Does anyone have experience taking special holiday (halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas) baking orders? I'm considering items like, red velvet cake, german chocolate, cupcakes and chocolate poundcake?
How do you set it up? Do you require a deposit at time of order or do you trust everyone to pay for items on delivery? Do you have a minimum/maximum order?
Other suggestions or comments would be appreciated.
It doesn't matter when the order is placed or what it is for but I require a MINIMUM of 50% of order due at time of order and the remainder at time of delivery. I have never had anyone not pay 100% at time of order, but at least the 50% covers my ingredients and part of my time. If I go to delivery and they don't have the money then I take the item with me. They dont' get to walk out of wal-mart with their pie and say I will pay you next week.
If they are special items that you will only sell at the holidays then I would make sure it is known when the orders have to be in and there is a limited number available so they should call or place their order right away.
Leily gave you some great suggestions.
I am putting out my preorder forms now for Halloween and Nov 1 for Thanksgiving and Black Friday for Christmas. All with deadline dates and deposit info. It seems to work out really well.
Oh, and I send out a reminder via email when it gets close just to remind them and to try to upsell the order with any last minute stuff they might need.
Good luck!
Leily gave you some great suggestions.
I am putting out my preorder forms now for Halloween and Nov 1 for Thanksgiving and Black Friday for Christmas. All with deadline dates and deposit info. It seems to work out really well.
Oh, and I send out a reminder via email when it gets close just to remind them and to try to upsell the order with any last minute stuff they might need.
Good luck!
Black Friday???
Black Friday is the Friday after Thanksgiving, when lots of stores have very good sales to get the Christmas shopping season started. That's the one day that I make sure that I do NOT go shopping! It's normally a mad house everywhere you go!
What types of things are you all including on the flyers? Particularly for Halloween and Thanksgiving?
I am thinking of doing the same thing. I mostly do decorated cakes and cookies but thinking of offering other novelty type items for certain holidays. Like the limited time offer that was mentioned. Thanks for any help, this is my first year to do this!
I require a two weeks notice for cookie trays for Christmas just because they consist of 15 different types of cookies. The pumpkin or apple pies I usually just ask them to give me a day or two in advance since most of the time I have those ingredients available, except maybe the apples.
But Ive never asked for a deposit on those type of items because I figure if I show up and they dont pay I walk away with it and I could always throw it in the freezer for my family! But never had a problem with someone not paying me for them.
But things like Wedding cakes, you always get a deposit for something like that. So unless your doing a big ticket item, I wouldnt worry about it unless you really dont know the people or trust them.
The day after Thanksgiving, huh? Well since I never shop on that day, for just that reason, I guess I was out of the loop on that one! 
Thanks for clearing that up! 
Anyone have any samples of your preorder forms??
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