Okay so here we go! I got my first order (unconfirmed as of now) for the new year. Another promotion cake. The secretary of the hospital who orders the cakes from me is a difficult woman to deal with...(her reputation)! Anyway, she emailed me with an order yesterday and stated how much the cake was going to cost!!!!!!!! She always inquires but this time she flat out TELLS me what is going to be paid!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it. I responded with a NEW price and she replied that it is going to be a small reception and there is a $45 budget for the cake. She asked if there was anything smaller than the 11x15 I originally quoted her. I told her a 9x13 is my next size down! She then asked how much that would cost!!! I'm like 
! Hello, the 9x13 is going to be the $45 you said could be spent!!!!!!! THEN she replies asking what the next size up from the 9x13 is!!!!!!!!!!!! HELLO!!! Are you an idiot!!!! 
I haven't heard a reply from her yet. I should get a reply in the morning but good grief! She really is a cheap person. Even though she isn't paying for the cake herself she really does try to scrape a deal no matter what I offer. I have a standard price for all my sheet cakes and she still tries to bargain! I had to raise my prices because of the edible images that everyone wants on their cakes now.
How do I put my foot down and let her know that I can't budge? I don't want to lose on the deal.
Amy
When I had a cheap mother-of-the-bride try that crap with me I simply told her those are my prices and she's welcome to shop them all over town. Guess what -- she's baaaaack!!
Stick to your guns, people like her will drive you nuts but if they hit a brick wall of resistence, they back down (they may not like it) and you win. 
If you went down to the gas station and told the attendant you were going to pay him $1.00 a gallon like in the good old days, what do you think their answer is going to be?!?!? 
If they could stop laughing long enough to even answer you, right?
That's what this lady is doing to you. You have set prices for a reason. Make sure you stick with them. I wouldn't budge on my prices.
Unrelated to this discussion, Gabby who is that adorable creature in your avator??
Thank you everyone! This is the woman who said in passing back in July last year "I get my birthday cake for free right?" Yeah, she got it for free even though she handed me a $5.00 bill for delivery. That cake is the hideous pink cake in my pictures. That cake was a disaster from the get go so I didn't feel too bad that if was a freebee but geez, this woman is CHEAP!!!!
Amy
Then again, there's my new personal favorite response... "Then you'd better go to Walmart..." (I just LOVE that answer!) 
Unrelated to this discussion, Gabby who is that adorable creature in your avator??
Hi bobwonderbuns (love your name ) that is my 4 year old boy with his birthday cake, BIG SpongeBob fan!! Thanks, you made my night! 
Unrelated to this discussion, Gabby who is that adorable creature in your avator??
Hi bobwonderbuns (love your name
) that is my 4 year old boy with his birthday cake, BIG SpongeBob fan!! Thanks, you made my night!
He is just the cutest thing!! And your kid is cute too! 
PEOPLE LOVE ME~ 
She just sent me a confirmation email for the cake! AND here's the great part. The Capt. this promotion cake is for REALLY REALLY likes one of the Nurse Corps cakes I did for another CDR at the hospital soooooooooooo, she wants the 11x15" AND they increased their budget to get the cake for $50.00!!
I tell you, people love me around here.!!!! They have had bad experiences with grocery store cakes. Not necessarily the taste, it's the design. They just can't get what they want in a grocery store! Sooooooo, they come to me!
Okay, time to deflate the ego!!!!!
You all are wonderful for encouraging me to stick to my guns!!!!!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!
Amy
Okay, so I just looked at her email again and she copied a picture of the cake she wants from my website and sent it as an attachment. She wants a duplicate of my least favorite cake that I've done for the hospital!
Hey, at least I don't have to make roses for it!!! Guess I lucked out huh!
Wow, it is worth every penny. Maybe you could give her a price for something with simple decorations.
I always tell people who has found a better deal "that's great, I don't know how they can make it for that price but, I'm glad you found such a great deal".
Cakemommy,
That cake is awesome and worth more than $50!!
Is the center plaque an edible image?? The cake is very professional looking and "tidy"!! I love the borders!!
I agree with Christeena, even $50 is very little money for the beautiful cakes you make for the Navy, your cakes are really pretty and detailed and next time should ask for at least $60, JMHO. I'm happy for you and good for them, finally realized what awesome cakes you make!
Just curious (I know... maybe too nosey 
) is your DH an officer as well?
My husband is a HM1! He's a Petty Officer First Class Hospital Corpsman Biomedical Repair Technician! He's not up for Chief for another year! Believe me we can't wait for that test! Of course not everyone makes it on the first time up though but to finally be able to take the test is taking a while.....2 1/2 years after putting on First Class!
Yes, that is an edible image. That is the best investment I have made for my cakes. Of course my 6Qt KA is a heck of an investment as well but my sister bought that for me for Christmas five years ago!
I do charge $65 for my 12x18 and $55 for my 11x15 but I felt I better not push the issue with this one about the extra $5 because I might lose the order. I haven't made a cake for the hospital since November! Slow season anyway. Summer is when it's really busy!
You all are so wonderful and nice for your comments! I have a long way to go before I get really good!
Amy
Hi Amy, DH left already??? OMG, please please please, as a Navy Wife, add me to your contacts and PM me anytime you need a shoulder to cry on, I've been there and know how hard it is!
My DH is an AD1, works with F-18's and looking forward to that test as well, he still has a good 2+ years until he can take it.
Again, I'm glad you got the order and good to hear you charge a little more regularly, your cakes are really beautiful and worth every penny!!
Hope you get more orders soon so you can keep you mind somewhere else, other than this deployment.
Good luck!
Just wanted to add that the cake is fabulous! Glad you stood up for your pricing .... it is well worth it.
While your cakes are well worth much more than the $50, as a M.O.M. (Mother Of a Marine), I give military brides/grooms 20% discount across the board on everything, so even tho' you could get more for your cakes, you should feel great about doing something so special for the military (even if the lady in charge of ordering it is a "rhymes with witch" woman!).
Good quality work is worth $$$$$. If you lower your price then you are devauling the quality of your talent. It's funny, but when I was trying to stop selling my cakes because of a hand injury, I increased the price of the cakes so that people would be less likely to order them. The opposite happened. I got more orders and it seemed that a higher price meant a higer quality cake to them. That's just the way some people think. $$$$$$$=quality
Hi Amy, that cake is really beautiful. Stick to your guns on your pricing you know what you have to spend to produce a cake like that and you have to count your time spent too. I think we all have that one customer that gives us a hard time, and you kind of wish they would shop for cakes at Walmart. They keep complaining but they keep coming back!
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