Sugar Bottle Makers! What Would You Charge Another Baker??
Decorating By CarolLee Updated 30 Jan 2012 , 8:51pm by LisaPeps
As a sugar bottle maker, I have been asked to make several bottles for another decorator ( a competitor) and have no idea what I should charge. It took me close to a year to learn the skill after hits and misses and the time it takes me to complete one is around 2 1/2 - 3 hours plus supplies - which is not much. I don't want to sell the skill short but I I also do not wish to scalp anyone.
ANY ideas and thoughts would be appreciated.
I don't think you should sell your bottles to another competitor......why would you want them to put your work on their cake? I don't think they would credit you with the bottles....and picture your work on their website.......wouldn't a customer look at it and possibly go to them instead of you?
In my opinion- I think you should be flattered, but turn the person down....you worked long and hard to make perfect sugar bottles, you should reap the benefit.
(I hope they're not that hard though, b/c I am going to attempt them next weekend!)
Actually, one of the decorators has given me credit for them and posted it on her site. It another one that didn't. That's the one I'm not sure what to do with.
I agree with Debbye27. Sugar work is a specialized skill that sets you apart from others. I have spent more hours than I care to count learning how to make sugar bows, blown sugar figures, etc. and I personally would not sell any of my work to a competitor. Not that I have any pictures to show for it. My brother-in-law downloaded a virus that wiped out my hard drive before I did a backup. I lost every picture of all of my work except for my first few that I took with a regular camera years ago.
well if they're giving you credit for it, then that is free advertising
I'd still be reluctant to do so, though.
And for the one who is trying to make your work appear to be their's..... do not deal with them any further- you don't even have to be rude about it, just let them know that you would prefer to keep your talent to yourself....or at the least say- you are too busy to do extra work
Up to you if you want to do it but break it down as with anything else:
Labour: I'd probably charge double as it is a specialised skill so for example $20/hr @ 2.5/3 hrs = $50/60
Overhead: Whatever you work out your overhead at as an example $10
Supplies: example $10
Profit 30% = $60(or $50, I rounded up)+$10+$10= $80+ 30%= $104
Just fill in the figures to match your business
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