Pricing Dummy Tiers/cakes?

Decorating By mrswendel Updated 16 Jul 2008 , 1:03am by maryak

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CoutureCake Posted 7 Jul 2008 , 8:47am
post #31 of 34

I charge the same for dummies as I do real cake... Here's why... The dummy layer is NEVER the 6" top tier that requires minimal icing materials and decorating time. A heavy torted slice of cake sits still, not so for a piece of light styrofoam and my sanity is very valuable to me. The cake dummy costs me more to order in (shipping has skyrocketed lately and those dummies aren't cheap to begin with) then the time to ensure that the cake is the same height as the dummy. I'm also not going to dinker around with getting a dummy tier back because of sanitizing (I'm not going to sit there and hold the thing under the water for 45 seconds)...etc. etc. etc. For the icing and decoration time for a large bottom tier, there's no way I'm charging a penny less than the value of my time and materials. If they want to rent a cake dummy from me, I've got my displays that I'll rent for $200 plus damage deposit, AS IS. I'm not going to dinker around making a foam dummy for less than the value of my time and materials.

As for the "wedge" thing that the brides saw, yea, that's a good one... Someone hurls over the cake or spills their drink on it, yep, just wash it right up and put 'er back out there. Plus, we priced it out one time and it ties up $1200 to use pretty much every one of those companies without having one slice of real cake purchased. It's dollars and sense.. If you're going to tie up $1600, just get the real cake for $350-650 in the first place..

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mrswendel Posted 7 Jul 2008 , 8:28pm
post #32 of 34

Thanks for the responses everyone. The general public doesn't understand that materials and time are very expensive and make up the majority of the cost of a cake. It's nice to have others that understand what's involved and to see how everyone else explains it and prices it. Thanks everyone!

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bobwonderbuns Posted 16 Jul 2008 , 12:28am
post #33 of 34

I am sooooo glad this came up -- this has been an ongoing conversation with a gal I know for the past three weeks. Thanks for helping me to break down the numbers for her!! icon_biggrin.gif

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maryak Posted 16 Jul 2008 , 1:03am
post #34 of 34

You guys are all amazing. I always learn things that I would never even contemplate thinking about but just go off what customers tell me. I think standing our ground is what we need to do. I just bought Cake Boss so hopefully that should help immensly with my pricing cause, really, I just suck at it!! icon_redface.gificon_lol.gif

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