The small town I live in has a yard sale page on Facebook. People put their junk on there to sell it. Last night a woman posts two cakes for her baby's first birthday and asks if anyone can do them. Three of my friends tagged me in the post. (Nice of them to think of me, but not really how I want to conduct business) So the woman sends me a private message asking me for a price quote.
I told her that by the look of each (one was 2 cakes side by side with a million figures, etc. the other was a 2 tier stacked with a dozen cupcakes and only half a million figures) they would be pricey. The first one more so than the second. So she asked for a quote for the second picture with and without the cupcakes.
I quoted her the price and she told me thank you and she would let me know tomorrow (which is now today). She told me the price was reasonable and if she went with me she would need it by August 4, is that okay. I told her that I would make it work and to let me know.
I'm praying that with the tons of other posts, she finds someone who will do it cheaper and think theirs is a bargain and forget me. I just find this tacky to wait 1 and 1/2 weeks before your baby's first birthday party to try to get a cake ordered. None the less ordering a cake as detailed as the ones she had posted. Also, posting on a Facebook yard sale page to try to find someone reasonable. Reasonable doesn't always equal that your cake will look like what you wanted it to.
On the flip side if she wants to pay, a customer is a customer for me. I just don't want to be drumming up business from a yard sale site...
Am I nuts to think this whole thing is tacky?
I don't think it is tacky, so much as dumb luck on her part. If you can, and want, to do the cakes, then do them. If not, then don't. You are not required to make her a cake. And perhaps she is one of the people who do not make a big deal out of a 1st birthday, but her family/friends have been pressuring her to do something "special". And finally, remember that caking is like teaching or nursing-unless you have done it yourself, or know somebody who does, people have no idea what it takes! (I happen to be a teacher and a caker!)
ANope. I think it's a terrible way to network, personally. I've been tagged in a couple threads by my boyfriend's sister. She means well, but I got a few likes on FB, and a couple of inquiries. The one guy who actually set up an appointment with me never showed up. Apparently, this particular guy dies that all the time. Yeah, I cringe when I see myself tagged like that. I'm not cheap, and it seems like that's all the people on those pages are looking for.
AI have done a few cake orders that came through a FB group just like that. I don't think it's tacky at all. In fact, the orders I did this way have lead, along a rather winding path, to some of my favourite customers!
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Original message sent by CakeRae80
I just find this tacky to wait 1 and 1/2 weeks before your baby's first birthday party to try to get a cake ordered.
That should be plenty of notice for a birthday cake, if you have the availability and the customer is willing to pay a reasonable price I don't see what the issue is.
I don't think it is tacky, so much as dumb luck on her part. If you can, and want, to do the cakes, then do them. If not, then don't. You are not required to make her a cake. And perhaps she is one of the people who do not make a big deal out of a 1st birthday, but her family/friends have been pressuring her to do something "special". And finally, remember that caking is like teaching or nursing-unless you have done it yourself, or know somebody who does, people have no idea what it takes! (I happen to be a teacher and a caker!)
I don't have an issue doing them if she goes with me. I just thought it was a very odd way to do things. I've had 2 kids, and well back then a first birthday wasn't as big as now, so they just had the store bought cakes. It was over 45 mins. to go to a bakery, so we just never had fancy things. As far as the teacher, I give you big applause because I could never do that. I have teacher friends and have helped them just to tear down @ the end of the year and set up at the beginning and that alone is enough to want to rip your hair out.
Nope. I think it's a terrible way to network, personally. I've been tagged in a couple threads by my boyfriend's sister. She means well, but I got a few likes on FB, and a couple of inquiries. The one guy who actually set up an appointment with me never showed up. Apparently, this particular guy dies that all the time.
Yeah, I cringe when I see myself tagged like that. I'm not cheap, and it seems like that's all the people on those pages are looking for.
As I know my friends meant well too. But I just don't want people to think my cakes are $20 (just throwing out a number). You are right, in my area if it's not for free it's too much. So I don't want to quote people and they then tell everyone my prices are too high. Let the others come to me to judge for yourself.
I have done lots of orders through facebook itself. They PM me or write on my page, but just not through that. Like I said above these people on this one want everything for free and if it's not it's too much. For example I've sold Thirty-One items on there that were brand new in the package for less than 1/2 off the original book price, and they still wanted it for free. Even kids jeans that I've sold for $0.50 that are mint condition they want for free.
That should be plenty of notice for a birthday cake, if you have the availability and the customer is willing to pay a reasonable price I don't see what the issue is.
I usually like a full 2 weeks for notice, I know a week and a half isn't bad. I just meant for the first birthday that they were doing things late, not necessarily the cake itself. I guess my biggest thing is she just wants someone to make the cake and whoever can do it cheap is the winner. I would want that too, but I would want to know a little about the baker that's doing it. If that makes sense.
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