Customer E-Mailed Cake Fell Apart!!
Decorating By cakeladytx Updated 8 Nov 2010 , 3:08am by cakeladytx
I think it's ridiculous to send someone off with a three tiered cake, just ridiculous. Waiver or not, assurance by customer to take care of it, not enough. No one takes the care we do when we deliver our cakes, not the customer, not anyone. I can't imagine honestly sending a several (or couple, whatever) hundred dollar creation off to meet it's maker in the car of a customer. I don't get it.
I agree with you on this Karma. My policy is delivery only on tiered cakes with 3 or more tiers, absolutely no pick up. I understand the reason for a waiver, but in reality this is my business reputation on the line here so I would rather be sure that the cake gets to the venue in one piece.
Me, too. I offer free delivery in the local area so it's a non-issue. It's just not worth it to let a customer ruin a cake I put all that effort into.
Looking at the picture of the bottom tier, I'm curious how many straws you had in that tier. I only see a couple. The cake does look like the side got raked along the dashboard when she was trying to get it off the floor of the car. I most definitely would not give her any refund or discount on future cakes. She screwed it up. It's not your problem.
Thanks guys for all your comments and support. I did offer her a 10% discount and free delivery on her next cake and told her that I didn't know what happened in transport but I always use these supports and haven't had any problems and she told me that she did nothing wrong and that the discount didn't do her any good because she wouldn't order from me again. I will take your advice and create a waiver to sign when picking up cakes.
The cake was adorable...and I agree. No refund.
I, too, use a waiver that includes safe handling instructions and clearly states that I am not responsible for damage that occurs once the cake leaves my possession.
I truly appreciate the posters that insist on delivering certain cakes. I offer delivery to ALL of my customers, regardless of the size of the order, but I have no way to MAKE them do it. I use SPS, heavy corrugated boxes and always hand off (or deliver) cold cakes. I do all I can to insure safe transport. But it just isn't possible to INSIST on delivery in all situations (I do deliver ALL wedding cakes regardless of size--the cost is included in the price). I have had customers who were travelling to the other end of the State--over four hours away. Sometimes they can't afford the delivery charge.
I love what I do, and care that my customers have a great experience with me from beginning to end. BUT, I learned years ago that when that cake leaves my possession , and I know I've done the best that I can, I have to let it go.
I agree that it looks like something happened to it in terms of it being slammed around, not collapsing. I have one question, though, what kind of a box was it in? It looks like it was in a bakery box-type cardboard, unless that photo is of something else. I'd recommend putting it in a sturdier packign box like you can get at Staples, because it's too easy to pick up a bakery box and press the sides into the cake, they're so flimsy. Especially for a heavy three-tiered cake, she might have picked it up and pressed the cardboard into the cake, who knows. Or something in the car could have pressed against the box and smashed the box into the cake.
Thanks guys for all your comments and support. I did offer her a 10% discount and free delivery on her next cake and told her that I didn't know what happened in transport but I always use these supports and haven't had any problems and she told me that she did nothing wrong and that the discount didn't do her any good because she wouldn't order from me again. I will take your advice and create a waiver to sign when picking up cakes.
I wouldn't worry about it. I'm guessing she knows it's her fault but won't admit it.
It is so obvious from your pictures that it was smashed! Even the decorations are smashed into the cake. It was really cute!
Oh my God you can see the indentation where it got smashed! And I'm sorry, but I would call her on it! Ask her how the cake got smushed IN on one side if it were a structural problem?! You know she very well could have asked someone to take the cake out of the car and when they did they crushed it against something and then lied to her about it! You might say you are sorry she won't be ordering from you again, but whoever she does order from needs to make the delivery.
Also, I would never let a cake go on the floorboard in the front seat. Talk about asking for trouble when taking it out! Waiver or not.. we always told customers who picked up cakes that they were responsible for the condition once it left the bakery.
totally customer!! you can see the damage is only to one whole side of the cake it looks like the decorations were removed from the bottom tier to make it harder to recognize where the damage occured you can se if it wer reassembled the damage will be entirely to one whole side of the cake. I have had customer do this befor and I never ever alow pick up on this kind of cake since
Why can't I find the pictures?! Where are they? I have read thru the whole find but I cant find the pictures...
Look in OP's pics. It's the first cake. The after pics are the additional view pics for the cake.
Like any good CSI investigator could tell you...your cake did not "collapse". It was smashed, either by bad driving or bad removal from the vehicle. Shame on your customer for trying to make you take responsibility. I only allow customers to pick up smaller single tier cakes. The rest are delivery only.
Sorry this happened.
[I have one question, though, what kind of a box was it in? It looks like it was in a bakery box-type cardboard, unless that photo is of something else. I'd recommend putting it in a sturdier packign box like you can get at Staples, because it's too easy to pick up a bakery box and press the sides into the cake, they're so flimsy. ]
I do use bakery boxes just to keep costs down. I'll check out staples to see if I can find something sturdier for the 3 tier cakes. I do cakes because I love making them. I have done it since my kids were little and now I do it for my grandkids. It has just been in the past year and half that I started doing it for others and the area that I live in most people can't afford alot and so I know I don't charge near enough for what I do but I make enough to cover my expenses and have a little extra to spend on new cake toys. 
Oh my God you can see the indentation where it got smashed! And I'm sorry, but I would call her on it! Ask her how the cake got smushed IN on one side if it were a structural problem?! You know she very well could have asked someone to take the cake out of the car and when they did they crushed it against something and then lied to her about it! You might say you are sorry she won't be ordering from you again, but whoever she does order from needs to make the delivery.]
I decided not to call her on it because I could tell from her e-mails it wouldn't do any good. She just didn't get it. I told her I was sorry that happened and her mom didn't get to enjoy the cake but I didn't believe it was a structural issue and left it at that. Nothing was going to satisfy her. I just chalked it up as a learning experience and go on.
[I have one question, though, what kind of a box was it in? It looks like it was in a bakery box-type cardboard, unless that photo is of something else. I'd recommend putting it in a sturdier packign box like you can get at Staples, because it's too easy to pick up a bakery box and press the sides into the cake, they're so flimsy. ]
I do use bakery boxes just to keep costs down. I'll check out staples to see if I can find something sturdier for the 3 tier cakes. .
The larger brown boxes aren't that expensive, and they're a lot sturdier than the bakery ones. I can stack themon top of each other with cakes inside and there's no bending or crumpling of the boxes at all. Totally worth it! And if you have a 14" diameter cake board you can put it in a 14" square box and it's not going to move or slide around.
Thanks for the info. I will definitely look into it.
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