I am a stay at home mom and do cakes on the side for a little extra money and sanity ( I have 4 year old twins) anyway, I have been contacted by a girl who wants me to do their wedding cake and wanted a tasting. I did it and she actually bought the carrot cake because she liked it so much. Now another lady called to do a tasting and she called the day of it to say she couldn't start her car so I said how about tomorrow because I have these cakes made. I do not charge for the tastings so I am out whatever time and money I have to put into it and now I have a couple of cakes that I need to just eat or give away. I haven't heard back from this woman. Does anyone doing cakes out of their homes do tastings and how do you handle them? I mean since we are not bakeries and have cakes cooking all the time.

People do this a lot of different ways. Since you've already made the cakes and put them in the freezer, you could use those if you schedule in the next week or so. If you don't hear from the woman in the next few days and then she calls to reschedule, I would charge her and explain that these cakes are made especially for her tasting.

I just started doing them myself, out of my home. I do them for free..but I tell them upfront that if they cancel, no show, etc...there will be a double charge for the next tasting..for the ones I had to thow out and for the new ones...I an very kind, but direct! I explain that I am not beiing rude, but this is a busness, etc..Price depends on what they want to taste...usually I say $25 or so...

I tell them when I scheduale them, so they know up front...never had a no show...knock on wood, as of yet...I have done about 15 tastings or so....

I haven't done any tastings yet (my first will be in Sept) but a lot of people here charge for the tasting and then if they book with them, deduct that from the cost of the wedding cake. I don't know what I would do.....the wedding cake I'll be doing is for my best friend so I am charging her cost and the rest is my wedding gift. I do like the idea of charging for the tasting and deducting from the cost of the cake though - that way you are not left footing the bill if they don't show for the tasting!

~Chelle

I haven't done any tastings yet but I will definitely keep all of your ideas in mind, thanks.

So what do you charge? what is the going rate?

Here a multi-linked thread on conducting tastings and bookings:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-58197-.html

Above threads include info on whether to charge for tastings, what and how to serve, how to conduct the tasting or booking (at home or another location), dealing with no shows and more.

Also, here's a contracts thread:

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-201571-.html

HTH

Edited to update links.