Need Input Please...was My Price Too High For This?
Decorating By gooberina Updated 13 Aug 2011 , 11:28am by gooberina
My customer order a cupcake tower (which we custom make for each customer according to their theme), 60 cupcakes (choc/straw/van) with fondant accents (minnie mouse ears, bows, and polka dots for each cupcake), and an 8 inch top cake with the large minnie mouse ears, large polka dotted bow, polka dots, etc. as seen in the pic...(top tier only). When I spoke with her I asked her what her budget was and she told me she had no budget and so I told her I would send her some pics of some ideas, and she could tell me which one she liked. She picked out one and I started working on all the fondant pieces and then two days before the party, when I told her the total cost would be 200.00 (including delivery), she said that she only bugeted 100.00 for the cake and cupcakes and tower. Was my price fair? After lots of research and figuring, this is the amount i came up with. I would love to hear your input. Thanks..
For future reference, you get paid ahead of time. Then there is no issue. If you did lots of research and figuring, why didn't you give her a number ahead of time to agree on and submit an invoice?
I myself am starting to get in to cupcakes. For all the work involved that sounds like a fair price to me. I don't know how she can say she has no budget but then only budgeted $100 LOL. I guess get a price confirmation is important. That way there are no surprises either way. I like to give a quote before I start anything. But yes, I believe your price is fair, IMO
We price fondant cupcakes starting at $3.50 each, and an 8" cake with fondant would be in the $80 range, so we would have priced this order at $290 minimum, plus delivery ($1/minute round trip), plus setup ($60/hour), plus tower rental. 50% of the payment is due when placing the order and the other 50% two weeks before the event.
If a customer said her budget was $100, we would recommend a basic half sheet cake with no custom decorations.
I learned a lesson the hard way. I am still new to this and now I know better. I am trying to post the pic because I am wanting to be fair in my pricing and not over charge anyone....I just wanted to know if my price was correct. Thanks
thanks for all the helpful advice...I truly appreciate it. I just wanted to be correct in my pricing.
Minnie Mouse is copyright protected and Disney is very strict about that.
I wouldn't mess with Disney with a ten foot pole and therefore I turn down orders like this.
I wouldn't post a picture of this anywhere near your business site. They have people looking at websites and blogs to be sure nobody is producing their images for profit.
A friend of mine made Disney image cupcakes and had them on her site and she was sent a very threatening e-mail from them.
She was lucky they gave her a warning and not a C & D
***I can't believe Jason_Kraft didn't pick up on that! lol
A very fair price and a hard lesson. Tell cost up front, get a non refundable deposit, final balance paid at least 2 weeks prior to delivery.
Are the ears copyrighted? I've always wondered about that cause I feel like I see them all the time and I detest the ears LOL!
The ears are the Mickey/Minnie image/symbol, it's what we all think of when we see them...yup they're copyrighted.
Disney is tough, or did I say that already? lol
Seriously they don't mess around with this stuff.
If it's a big NO-NO then why do I see that stuff all over in the galleries? I'm not really questioning this as I believe you, but I'm trying to point out that I see a lot of Mickey Mouse/Minnie Mouse stuff in the galleries.
If I am not mistaken, you are able to make a cake for yourself but not for profit....but I could be way off.
In the US, copying someone else's work without their permission is copyright infringement whether or not the item in question was sold. So many people do it because not many people know about copyright law, so they see others do it and assume it is OK.
If you want to make a Mickey Mouse cake, the only legal way to do it (unless you have Disney's permission) is to purchase a licensed cake topper and put it on a cake with a Mickey "theme" that does not include any copyrighted design elements.
Corrrect. People should be cautious about posting Disney cakes that they sell on their websites. Making them for your child is different but I still wouldn't post them on your site.
US copyright law outlines penalties for infringement, and it specifically includes options for copyright owners to recover either the profits of the infringing item OR statutory damages of $750 - $300,000 per item in cases where there are no profits.
http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap5.html#504
I'm careful not to agree to cakes where I can't buy the licensed items required to make what they want. What chaps my a$$ is a local, very successful baker that has these types of images splashed all over her website. Cause then you always get, "well so and so does it"....drives me mad. Which this has totally gotten off topic....
Considering the cake and cupcakes mentioned in the OP would be infringing (and could potentially get her in trouble) I'd say it's related to the topic at hand.
If you'd like to continue the discussion of why you think it is off-topic feel free to send me a private message, otherwise this thread really will start going off-topic.
It's related in your mind because you are aware of all of that. But she wasn't asking about that...she was asking about her price.
IMO that is a bargain!!!!
I don't know where you live and the prices in that area, but with your description I will charge $2.50 for each cupcake, at least $60 for the cake + the cost of the tower.
Your price was more than fair!!!
It's related in your mind because you are aware of all of that. But she wasn't asking about that...she was asking about her price.
I didn't know about copyright infringement until I started reading forums like this many years ago.
I'm happy someone was generous enough to inform me about the laws, because it saved me a lot of headaches.
The OP asked about pricing Minnie Mouse cupcakes....of course copyright laws apply to that question.
Maybe she already knew about the laws, but maybe she didn't and I hope she appreciates being told from one of us instead of an attorney.
If it's a big NO-NO then why do I see that stuff all over in the galleries? I'm not really questioning this as I believe you, but I'm trying to point out that I see a lot of Mickey Mouse/Minnie Mouse stuff in the galleries.
I agree. If this is a big problem, then why would this site allow it? Why would Cake Central not be in trouble for allowing these to be posted? Obviously they can't monitor 24/7 every picture, but it's not like images of this haven't been on the site for a short period of time. I would have never know it was illegal, just from coming here and seeing it all the time. (sorry if off topic, but oohrahwifey brings up a good point! And I agree that I believe it as well, it is just interesting)
I agree. If this is a big problem, then why would this site allow it? Why would Cake Central not be in trouble for allowing these to be posted?
Read the Indemnification clause at the end of the terms and conditions for this site...by posting pictures here you agree that CC is not responsible for any liability incurred by said pictures.
http://cakecentral.com/terms-conditions
If it's a big NO-NO then why do I see that stuff all over in the galleries? I'm not really questioning this as I believe you, but I'm trying to point out that I see a lot of Mickey Mouse/Minnie Mouse stuff in the galleries.
I agree. If this is a big problem, then why would this site allow it? Why would Cake Central not be in trouble for allowing these to be posted? Obviously they can't monitor 24/7 every picture, but it's not like images of this haven't been on the site for a short period of time. I would have never know it was illegal, just from coming here and seeing it all the time. (sorry if off topic, but oohrahwifey brings up a good point! And I agree that I believe it as well, it is just interesting)
And if it's on the internet it must be legal than right?
Make sure you don't use anything that could be potentially hazardous, because if it's left out too long before it's eaten, someone might get sick and sue you!
Oh wait - you weren't asking for legal advice? My bad. LOL!
I don't think $200 is too much at all! I would charge at least $4 per cupcake, and with the addition of the cake - well, $200 sounds like a bargain to me. You should make sure you agree on the price beforehand though - not everyone realizes how much custom baked goods cost.
Thanks everyone...I really appreciate all the helpful information. I just want to be fair in my pricing and not overcharge or undercharge anyone.
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