I am sorry but I just need to vent. I am so sick of cake decorators that make cakes and then advertise an elaborately decorated 3 tier cake for $75 dollars. It is so frustrating because then we can't sell ours for the price that it deserves. I know that so many people do it for friends and family for cheap but it is really frustrating when they are advertising it and they aren't even licensed and they are doing it cheap. Sorry for the frustration!
People get what they pay for, and unfortunately they find it out when it is too late. Just stay true to your quality and what you deserve for compensation.
Do they reallly think they're doing themselves a favor by grossly undercutting the market?
No no no they are making the world a better place indeed by providing cheap cake for the poor unfortunate souls who have better things to spend their money on like the horse drawn carriage, a pair of clowns, a picture booth, cotton candy machine, flowers, fois gras and other party essentials.
They love to sacrifice themselves and others too apparently. One could say their sacrifice knows no bounds...unfortunately.
After the thread came out about the bakery offering a $99 wedding cake, I managed to figure out a way to offer something similar. The cakes aren't immaculate or without flaws. They are with limited options but are made with the same quality ingredients as any other wedding cake offered. I don't have to sit down with the b-t-b and discuss design sometimes more than once...twice...5 times and endless calls. The tastings are also limited. The ones I am offering aren't elaborately decorated IMO . I believe that good deals/bargains can be found and can actually turn out to be more than was expected but in a good way.
This decision was a thought out and planned business decision. If it doesn't work out, then I've screwed myself and I'll take the loss. I am aware of others' price ranges but I don't set my prices by what they're charging. Yes, I would like to be busier. I believe every other business would too.
Just for the record, I didn't think I was having fingers pointed at me....I am licensed/permitted and inspected.
I just wonder how they can't lose money. I recently saw a website where the lady starts at $1/serving (wedding cakes in the low $2 range). I mean some sculpted or w/ fondant accents/bows etc. How in the WORLD can this be done at such a low price? After doing some figures I would be losing money at that price!
People get what they pay for, and unfortunately they find it out when it is too late. Just stay true to your quality and what you deserve for compensation.
Yes, but I have seen some really nice ones at ridiculously low prices as well. That is what makes me shake my head. Custom made, one of a kind, slaved over beautiful creations never again to be duplicated in perfect form....just given away!?!?! 
Ack!
I wonder if some of them are hobbyists and don't have to make a profit. Some of them also probably don't realize they could charge more. They're not looking at it from a business perspective. It does hurt the others, but maybe they are just blissfully ignorant.
I wonder if some of them are hobbyists and don't have to make a profit. Some of them also probably don't realize they could charge more. They're not looking at it from a business perspective. It does hurt the others, but maybe they are just blissfully ignorant.
Yes blissfully ignorant -- I really think so. Although I was somewhat attitudinal upthread, caker people honestly do think they are doing folks a big favor by offering inexpensive stuff.
Then as time goes by their skills improve and before you know it the drastic gap in price point to skill level grows and grows and hurts and hurts.
A lot of ppl feel the same way as you, but there's not much you can do about it.
Of course there's something you can do about it.
1. Make the HD aware that there are unlicensed food vendors in your area. or
2. Work with your local legislators to require that all food served at public venues comes from licensed sources. Vendors would deliver the cake along with a copy of a current license and possibly insurance.
You don't have to "take it" unless you want to. And if you choose to do nothing, that's OK. But you don't get to complain that cheap cake folks are taking business out of the marketplace.
I think a lot of people -- who probably haven't discovered CC 
-- set their pricing information based on the reactions and input of family and friends. And while they may mean well, they're often simply not the best source of information.
Before I got on CC, I made the 50th anniversary cake in my photos for friends of my parents. I've known them forever and was honored to do it, but the deal I worked out with one of their daughters was clear that I was going to get paid, as well.
The cakes were 6 inches, 10 inches and 12 inches, if I remember correctly. That works out to 96 servings. All buttercream with chocolate sour cream cake. It wasn't perfect -- hey, I was a real rookie at the time -- but I was proud of it. The couple liked it a lot.
Because I was a rookie, I didn't discuss price beforehand. Heck, didn't even think much about it! (Like I said ... rookie. 
) I told the daughter during the party that she could just give me what she thought was appropriate. She later handed me an envelope. I didn't even look in it until later, trying to be polite ....
$75
My mom, who'd seen me work on the cake, was furious. I told her to let it go. It was my mistake ... and a learning experience for me. And you know, I'm sure the daughter still thought she was paying me well! I mean, it's $75 FOR A CAKE. 
I later found CC and realized how many mistakes I made during that experience -- one of which was that I wasn't licensed. Heck, I didn't even know such a thing existed! (A lot of other people don't either ...)
Some people don't realize they're undercharging -- their friends and family tell them their prices are just fine. Some people think bakers are gouging them horribly when a price of $3 a serving comes up. (Or $1.50, which is what I was hoping to get from the daughter at that anniversary party. 
)
It's not an excuse, but it is a reason.
A lot of ppl feel the same way as you, but there's not much you can do about it.
Of course there's something you can do about it.
1. Make the HD aware that there are unlicensed food vendors in your area. or
2. Work with your local legislators to require that all food served at public venues comes from licensed sources. Vendors would deliver the cake along with a copy of a current license and possibly insurance.
You don't have to "take it" unless you want to. And if you choose to do nothing, that's OK. But you don't get to complain that cheap cake folks are taking business out of the marketplace.
I'll take it. I respect your opinion and post Leah but mine is that I'm not a captain in the cake police department so I don't really feel it's my position to police the area.
If I feel someone's work may be hazardous to that event--like if I knew they were serving cheesecake that had not been properly stored, something like that, I would alert the people in charge at that venue. Depending on their response I would take it up the chain of command if necessary.
But that's all I would do except reserve the right to complain and educate. 
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