Curious? Why I'm Not Getting Answers To My Questions Please?
Decorating By bourbs Updated 16 May 2009 , 2:41am by KawaiiCakeCook
Hi,
Not to be rude but, I really want to know if i am wording things wrong, or asking silly questions, difficult questions, or because of some other reason?
I've asked questions 3 times and only recieved one answer to one and none to others.
I see many questions that get so many replies, I just have wonder what I'm doing wrong. I'm just really starting in cake decorating and I really need help sometimes?
Please don't think i'm being rude.
Thank You Marie
Hi Marie,
Just speaking for myself, I check in now and then each day, and it's always a different group of posts at the top of the home page. If I don't see a post up there, I don't know it exists. You're not the only one to feel this frustration - there have been times when I've needed help, too, and the "answerers" must not have seen my questions, either.
And if you still don't get any answers, well, I'm no great authority, but PM me and I'll try to direct you to the info you need. Hope that helps.
Don't take it personally. I think timing is very important. If you post when people are getting ready for work, or at other busy times, you might not get a reply. I think that when questions don't receive an answer in the first few minutes they're posted on the home page, they disappear into the forums. (By posting something like, "Can anyone please help me?")
See? You already got three replies!
Marie....somtimes "newbies" ask questions that have been asked a million times because they are unfamiliar with the site and don't know how to find answers. I know I have seen a question asked multiple times and didn't have the time or energy to answer so I ignored. Let me recommend that if you are not getting your answers to "search" the forum for your question. Odds are it has been asked and answered....many times over and you will get tons of information. CC is not a rude place at all.....and many people will continue to answer the repeated questions. This.....is just my opionion. Welcome to the CC family and the wonderful world of decorating!!! Deb
Alot of times there are so many questions posted that they don't last on the home page so people don't see them, until they are going through the actual forum. Like Loucinda said, try doing a search for whatever it is you are looking for. If you find a cake with whatever it is you are looking for, try PM ing the creator. Everyone on here is great with sharing!
I too have posted questions and not received answers. If I really really needed the answer ASAP, I have tried to look through past posts to see if the topic had already been discussed.
Posting over holidays and long weekends I would imagine would also decrease the amount of looks you get.
Are people reading your posts?
I think if your question is not on the front page you have a harder time getting answers. It's easy to get buried since this place is so busy. Also, be patient, I don't know about your specific situation but many times I have had 30-50+ people view my question before an answer is posted.
Don't take it personally, I have had questions with no answer before. I don't think the people here intentionally ignore questions. Everyone tries to help when they can. 
Once you get more familiar you will recognize certain members that you can PM with a question. Just know that's not always a guarantee if they are busy and don't log on.
I know the search function isn't the best but I have often found answers by digging through the forums myself. It's worth a try!
I hope some of this is helpful to you! 
I'm not sure what your issue is. I looked at your posts and all of them had answers (within a few hours) except for the "how to make a ruffle on a bonnet" cake. I saw that thread, but since I had no idea, I didn't post anything.
You do put good subject lines on your threads, which is great! The reason I checked your posts was to see if your subj line was too generic ..... "Help!" will get hardly any attention but "Help with royal icing roses" will get you more responses. But you do good at letting folks know what you need! 
One thread with no responses is hardly cause to ask "why aren't MY questions being answered?"
Another tip I'll share is that I never look at threads on the home page. I go straight to forums, click on View All Posts Since Last Visit (upper right hand corner) and that gives me ALL threads, new and those with new responses, that have popped in since my last visit. Much better to see 131 new posts than just 5!
Another tip I'll share is that I never look at threads on the home page. I go straight to forums, click on View All Posts Since Last Visit (upper right hand corner) and that gives me ALL threads, new and those with new responses, that have popped in since my last visit. Much better to see 131 new posts than just 5!
I didn't know about this. Thanks, Debi. I hate that I miss out on so many good discussions.
You are all so helpful and sweet. I definately understand what you're saying.
I love this place. I do try to remember to use the search and i will definately try harder.
I've learned so much here already, and I have had a few great replies to my query on the bonnet cake.
Hopefully I'm not taking on more than I can chew with this cake, but wt heck, have to try, lol
Again, thank you and I look forward to getting to know all of you!
Marie
There are only 4 things that can possibly be the reason why you don't get any replies.
1. People don't see your post.
2. People who view your post doesn't know the answer
3. People who view your post who knows the answer has a reason why they can't reply
4. People who view your post who knows the answer, doesn't have a reason why they can't reply are plain *******s
There are only 4 things that can possibly be the reason why you don't get any replies.
1. People don't see your post.
2. People who view your post doesn't know the answer
3. People who view your post who knows the answer has a reason why they can't reply
4. People who view your post who knows the answer, doesn't have a reason why they can't reply are plain *******s
I find #4 quite funny... 
Edna
And possibly another key factor....I have to click "watch this topic for replies" when I post a question. If not, I won't know if I have an answer. Now, simply by me posting on this existing thread, I automatically am update of new replies. When I start a whole new one, I have to manually click it. Strange.
