I have a client who wants a dummy cake... No problem.. I love to do those!!
What the problem I am running into is this........this lady wants me to go ahead and do the dummy cake, wants me to set it up at her wedding and she tells me, she will have her "friend" make sure I get paid.
Now, this is the 2nd time I have told her that I don't conduct business that way. That all cakes whether real or not must be paid in full BEFORE delivery and or set up.
Her reply back was "it's a fake cake".. "it's not like it's going to melt or anything"..
Then she told me "how hard I was by not bending for her"...So then she tells me to go ahead and "get the fake cake done" and she will take care of me.
She left me hanging I felt... because the wedding is at the end of October and I have heard not a peep from her.
She gave me her email etc.......but no one is answering.....

So, I am now in this pickle where I don't know if I should do the fake cake or not.
I did leave her a message and told her she needed to get back to me by Sunday at 6pm. This Sunday that is........

Don't make it, just make sure you thoroughly document when you attempted to contact her, so she can't say you never tried...

I would make sure you get a deposit first or atleast half the cost and then the week of the wedding make sure she has the rest. Don't wait till that day becasue you may never see it. If she doesn't call you back then I would assume she doesn't want you to make it. And if she calls later tell her you have didn't hear from her so you took on other orders and are too busy for her cake. By saying no it may keep you from frustration later on with her. Good luck on anything you choose!

I decorate as a hobby, but if I was doing a wedding cake for someone, dummy or not, I would tell her that I need to confirm the order with her and receive a 50% deposit by a certain date, and balance 2 weeks prior to the delivery date or her order would be canceled. I also know from the horror stories I've read on here that I would always have a signed contract.

If I am not paid at least 2 weeks beofre the wedding guess what there will be no cake baked and decorated. I tell the bride this up front and I have it on paper and I have her initial the space. Now if it's a good friend then that is a totally different story, but just an aquaintance no I get the money up front. HTH.

There is no reason to change the way you do business for this woman.
There is a lot of cost and time involved in this "fake cake" and the fact she keeps pointing out that it's just fake and you'll be taken care of totally sends up red flags for me.


I just love this part "Then she told me "how hard I was by not bending for her"...So then she tells me to go ahead and "get the fake cake done" and she will take care of me.

Plllllluuueasseeeee! She is a control freak and nothing but trouble. IMHO you're nuts if you do this without being paid first.

Get paid before you even pick up a spatula or.....

Her next card she'll play is "It's a fake cake, we'll drop it off when we're done and we'll be even, you can use it again later"

Stand your ground. Don't make the cake until you are paid!!!

Obviously she does not respect what you do, with her attitude "It's just a fake cake". That's the same thing she would be telling you AFTER you delivered it.

Money talks, BS walks!!

That's nice that she told you to go ahead and make the fake cake, but that doesn't mean you have to. You should have said "go ahead and give me the money." The deposit/fee isn't for the cake melting or anything. It's for the cost of the cake!! Fake or not! UGH people bug me.

The thing is - it is not just CAKE that you are getting paid for. It is your TIME and your TALENT. It does not matter if it is cake or a dummy under the icing. You get paid the same and in the same time frame. Don't bend any rules for her - if she refuses to pay you by your standard dedline then you refuse to make the cake. It is that simple.

You already told her your policy, stick to it! If she does not contact you by Sunday at 6pm, let her know that you are no longer available to do her cake. Stand your ground. Good luck and keep us posted.

Nope. Don't do it unless she pays in full, cash only.

Theresa

I read your posts...and I thank you for your replies....it helps me better on how to deal with her...
That is one of the probs I ran into,,, 2 things: I can't get her to sign a contract and I can't get her to put a deposit to guarantee the date and her "fake" cake...

My darling hubby even told me,,, "no spatula pick up until you see the green".........Even my hubby thinks I am about to get burned.

So, I figure that if she doesn't call me by this Sunday, then I will call her and (will have no other way) but to leave her a message and to tell her that since I have not heard back from her, that I went ahead and did another booking date and that I could no longer help her.

I think this is the 3rd time, I've been or about to be burned and I just "cut my loss and a client " and moved on....
It just sorta makes me angry!!!

You are being hard on her? NOT! If you have a dummy that would serve the purpose, may be not exactly what she wants, offer to sell it to her- payment on delivery. But if she wants one constructed for her wedding only, money up front. She sound like one of those people who buys a dress on credit, wears it to a party and then returns it the next day.

