I'm Thinking $30/dozen Is Too Much - ???
Business By mom2spunkynbug Updated 2 Jul 2007 , 12:21am by Rudith
I have on my web site that I charge $30 for cookies (minimum one dozen). I had my first order for cookies just the other day. It's a very good friend, so I thought I would charge her half. She ended up ordering 4 dozen cookies...so that's still $60! She wants 2 dozen sugar cookies (decorated as cars and trucks) and 2 dozen Italian cookies. I'm thinking even at her discount that it's too much!
What do you guys think? 
Don't lower your prices. That's just over $1 per cookie, right? HUGE bargain. I also charge $30 per dozen... and have stopped feeling bad about my prices. I've had several calls recently that thought I was too expensive - but then I have the ones who are willing to pay what I charge. I'd rather work half as much for the same money and not make excuses about why I charge what I do.
You need to train your customers - and even your friends. Don't place a value on the cookies alone - place the value on yourself, and your time. You're worth more than $1 per cookie. 
Thanks guys!
Heavenscent: I actually meant that I thought I still charged her too much...meaning not giving her enough of a discount! LOL Thank you though, for your 2 cents
Brandisbaked: Well...it IS my first cookie order. I guess when I got my first cake order (in February) I felt kind of bad charging $50 for the "belly" cake - I got over that real quick though, LOL Thank you for your advice
I appreciate it! 
We charge per cookie (we call them favors) & not by the dozen. We seem to have gotten a better response that way. We usually charge $2 per cookie & up. For "special" family member it goes down to $1. But nothing lower than that. Decorated cookies are NOT easy & you are worth the money.
Don't lower your prices. That's just over $1 per cookie, right? HUGE bargain. I also charge $30 per dozen... and have stopped feeling bad about my prices. I've had several calls recently that thought I was too expensive - but then I have the ones who are willing to pay what I charge. I'd rather work half as much for the same money and not make excuses about why I charge what I do.
You need to train your customers - and even your friends. Don't place a value on the cookies alone - place the value on yourself, and your time. You're worth more than $1 per cookie.
listen to brandisbaked advise.. she's wise and tells it like it is..
I don't discount. I either choose to donate ( good cause, marketing, a technique I want to work on etc...) or it's full price.
Brides especially, but other customers too, chittter chatter all the time, and if word gets out that you discount if asked or in specific situations, then you may as well just lower your prices, which I do BTW at slow times of the year.
If you think your work is worth $2.50 a cookie, then charge $2.50 a cookie. There are a certain amount of people who will pay it. If you want to capture more of the market, then try $2.25...then $2.00. When you are busy enough that you are happy, then your pricing structure is about right.
Mine start at $12 per dozen for very small cookies with a simple design and go up (to around $17/dozen) depending on complexity of design and size. I came from a small town, so that is the most I'd feel comfortable with. I will offer a sliding discount on 3, 5, 7 dozen and more.
Before I started decorating cakes and/or cookies I used to order cookie bouquets online for special occasions. I would pay $6 to $8 a cookie not including shipping. I just went online this morning and saw the the cookie cost are still the same. Your customers are getting a great deal!!
.... If you think your work is worth $2.50 a cookie, then charge $2.50 a cookie. There are a certain amount of people who will pay it. If you want to capture more of the market, then try $2.25...then $2.00. When you are busy enough that you are happy, then your pricing structure is about right.
What a great way to work on your pricing structure! I know many of us (myself included) struggle with the dilemma of whether or not we are charging too much or too little. We post about this issue here all the time. This particular method is a very good way to insure we're getting a fair price for our work and we don't feel "put out" because we did a job for pennies OR because we made tons of $$ for a little bit of work.
If you're doing what you love, and no one else is complaining about the cost of what you charge, then that is the happy medium.
Good Luck,
Odessa
Mine start at $12 per dozen for very small cookies with a simple design and go up (to around $17/dozen) depending on complexity of design and size. I came from a small town, so that is the most I'd feel comfortable with charging. I do offer a sliding discount on quantities of 3, 5, 7 dozen and more.
Are you only talking about decorated cookies? Just wondering because i just finished figuring all my prices out and we came up with $5.00 a dozen, but those are mostly the general choc chip, PB, pumpkin, ect. I do a cut sugar cookie but I just lumped all into one price range. should I have charged more?
I assume you are referring to "cookies on a stick", like Cookies by Design's cookie bouquets?
If so, mine are $66 per dozen (price included containers, packaging, etc ... I only point that out because CbyD charges extra for some of these), and my price is lower than CbyD.
If someone didn't want the stick or container, I'd discount it 20%.
I think that's a bargain. For Valentine's Day I had a special for bouquets at $2 per cookie. I got 75 orders which kept me and my cousing busy night and day for two days. I will NEVER do that again. These cookies are labor intensive and the containers and fill can be costly. I'm back to charging $6 per cookie. If people don't like it they can go to CbyD. Even at $6 per cookie, I'm still cheaper than them. I agree that if someone doesn't want the stick and container to discount the price. But keep in mind you still have to do all of the detail work when decorating the cookies.
DONT START GIVING DISCOUNTS!!! It will be hard to stop and you will feel awful when that person LOVES your cookies and tells their friends about "this great cookie maker with GREAT/CHEAP prices". It is much better to charge full price for everyone all the time. They have to understand the time and effort you put into the cookies!
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