I never check the homepage either. I just go directly to the forums. I also like to check the "View unanswered posts" link to see if there is anything I can help with as well.
The search feature is definitely one of my favourite things here on CC. It might take a bit to get the hang of but once you do it will probably answer 90% of all your questions. Use the search link inside the forums tab not the search box you will find on the home page (you will see the search link(button) right between the forums and articles tab when you are in the forums tab.
I am not a newbie anymore, but still consider myself new to cc. Many times I have tried to search the forums for answers, however my search does not come up with any answers. Example, last night I had a question about cream cheese frosting and ran a search. Nothing came up in forum. I know I saw a thread about it a few weeks ago, but I could not find it. Any tips on on to search forums?
I am not a newbie anymore, but still consider myself new to cc. Many times I have tried to search the forums for answers, however my search does not come up with any answers. Example, last night I had a question about cream cheese frosting and ran a search. Nothing came up in forum. I know I saw a thread about it a few weeks ago, but I could not find it. Any tips on on to search forums?
Use google and at the end of your question put cakecentral.
For example.. type: cream cheese frosting cakecentral
Google will sometimes try to tell you to correct the spelling, meaning putting a space between cake and central.. but don't.. because that is the key to getting posts directly from cakecentral
Hi Edna,
On the forums. I don't think of pm'ing. I don't like to bother people that I don't really know by pm'ing them in particular. i don't know how busy they are or how many people they have annoying them with questions
I get plenty of messages of people I dont know..And I am super busy...It doesnt bother me. And the worst that can happen is that if I cant get to the PM right away I have to answer it later. It doesnt bother me.. As long as I have an answer and I can help, is not a problem to me and it has never bothered me..
Edna
If we all would got directly to the 'forum' area and look for any post with '0' replies we could help out many people who have similar concerns like Marie does.
That's usually what I do.......go directly into the forums and look for those '0's & then for those w/only one or 2 replies. Usually we can answer their ?s.
Alexndrabill thank you so much for the tip on going to google. I have been going to the search function on cake central and rarely do I ever find anything under the forum section. I think this could be an area of future improvements and that would eliminate questions being asked over and over again.
Alexndrabill thank you so much for the tip on going to google. I have been going to the search function on cake central and rarely do I ever find anything under the forum section. I think this could be an area of future improvements and that would eliminate questions being asked over and over again.
I doubt that. People seem to be too lazy to use the search function before asking a question that has been answered a million times before.
Things I know the answers to and don't reply because I don't want to reinvent the wheel include:
I'm a newbie and doing my first wedding cake, which is 7 tiers. How exactly do I bake, torte, fill, frost, smooth, decorate, dowel, stack, and deliver this cake?
I'm buying an airbrush. Which kind is best?
Why do my cakes sink in the middle?
How do I make gumpaste flowers?
Etc., etc., etc., ad nauseam
Alexndrabill thank you so much for the tip on going to google. I have been going to the search function on cake central and rarely do I ever find anything under the forum section. I think this could be an area of future improvements and that would eliminate questions being asked over and over again.
I have no idea if this is true or not, but I find that the more words I use in the search field, the less likely I am to find what I'm looking for. Sometimes it's hard to come up with just a one-word-search (i.e. "icing" would be just TOO generic, of course!), but if you can, I find it helps.
Also if I can remember ANY cc'er who was part of the conversation, it helps to put their name in the "author" field. For example, if I enter "SPS" and search, I get 606 threads ..... no way I'm sorting thru all of those. If I enter "SPS" and put "leahs" in the author field, it narrows it down to 197 threads. Still a lot, but MUCH better than 606!!!!
I just view it as this is the ONE time that "too much information" applies!
The past few days search is not giving me any forum results at all. I even checked directly from a page with the words in the title to see if it would work, and still came up empty. I assume it's the site update messing it up.
I had that problem but figured out that I can't just put something like horse. I have to put horse cake. Or butterfly cupcake not just butterfly. Try that, it worked for me.
I think we need a chat room!!!! I feel silly making a complete forum for some of my questions. I just want some palce to go and chat in real time. Wouldn't that be lovely you have an emergency right NOW and you can run to the chat room and if the cake gods are smiling on you Ideby will be there, or barring that someone with more knowledge then you. No more waiting to see if maybe someone will stumble onto your forum with the right answer. No more hoping someone will commiserate with you over prices. No more forums about how much should I charge, we'll have immediate response of go to the previous posted forums! I want to chat, I want to to talk in real time, Rise up and shout together with me. "I WANT ANOTHER REASON TO SPEND MORE TIME ON CAKE CENTRAL. COM!!!!"
A chat room has been suggested before and what I said then was .....
I dont' see how a chat room would be different. The forums are in real time already. The second you post your question or response, it shows up in the forums. If the person(s) who have the answer is in the forums (or the chat room), you'll get your answer right away. If these same person(s) is/are NOT in the forums (or the chat room), you'll be there, sitting there, waiting for your answer.
CC is one big chat room. I can't see how creating more programing that will eat up server space will help.
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