Did Over Charge?

Decorating By Denae Updated 21 May 2008 , 1:25am by ANicole

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Denae Posted 18 May 2008 , 10:17pm
post #1 of 26

please tell me if you guys think i over charged for this cake...

it served about 60 people, the bottom is a 14in sq strawberry cake with cream cheese filling and the car is yellow cake.

how much would you charge for this cake to feed that many people?

i want to to see what you guys have to say, before i tell you what i charged...thanks for your help!

25 replies
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Denae Posted 18 May 2008 , 10:23pm
post #2 of 26

ok...so it won't let me add my cake as an attachement. i dunno why...but if you go to my photots, it is the race car one. it's one of the first ones shown. thanks!

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ljhow623 Posted 18 May 2008 , 10:38pm
post #3 of 26

Wow, that's a lot of detail and fondant work. I don't know what the prices are where you live but I would at least start at $3.00 a serving here where I live.

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indydebi Posted 18 May 2008 , 10:57pm
post #4 of 26

I agree that start at least at $3 ... that's what I charge for BC only. I think your work on this cake merits more than that, but definitely dont' go below that.

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bigmama1961 Posted 19 May 2008 , 5:44am
post #5 of 26

WHAT DID YOU CHARGE? 3.00 SOUND GOOD BUT LOTS OF WORK ON THAT CAKE, AND YOU DO GET WORK BY THE WAY...

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Denae Posted 19 May 2008 , 12:33pm
post #6 of 26

i charged $160, it was only supposed to feed 50 ppl, but i made it a little bigger than i was supposed to. i just read a post about pricing and stuff and i am always who uder quotes myself. i quoted 2 differet prices for a cake both were over 150... they fed like 50 & 75 ppl. i didn't get the cake, it was over their budget of course. so the race car was 3rd try and i got. all those other cakes i have done are way under priced. they are ainly for family and do them as gifts for bdays or weddings and stuff. but now i am starting to get a lot refferals. i just wasn't sure if i was setting the bar too high for myself! thanks guys!

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Denae Posted 20 May 2008 , 3:13am
post #7 of 26

anyone? ok...so i reading my post again...i can't type. i have a bunch of typos, so i hope you guys can read it!

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Alice1230 Posted 20 May 2008 , 3:35am
post #8 of 26

I think $160 was a correct price. I certainly would not have charged less. I have found myself underpricing cakes in the past as well. Just a couple of weeks ago, I lost 3 cakes b/c the customers siad they were too expensive. It felt terrible but I have realized taht its only fair to get paid for what you do, and cakes take a lot of time and hard work.

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Ruth0209 Posted 20 May 2008 , 3:36am
post #9 of 26

I don't think that's an overcharge. It's a great cake with a lot of detail.

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Denae Posted 20 May 2008 , 12:18pm
post #10 of 26

ok, great. that was the first time i charged my "real" price and i felt kind of weird about it and i shouldn't have. i lost 2 cakes as well, because they were too expensive. but i spent 7 straight hours on that race car. thanks, i just wanted to see what you guys thought.

thanka again.

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tonimarie Posted 20 May 2008 , 12:34pm
post #11 of 26

I wish that customers had a "clue" about how much time and money goes into making a cake. I do believe a lot of them think that a gorgeous cake can be whipped out in an hour icon_confused.gif You did a lot of detail work on that cake-you have to be compensated! I think you did great work. I also have a TERRIBLE time charging enough to make anything. I think it would be easier to make cakes for poeple that weren't family/friends. I'd find a price range and stick with it!

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aligotmatt Posted 20 May 2008 , 12:35pm
post #12 of 26

7 hours on the car alone? not counting baking, the base cake, your cost involved... You are very talented, I looked at your other cakes too, I think you may have shorted yourself in the end. Though I totally understand that paying yourself is one of the hardest things to do!!

