Today I waited for 30 minutes in a Starbucks for a client to show up for a tasting. I special baked her cupcakes and frostings and arranged my baking day around her. Then I traveled 20 miles, dropped off my two kids with their grandma, and then traveled another 5 miles to the venue. The lady did not even show up, or manage to get her fingers to dial my phone number to tell me she wasn't coming.
Since I don't have a store front, meeting clients at places like Starbucks is my only option. This really makes me want to start charging for tastings...to encourage them to show up. Does anyone else do this? Is that OK to do?

She would certainly have to pay for a second tasting.

I don't normally charge, but many do, and it works out fine. You can take the cost of the samples off the final price of the cake.

I charge $25 which is applied to the balance if they book the cake. When someone has to put out the money, they are more motivated to keep the appointment IMO.

That is pretty tacky, after you made such an effort and traveled to meet her. She definitely should pay for the second tasting, if not for both!

If it wouldn't be cutting off my nose to spite my face, I'd probably never speak to her again since she is that thoughtless.

I do.. $30 for a tasting and if you book that gets applied to your balance. No way I'm doing it for nothing. It costs me money to make the cakes and if they don't book that fee assures that I am covered for my time. Plus.. when people have money invested in something.. they are less apt to not show up.

so do they pay you BEFORE the tasting?

Yes.. they can mail me a check if it arrives one week before their date or if that time has lapsed they can bring $30 in cash with them. Sometimes I have people in with less than a week's notice and that's fine. If they "forget their wallet" I will send an invoice, but this has never been an issue for me.

Most of the time tastings are booked with more than ample time to make sure monies can get to me before hand.

(edited to change the price.. I just upped it to $30 and I keep writing $25 still LOL)

ditto with the others that charge for tastings, just changed my prices as well from $25 to $30.

I also apply it to the total if they book with me.

Well here's the problem with waiting to accept payment. Even if the OP had rewuired a patment, and then allowed the cleint to pay at the tasting, she would be out both the baking & time, plus the money. Also, it takes longer than a week for a check to come back bounced right?

I think paypal is the answer here...I think indydebi said she would rather take the 3% fee than lose the sale...I believe I am with her!

I like that y'all are applying the fee to the booked cake. I see that as another incentive. Currently i do not charge, but soon as I get stood up, you bet I will. i normally hold them at my home so if they stand me up after I have, baked, planned, gotten rid of the kids, AND cleaned extra special....you betch I will be charging.



Julia

How rude of her to stand you up like that. Did she ever speak with you regarding the missed appointment? I'm not sure that I would want to deal with someone after being stood up.

What a butt.

I usually just go to the bank it was drawn on and cash the check when I get it.. I've never had an issue. I like paypal and I don't like paypal.. though I do offer it up as a last minute option if it's needed.

I charge $50 - and they pay via PayPal.

Never had anyone stand me up.

I also do free group tastings though, for those too cheap to pay. Once a month, I have a 2 hour "tasting event" - where only a limited selection is available for tasting (just whatever I want to bake or have extra of). There is no one-on-one time to speak of... they come, they eat, they leave with printed information. If they like the cake, and want to book with me, I will set up the consult and they must pay the 50% deposit at that time. At this point, they can do a "real tasting" which includes up to 6 flavors of cake/icing/fillings. I don't charge $50 for this since it's basically included in the cake.

The free tasting is great because some people are nervous about paying $50 for cake they might hate.