How Much Would You Charge For Bride & Groom Cookies

Baking By Frecklepuss Updated 16 May 2009 , 9:09pm by Frecklepuss

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Frecklepuss Posted 12 May 2009 , 4:46pm
post #1 of 22

After being so impressed by the look of Bride & Groom decorated cookies on this site I took a stab at and made some of my own. I was so excited and proud at how they turned out for my first try that I posted them on my Facebook page. I have now had a friend ask how much I would charge for 200 of them. I have no idea!

They are a lot of work and very detailed on one hand but on the other she is a friend (but not a good friend) and I know they don't have a ton of money .... is asking .75 ea for a large order really under selling myself?

Any ideas for this newbie would be greatly appreciated! icon_smile.gif

I even called a cookie store in my neighbourhood and the closest they have to my version is a chocolate chip cookie that they would write initials on!
LL

21 replies
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jen1977 Posted 12 May 2009 , 5:10pm
post #2 of 22

.75 each is REALLY underselling! I would think most would charge at least $2 a piece for them, but probably more than that!

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sweetsbyJ Posted 12 May 2009 , 5:43pm
post #3 of 22

$.75 is really underselling yourself...I would charge at least $2.25-$3.00 per cookie.
Cookies are A LOT of work and extremely time consuming...I have undercharged my cookies then I end up kicking myself in the behind later...

HTH

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Kiddiekakes Posted 12 May 2009 , 6:28pm
post #4 of 22

Yes....75 cents is horribly undercharging...friend or no friend.I wouldn't do these for less than $3.00 each wrapped and tied with a ribbon.Very time consuming!!! But worth it!

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7yyrt Posted 12 May 2009 , 7:19pm
post #5 of 22

Loose, (not individually wrapped) I'd go $2, here.

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candynumber1 Posted 12 May 2009 , 7:41pm
post #6 of 22
Quote:
Originally Posted by 7yyrt

Loose, (not individually wrapped) I'd go $2, here.



Ditto! I've only made these for fun, but for all the work (and time) that goes into these cookies .75 cents is seriously underselling. And from what i've read here on CC, $1 per inch sounds reasonable.
Wow! I should've looked at the cookies first. Your cookies look great!
With those designs? I wouldn't sell for .75 cents each!

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Frecklepuss Posted 12 May 2009 , 8:22pm
post #7 of 22

Thank you very much for your input everyone. I guess .75 is out of the question! haha I will see what she says at 2.00 ea and then go from there.

Thanks again icon_smile.gif

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cylstrial Posted 15 May 2009 , 1:41am
post #8 of 22

You definitely CAN NOT charge .75 a cookie. You wouldn't even make $200. You have to charge at least $2...and it should really be more than that! Don't undercut yourself like that! She's going to tell people about the amazing cookies she got for only .75 and everyone and their dog is going to want your cookies...but only want to pay .75 cents...because that's the deal that she got. Make it worth your time!!!!

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cylstrial Posted 15 May 2009 , 1:44am
post #9 of 22

BTW - I totally forgot to mention that your cookies turned out awesome! They looked so good!!

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Frecklepuss Posted 15 May 2009 , 2:45am
post #10 of 22

You are so right cylstrial .. thank you. I went back to her and told her $2/cookie and she didn't seem as shocked as I thought. She told me they were beautiful and they would try and work it in to their budget and let me know.

Thank you for the compliment ... I can hardly take all the credit bellsnbows & barbend gave me the idea .. I just added some of my own touches. It was really a lot of fun so I hope to sell some just so I can make them again. icon_smile.gif

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chefjulie Posted 15 May 2009 , 4:42am
post #11 of 22

Let me tell ya, I JUST (like 15 minutes ago) finished an order of 200 bride/groom cookies and I feel like I undercharged at $3 a piece. 200 cookies is A LOT. My wrist is friggin killing me, my neck hurts, my back hurts. Up until an hour ago, cookies covered every surface of my kitchen. Make sure you PLAN PLAN PLAN and expect to spend about a week (if you have other orders) just decorating.