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MikeRowesHunny Posted 20 May 2008 , 12:38pm
post #13 of 26

No way did you overcharge! I would have charged my basic fondant price for the square and then my sculpted 3D price for the car, so I would have charged closer to $200 for that cake. A lovely job you did too!

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bethola Posted 20 May 2008 , 12:39pm
post #14 of 26

I just wanted to tell you Denae that the keyboard in your pics is absolutely INCREDIBLE! I would like permission to MAYBE try one using some of your ideas for our Minister of Music at church. However, if you choose not to give that permission, I TOTALLY understand!

You ROCK!

Beth in KY

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Tomoore Posted 20 May 2008 , 12:58pm
post #15 of 26

No way. I am going to start charging $5 for carved cakes. That would have earned you $250. I currently charge $4...you still would have made $200. You gave them a break. Great cake, btw. icon_smile.gif

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KHalstead Posted 20 May 2008 , 12:59pm
post #16 of 26

I am really cheap according to most people on here. I live in a small town and here is what I charge
a 14" square is $75.00 + fondant xtra $25.00=$100.00
3-D carved cakes $3.00/serv. with fondant $3.50/serv.
that car looks to be about 20 serv. according to me
So that would be a grand total of $170.00! That's what I would charge.....but I'm told I am VERY reasonably priced even around here (pretty much because they can't get 3-d stuff around here EXCEPT from me...so they go online and see New York City prices..and go...okay, sounds fair LOL)

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Denae Posted 20 May 2008 , 3:28pm
post #17 of 26

if i wanted to quote someone and respond to them...how do i post it on the forum discussion?

anyways...back to the pricing...thanks guys so much for the input. i live in charleston, sc btw! there is not a lot of competition down here. i mainly do fondant for everything...the only time i use BC if soemone specifies BC...usually it's a wedding cake. fondant used to be my nemesis, but now BC is. you can put so much into a cake with fondant. she said she needed it to feed about 50 ppl and i charged $3 a serving. so i made it 160 even. so...you think i should seperate my BC and fondant prices?

also, bethola...no i don't care if you use some of my ideas! absolutley! the bride sent me a pic of the keyboard that groom uses. he was really into music and stuff. anyways, when she picked up the cake, she was almost in tears because she said it looked just like his keyboard! it was such an amazing reaction, I've never had that before!!!! of course, i seen my flaws and thought i could better in some spots...but i am very hard on myself at times.

yes, fill free to use whatever, i don't care!

thanks guys also for all the wonderful comments! i appreciate it very much!

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diane Posted 20 May 2008 , 3:39pm
post #18 of 26

i charge $2.25 for cream cheese and $3.00/slice for 3D cakes.
that would be more than $160.00.
you definitely didn't over charge. icon_lol.gif

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bethola Posted 20 May 2008 , 4:17pm
post #19 of 26

Thanks a lot! I made him a cake with a chocolate mold piano when I first started and he thought THAT was awesome! Wait till he sees THIS!

Okay, not that "I" think I'm so awesome, okay? I know it won't be a good as the original, because fondant is STILL my nemesis! LOL

Beth

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Denae Posted 20 May 2008 , 4:32pm
post #20 of 26

beth,

i am still working on my fondant too. but i have learned that your under structure (cake) has to be perfect before you lay your fondant on. what it looks like before you lay your fondant on is what it will look like when you lay it on...did that make any sense of what i just said? not sure if i understood it...anyways...i am sure that you will do fine! i hope it turns out just perfect and better than mine! good luck!

thanks again! post a pic when you are done!

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KHalstead Posted 20 May 2008 , 4:36pm
post #21 of 26
Quote:
Originally Posted by Denae

if i wanted to quote someone and respond to them...how do i post it on the forum discussion?

anyways...back to the pricing...thanks guys so much for the input. i live in charleston, sc btw! there is not a lot of competition down here. i mainly do fondant for everything...the only time i use BC if soemone specifies BC...usually it's a wedding cake. fondant used to be my nemesis, but now BC is. you can put so much into a cake with fondant. she said she needed it to feed about 50 ppl and i charged $3 a serving. so i made it 160 even. so...you think i should seperate my BC and fondant prices?




