ASo I have been running a home based bakerys for about 3 years now. I interned for 2 years and when the woman I worked with retired I'v been on my own, things are ok (its feast or famine). This week however has really gotten me down, I have always wanted to open a store front, but I'm marrying a farmer so I knew I would have to put that dream on hold untill we had more capital. But now I have gotten a call from the bank saying what little money I did have (iv paid off college as I go do I don't have debt, but its left me poor) is gone as someone got my credit card info, so now I have to find a 3rd job in order to make ends meet. Then I am on facebook tonight and see a lady who does cakes ( I live in a small midwestern town so many people do) wants to open a bakery, her cakes are terrible and she WAY underprices things so I have been screwed out of cakes because people think I should charge $25 for a cake! I really want to say screw it and open a shop, but I have no capital and that seems foolish but a small town like this can't support 2 shops so if this lady opens a place first I don't have a shot! This is just so frusterating, iv done everything right and have built a customer base and taught people the value of my work and it could all be down the drain because I'm young and not as established! Ahhhh! I wish there was an easy answer!

Somebody got your credit card info?  3 cards?

You get on the phone to the companies, and then you write letters. 

You do NOT pay those stolen balances until you have talked to a lawyer. Call your state law society and ask for a referral--they give a half hour of FREE time.

Most credit card companies do protect you but you have to go after them. 

Being young is not a disadvantage.  Farmers can sell stuff that other people cannot.  Get set up to sell from a farmers market and you will sell the pants off the competition.

AYa its been a crazy day of talking with banks, fraud departments, online companies! Ugh its been a disaster, but it does look like its getting handled, in the mean time I have to make extra money to live on, not that I need a lot but definetly have bills to pay! Hopefully its just a bad week and better things are around the corner!

Well here's something to look forward to: making your own wedding cake. You make it so that people never forget how GOOOD it was.

I did as much as possible myself to save $$$.  That meant a dressmaker (mother wouldn't let me sew my own gown).  That meant making my own cake including the topper.  You might even be able to swing your own flower arrangements from silk flowers.  Leave yourself time to do this and you will be a lot happier than working multiple jobs and paying somebody else. 

And don't forget to take a deep breath every now and then. Helps with the nerves.

AIf she's charging so little for cakes, she's not making any money, and adding the cost of running a shop to her overhead is only going to drain her even more. You don't want to be competing with that, believe me. Wait until she goes out of business, sad to say but if she sells a poor product and won't be able to pay the bills, she will, then you'll have your money saved and will be able to do it better.

Sorry to hear about your credit card fraud, that sucks.

Good luck with the credit card company. I'm still battling with them after my card got hacked in October. I placed an order with GSA in sept and the hacking took place in oct. The cc company took the charge off in november and then put it back on in december. It was only $60 but I didn't make the charge. They knew my card was hacked and issued me a new number but I still have that hacked charge on my account. It takes time and effort to straighten things out. I hope things work out for you

I got hacked $1400 in November and was told it would take 40 days to resolve and to get the money credited back.  Rang them today to find out that nothing had been done due to "some confusion".  Was not impressed.  The poor girl promised to deal with it today and said I should have the money within 10 days at the latest so their 'investigations' that presumably take 40 days are obviously a load of bull****.  We will see.  Interestingly enough they told me at the start that they would not under any circumstances let me know where the card had been hacked from as quite often businesses were the victims as well and it could wreck their business, so I find it interesting that everyone knows that their cards were hacked from GSA.  Mine was not hacked from there.
 

I know where mine was hacked because I didn't use it from may (vacation) until I placed that order and didn't use it afterward because I'm trying to get it down in time for my vacation next year(2013). There was another cake related company that was hacked as well last year that was mentioned in the long thread earlier here. Good luck. MIne is now a fraud case according to the cc company. It's a never ending process.

Amazing what credit card fraud departments can do if they set their mind to it.  After complaining yesterday that I still didn't have my money refunded it is all back in the account today.  So much for the 40 days originally needed to investigate.  Makes me very happy, though.
 

Cheer up broken wing!  :)

This is only a temporary situation and things will get better.  Keep a portfolio of your cakes so you can show potential clients the quality of your work.  Once they see what you're made of, their decision should be easy. You also need to be confident in what you do when you sell your work. Explain to your clients what you do well.  Be passionate about what you do!  You will know if a client is money driven, and you should have ways to overcome it.

If you have the talent the clients will come, it may not be many, but keep your chin up and you will do fine.  It may take some time before the people in your area realize what a professional cake is, and should be. Don't give your cakes away just because someone else is, she will be out of business in no time with those prices.  

Also, is there a place on the farm that you could dedicate to a bakery area?