I have been dealing with this customer for 3 years now..She is a good customer,quite wealthy and always spends alot of money on her spoiled twin girls cake! For the last 2 years I have done cakes worth $200.00 or more..One year she even coaxed me into ordering all her party trays/cheese trays/fruit trays etc and getting everything together for her COURIER to pickup cause she is too busy...Yes Courier!! ..Of course I charged extra for this but really didn't/don't have time to do it and really..I do cakes I am not a personal assistant at any rate..I did it because she was spending alot of money on the cake etc...Last year my hubby even hand delivered the cake to the Car dealership which her and her husband own as she was at "Riding Lessons"....stood and waited for the secretary to give him a cheque while she looked the cake up and down it wasn't out of his way as he works in the same area but again she spent over $200.00 so I figured..I can do that!!

fast forward to this year..I get an email saying she wants a cake for Nov 25th..I was waiting/hoping to hear from her...so I sent along pictures...almost all 3D cakes as that is usually what she orders..Nice horse cakes too...I get an email back this morning and she says..."The twins have decided on your 30 piece Pinky Poodle cake for $60.00".

WTF. .I mean after 3 years and running around after this woman who is too busy to even pickup her own stuff and lives in a 8 million dollar home and she orders a $60.00 cake!!!

I feel a bit jaded.... I shouldn't because everyone has the right to order what they want and we really don't know everyone's situation..But I mean really....They just got home from a 3 week vacation...so they can afford it...

Sorry to vent..Just disappointed!!! I've gone out of my ways several times to accomodate her and she does this...

I count on customers like her for my livelihood...

I'd be cheesed too, but, this right here

tells me her daughters saw it and probably squealed in delight, and momma is getting them what they want. Can'tdo much about that I guess.

I don't think you should feel miffed...she still sounds like a good customer to me. We have some very wealthy customers (who can afford to pay $30K/year+ for private elementary school); some order expensive cakes and others order cheap cakes. We also sometimes get other people picking up on behalf of the parents (nannies, personal assistants, etc.), although usually they don't mind paying for delivery.

A sense of entitlement (on the part of the vendor) when dealing with rich clients is something to watch out for, make sure it doesn't come across in your communications.

Yes..Jason..Thanks..I was careful not to show my disappointment etc...I don't want to lose her all togther


Mariacakestoo....I think it was more the Mom telling them what to get instead of them squealing ...I sent beautiful 3D horse cakes/heads ..a flat 30 piece cupcake cake with a pink poodle just doesn't compare..LOL

Oh well..Maybe next year!!

No, a flat cupcake cake does not even come close...lol! I would feel disappointed too, and not to sound like a debbie downer, but do you know for sure she pushed the cheaper cake on them? I would have to ask myself this question to not feel cheesed, trust me! I get cheesed first, then look at it differently to talk myself down from the disappointment.

I'm just speculating...But these girls are very spoiled (8 yrs old) and usually get whatever they want so I would be surprised that they would choose a flat cake over a 3D Horse cake....they are equestrians...but who knows!!

There could be lots of reasons why they decided to go with a less extravagant cake than usual. The rich are getting kicked alot lately for being...rich. Maybe they didn't want to give people another reason to sneer at them for their wasteful ways. Which is too bad, because you're the one taking it in the shorts!

If you had an option on their list of choices that you really didn't want them to pick, why did you include it? If the cake is as cute as you describe it, maybe the girls did go for the cuteness factor rather than a more realistic horse's head. I can't imagine that a horse's head would be that fun of a birthday cake. At least not for little girls, spoiled or not.

At $2 a cupcake, it seems like perhaps you priced that particular item too low.

Spooky...I actually didn't send them the picture of the poodle cupcake cake... they went on my website and looked so I didn't provide that option only because she has always chosen an over the top cake.....I price my cupcake cakes slightly lower than other cakes because I don't have to fill them..I don't have to ice 4 sides and I can do one of those in less than 1 hour...

I don't think I am acting entitled..maybe hurt...I have gone out of my way for this customer who at times has been quite demanding and I did so because she was spending quite a bit more on cakes.I guess I come from the old school and believe in servicing those that are good to you and expect the same appreciation back...I just feel she is being a bit cheap after everything I have done...It's like she doesn't appreciate the extras but expects them...even after emailing her again a bit ago she wants to mix and match 30 cupcakes in 4 flavors.. I only offer 2 flavors and I made her aware of that but she insists on 4 flavors...Grrrrr...Who is the entitled one!!

Sorry..Just peeved....LOL

Ah well..at any rate..I appreciate all responses and opinions...I am grateful she did order a cake..A cake is better than No cake!! Thanks everyone....

I hope you didn't think I was calling you entitled and if you did, I apologize. I just thought Jason made a good point in general. One I'll make sure to remember. As far as your customer, it's up to her to get what she wants, whatever the cost. I don't find that to be a wrong or right thing. I personally wouldn't give her 4 flavors for, what is it, 30 cupcakes though.

QT..No insult taken....appreciate the point of view!!

I know it is annoying if you had somewhat counted on getting a big order from her (although obviously there is never any guarantee of her repeat ordering at all) but it reminds me of my bosss little girl last year.

The year before he had gotten her a big hand made 3d cake which cost a lot and looked amazing but last year when asked what kind of cake she wanted she declared she wanted a boys cake and subsequently pointed at one in a store and said she wanted that one. It cost a fraction of the cake the year before and her dad had wanted to get her a much fancier (and more expensive) cake but she wanted the cheap store bought cake so when her birthday came that is what he got her, so there is a possibility that is what the girls wanted as opposed to your client forcing them to pick a cheap cake.

This is simply MY take on it, but when a rich lady puts the $60.00 price tag in her request for the cupcakes vs. the horse cake you suggested, it does come off to me as almost scoffing at the cake choice of her daughters. I think she is not happy with the choice and the mere mention of the price seems almost as she finds it unworthy of her tastes. I am not sure why they do that, but I have been around them most of my life.

Case in point: I have a friend who is all about high end fashion... she will always show off all her lastest purchases, which I couldn't afford in a year. She will blast me cuz I paid 7.99 for a pair of shoes at the mall on a clearance rack... but if I ask how much she laid down for the gorgeous Pradas she has on her feet, it is always, "aren't they beautiful! I got them in New York." LOL! That wasn't the question...

Your pink poodle "cupcake cake" is so adorable that I would have chosen that too. My godchildren told me once that they love those "cupcakes that are all together" and they fight for the cupcakes that have the extra icing (the border) or the cupcakes that have parts of the faces of a character.

Maybe the twins were just choosing what they really like. Children love cupcakes too, much more than a piece of cake.