I wouldn't be surprised if the day of the wedding no one was there to pay you, and you would be expected to leave it ,and then she she would return it to you the following week. She wouldn't see the problem. You got the cake back after all so why should she pay you anything?

Too funny!!!!

I too have that feeling that she would return the faker and tell me "no money changed spatula's".....

But as I am sitting here reading your wonderful helpful replies, I just had a thought,, what would really be the "band played on",, is that on the day of her wedding, set up all done,, etc....and no payment came through that I just pick the whole fake cake up with one hand and leave with it.......ha ha!!

It just makes me laugh through and through to see the jaws dropping!!!

After reading your last post, I am changing my advice.

Don't do the cake at all.

She won't commit to a contract nor to a deposit - that tells you that the friend will not be making the payment, and neither will she. I would bet lots of money that the friend does not even know that their (if the friend actually exists) name is being used in this context.

Just call her and be honest with her. Tell her that because she will not commit to a contract, nor is willing to make deposits or full payment on her request, she has lost her date on your calendar (do not say that you cannot keep her on your calendar, because then any blame can possibly be laid upon you. Let the blame sit with her, as it is how it should be). And if she continues to beg, then jack up the price another 50-100%, as a last minute order, and tell her you need cash NOW, or no deal. She will either pay according to what you are now charging, or she will have to find someone else to accommodate her request.

But personally, there is no amount of money in the world which would convince me to continue doing business with her.

Theresa

"Hi I found a great property that I would like to have a home built on, my friend will make sure you get the money, but you can't have it now. Go ahead and build the house now though, it's not like it's going to fall down or anything....."

Imagine the builder's face in that situation. It wouldn't fly there, don't let it fly with you either!!

Don't do it unless you get cash and at least two weeks before. She doesn't seem to understand how time consuming it is, fake or not. And she's acting suspicious. By the way...who's making the real cake that will be served at the wedding and why wouldn't she get them to make a fake cake? If she is getting someone else to do the 'eating' cake and you to make a fake display cake...and as casual as she's being about paying you...it seems like maybe someone is about to get burned. If not...then why not get the same person to do both? I think she wants the beauty of a big cake without having to pay for it...since it's 'fake' it's no big deal! I'm in agreement with KansasLaura, I think she will try to return it and say you are even.

I'm still hung up on the fake cake part of the story. The cost of baking the cake is only a portion of the cost of making a cake. If the cake has any detail work, fondant, gumpaste, etc. plus you time and hard work that is where the majority of the expense lies. We shouldn't call them dummies any more so people aren't misled about what their worth is, perhaps something fancy french would help. Anyway don't do the cake, email her and let her know it will not be made. You don't have any guarantee that you'll get paid in the end and unless she's a close relative or has some juicy blackmail its just not worth it.

Haven't we all watched the Peoples Court..or Judge Judy...or Joe Brown...lol..enough to know..."Always sign a contract!" Someone willing to pay for the cake would have no problems signing a contract.

DianaMarieMTV too funny!

That woman must have styrofoam for brains - and she is about as fake as her money. Run like hell in the other direction - save your sanity, time, and talent for someone who knows business is business no matter what - no contract/no money - no goods/service - simple as that. You know she didn't get away with this with the florist or photographer, so why does she think she can with you?

I would politely leave her a message via email and phone that you received another order for that day and you will be unable to accomondate her wishes due to the fact she did not reserve the date with a deposit. Then turn and RUN!!!

She obviously thinks taht the "fake cake" is just a cheapy show... she is not giving you the RESPECT you deserve.

If you go through with this it will only be a disaster in the making.

Good Luck with it

alrighty then...........I sorta get the direction I need to take......

I will let you all know what the end result is, whether good or bad......

One thing I do agree with you all is "Run in the other direction!".......

Thank you so much for your wonderful help......

It really sounds strange and like it could end badly for you. Get while the getting is good!

Ok.. this is the perfect time to tell her... "You get what you pay for"

You pay NO MONEY.. you get NO CAKE !!

I like that... but I'm afraid those words are to commonly known and will sound like we are just tarting up "fake cake" ... which is, of course, exactly what we are doing... but its not like we want it to come off that way!

So how about "gâteau factice" which means dummy cake or "fiendre de gateau" which means pretend cake. Even just "factice" for dummy... when they come in all ready to talk you down on price you can say "ooooh you would like one of our factice cakes. Those can be pricy..." of course pulling out your best French accenting for the word. Now how fancy does THAT sound??