $20 and a 8in fondant covered cake costs $30 then yes they may ask why there is a $10 price difference. Of if you qoute them a cake with buttercream roses vs gumpaste roses, then you will probably have to say that gumpaste flowers take more time, yada yada yada.
But to me that is pricing techinques and not itemizing each ingerdient that goes into your cake.
I believe you should set your prices and stand by them. Don't give people an way in to talk you down. And if they really want a custom made cake then they will pay for it, if not, let them go some where else.
Naw Joshsmom, you don't sound harsh........like I said the general public just doesn't care about cake.......and why beat yourself up if they don't care?
That is why I don't understand brides.......perfect this, perfect that, pay attention to one little ribbon color, oh no it is off a shade..........Egads none of their guests really cares, they just want the party, give them lots of food and liquor and the majority of the world is happy as a clam.
Generally it is only the CC members and an occasional bridezilla who really cares about cake!
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