I charge differently for fondant and BC because it costs me more to make a cake covered in fondant! I put bc underneath, so they're getting a bc cake with the addition of fondant which = more $ for me which = more $ for them! I charge $.25/serv. for fondant "accents" which means the entire cake is not covered in fondant. I think it seems fair this way. If you generally work with JUST fondant then that's up to you...for me the basic bc cake is just the starting point on pricing.
Oh and if you wanna quote someone....just click the little button on THEIR post that says "quote" and it will transfer what they said into YOUR reply box...if you wanna cut out some of what they said (like I did to yours) you just delete whatever portion but leave the little [/quote] thingy on the front and end of what you're quoting hope that makes sense?

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KHalstead Posted 20 May 2008 , 4:42pm
post #22 of 26
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alice1230

I think $160 was a correct price. I certainly would not have charged less. I have found myself underpricing cakes in the past as well. Just a couple of weeks ago, I lost 3 cakes b/c the customers siad they were too expensive. It felt terrible but I have realized taht its only fair to get paid for what you do, and cakes take a lot of time and hard work.




[/quote]I think $160 was a correct price. I certainly would not have charged less. I have found myself underpricing cakes in the past as well. Just a couple of weeks ago, I lost 3 cakes b/c the customers siad they were too expensive. It felt terrible but I have realized taht its only fair to get paid for what you do, and cakes take a lot of time and hard work.[/quote]

All of those customers who couldn't afford your cakes at the price you gave, wouldn't have appreciated the time and effort, because if they did they'd be willing to pay. I had someone call me recently to order a book cake made with a grad. cap on top covered in fondant and I told her that I would charge her $3.50/serv. for 35 serv. and $15.00 for the hat. For a total of $137.50, I thought she's gonna turn me down I just know it...but I wasn't budging....she came back and said wheewww... we had set aside $150.00 for it so I'm so glad it's under, guess we'll have a little extra left over for a tip?? You just never know.....these people understood what they were ordering. I almost feel guilty though, because there isn't THAT much carving to do on a closed book! But it's a carved cake nonetheless!! Those are my prices and I have to stick to them

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sassycleo Posted 20 May 2008 , 4:51pm
post #23 of 26
Quote:
Quote:

Those are my prices and I have to stick to them




I always think that same thought until presented with having to quote a cake. I get all wishy washy and panic...lol They aren't going to pay the price so of course then I under quote most of the time.

I really have to get into the train of thought that this is the pricing and I'm not negotiating. I think even though it hasn't been a year since I've been official that I'm going to have to raise my prices as costs just keep going up and up. I think I have an issue now with sticking to pricing...lol I need a back bone.,..lol

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jr33176 Posted 20 May 2008 , 7:03pm
post #24 of 26

I think lots of us have trouble charging the right amount. I downloaded one of those spreadsheets from the Business forum on CC and that has helped me be more confident in pricing my cakes. Seeing my costs and actually pricing out my time has been very helpful. Another way I approach someone is to tell them what a certain amount will get them. If they want to spend $80, then I can do X; if they would like Y, then the $ goes up to $100 and so on.

Anyway, Denae, I think you're a great decorator and $160 is the lowest I would consider charging for that cake! It's great.

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Denae Posted 20 May 2008 , 8:13pm
post #25 of 26

thanks guys for all of your replies. i appreciate all of the comments! i get all panicky too when i quote prices too. but from now on...i am sticking to my guns! thanks so much!!!

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ANicole Posted 21 May 2008 , 1:25am
post #26 of 26

Considering it's a carved cake and there's a lot of fondant work, I would've charged $250. But it all depends on your area. You didn't over charge though!

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