I'm a professional baker, and this job just about killed me!

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en-passant Posted 15 May 2009 , 4:52am
post #12 of 22

They don't have a ton of money but want 200 time-consuming custom made decorated cookies (200 guests?)

Their lack of funds means nothing. There are lots of things I want but can't afford, and I either save my money or go without. I wouldn't expect the seller to take a loss just so I can have that 1948 Bentley MK VI Convertible.

If you do those cookies for less than 3.00 each I'll come over there and hit you upside the head with one of those enormous plastic bats little kids have. Actually, if you do those cookies that cheap you'll be begging people to ome over and hit you on the head.

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Frecklepuss Posted 15 May 2009 , 11:34am
post #13 of 22

hahahaha .... I promise to never sell them for anywhere near the .75 mark or even mention it again! Ow ... my head!

I think it is more like 100 guests (she wants to give 1 of each as favours).

I better start advertising ... I had no idea cookies could sell for so much! What a newbie I am!!

Thank you everyone for your input .. it is very much appreciated.

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Evoir Posted 15 May 2009 , 11:45am
post #14 of 22

I know I'm a little late ont his one, but I have 2 cents spare, so...

I think you need to imagine some sly fox cookie merchant coming round and buying your darling cookies for 75 cents each, then onselling them to a client for $3 each! They have made $2.25 clear profit, and have not spent the whole week trying to find places in her kitchen for cookie-drying trays!!

You, on the other hand, have just lost a week out of your life, given yourself tendinitis and a backache, and, after paying for the raw ingredients, packaging, ribbons, electricity/gas to bake and mix etc etc, have made maybe 25 cents per cookie? $50 for a week's work? Think about it...please don't undersell youself!

Your cookies are gorgeous! I wish you much success icon_smile.gif

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Frecklepuss Posted 15 May 2009 , 1:25pm
post #15 of 22

Thank you Evoir ... you and everyone have given me so much to think about. Seeing as I am not currently working I had convinced myself that any sale is better than no sale. The key may be better advertising though rather than relying on my facebook friends and family for sales.

I spent nearly the whole day yesterday trying to perfect (2) 9 X 13" EGGLESS cakes to make a book cake for a friends daughters first communion. I STILL have to scrap one of the cakes and make yet ANOTHER one all for less than $100. Silly, Silly me ... I won't do that again! BTW - I have decided eggless cakes are terrible and I am VERY happy my family and I are NOT allergic to eggs!

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-K8memphis Posted 15 May 2009 , 1:45pm
post #16 of 22

An idea for you is to offer to do the cookies for the good prices--then to 'help' her with her budget let her & her entourage, bridesmaids, family, whosoever bag & tie them. Win/win--you get a good order for good price--she gets to nurse her budget along and this saves you some of that annoying busy work.

Start like the informercials and like Indy too and get a higher price in their head then start coming down to reality. Maybe say, So & so cookie company* charges $5 to $6 per cookie--the good news is I'm not that company. I can name that tune for $4 each but if you bag & tie I can work with you at $3 each. Sucha deal I gif you!!!!

*cookie company--google cookies and you'll find one

just a pricing thought for you

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cylstrial Posted 16 May 2009 , 8:13pm
post #17 of 22
Quote:
Originally Posted by k8memphis

An idea for you is to offer to do the cookies for the good prices--then to 'help' her with her budget let her & her entourage, bridesmaids, family, whosoever bag & tie them. Win/win--you get a good order for good price--she gets to nurse her budget along and this saves you some of that annoying busy work.

Start like the informercials and like Indy too and get a higher price in their head then start coming down to reality. Maybe say, So & so cookie company* charges $5 to $6 per cookie--the good news is I'm not that company. I can name that tune for $4 each but if you bag & tie I can work with you at $3 each. Sucha deal I gif you!!!!

*cookie company--google cookies and you'll find one

just a pricing thought for you




Those are some good idea's K8! thumbs_up.gif

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vickymacd Posted 16 May 2009 , 8:27pm
post #18 of 22

I'm sure I'm late in responding to this, but my friend's daughter just had similar ones at her wedding and she paid $6 EACH cookie.

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Frecklepuss Posted 16 May 2009 , 8:28pm
post #19 of 22
Quote:
Originally Posted by k8memphis

An idea for you is to offer to do the cookies for the good prices--then to 'help' her with her budget let her & her entourage, bridesmaids, family, whosoever bag & tie them. Win/win--you get a good order for good price--she gets to nurse her budget along and this saves you some of that annoying busy work.

Start like the informercials and like Indy too and get a higher price in their head then start coming down to reality. Maybe say, So & so cookie company* charges $5 to $6 per cookie--the good news is I'm not that company. I can name that tune for $4 each but if you bag & tie I can work with you at $3 each. Sucha deal I gif you!!!!

*cookie company--google cookies and you'll find one

just a pricing thought for you





Thank you K8 ... those are some great ideas. I will definately look in to that. icon_smile.gif

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Frecklepuss Posted 16 May 2009 , 8:30pm
post #20 of 22
Quote:
Originally Posted by vickymacd

I'm sure I'm late in responding to this, but my friend's daughter just had similar ones at her wedding and she paid $6 EACH cookie.




OMG!! WOW! Well I better get started on a website and some serious advertising. That should pay for my Baker Apprenticeship course that I would like to take! icon_wink.gif Thank you V

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vickymacd Posted 16 May 2009 , 8:51pm
post #21 of 22

Good luck! I'm not a professional, but I hate hearing how you guys all undercharge your friends or feel guilty for not. I'm in a predictament now too which I'm trying to ignore.....graduation. I like to bake cakes WHEN I WANT to for people. But now that graduation time is coming, I'm getting calls and I don't know or want to charge people cuz it's never worth my time and stress! People just don't understand what is involved. Good ol' Costco for selling cakes so cheap! People think that's how much they should pay.
Good luck to all of you that do this.

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Frecklepuss Posted 16 May 2009 , 9:09pm
post #22 of 22
Quote:
Originally Posted by vickymacd

Good luck! I'm not a professional, but I hate hearing how you guys all undercharge your friends or feel guilty for not. I'm in a predictament now too which I'm trying to ignore.....graduation. I like to bake cakes WHEN I WANT to for people. But now that graduation time is coming, I'm getting calls and I don't know or want to charge people cuz it's never worth my time and stress! People just don't understand what is involved. Good ol' Costco for selling cakes so cheap! People think that's how much they should pay.
Good luck to all of you that do this.




I know ... I always feel guilty. I made a first communion book cake for my girlfriends daughter yesterday and it took me the WHOLE day!! Not to mention the time I took on Thursday to bake and search for a GOOD EGGLESS cake. The little girl isn't even allergic to eggs, only the grandmother is and for whatever reason it didn't dawn on us to make her a separate small cake. I wasn't happy with the actual cake (it was harder than a regular cake) and almost started over. I never appreciated how important eggs were before. We had not set a price for the cake so I delayed calling to tell her it was ready because I knew I would have to tell her the price. I ended up charging $75 and felt so guilty about it I drove the cake half way there (18 miles) to meet her. Silly me!! She had no idea how much time and effort went in to it but she didn't bawk at the price either and knew she couldn't get then same kind of thing from Costco. Phew! Her mother on the other hand was shocked that she would pay so much.

I will be making a wedding cake for my brothers wedding in August ... you should see the cake they want. It it going to be 3 tiers of trees, rocks and plant life..... I "volunteered" to make it out of guilt ..what a sucker!

Thanks to this site and everyone's opinion though I am slowly feeling a little less guilty about price, I think eventually I will get the hang of it.

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