Pricing/family Drama

Business By Foolhardyheroes Updated 29 Jul 2013 , 12:31am by ddaigle

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Foolhardyheroes Posted 28 Jul 2013 , 10:32pm
post #1 of 6

So this weekend I did a cake for a cousin whom I'm not at all close with. She asked me to do a RV cake that feeds 60 guests that was rockabilly theme. So we came up with a design and through all those conversations she never once asked me about price but after coming up with the design over the course of 4 or 5 msgs on FB I began the process of finalizing the price...I explained immediately that this is an extremely detailed cake its partially hand painted with a sculpture on top. It was going to cost her 200 and if she wasnt comfortable with the price we can redesign it to fit a budget better.. but she agreed and was even excited... fast forward to the party!. I get sucked into sticking around for a while ... and overheard her telling another guest how overpriced I was and she couldnt believe I didnt bother to give her a family discount!!!! I wanted to lay into her SO badly and "correct" her.... she was getting a STEAL in my opinion and that WAS the family discount! am I crazy for thinking this!? there is NO way that is considered overpriced considering the design elements..? ugh... Im sorry Im mostly venting. but I do want an honest opinion. IS this overpriced for 60 people? 

 

 

 

 

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5 replies
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kikiandkyle Posted 28 Jul 2013 , 10:36pm
post #2 of 6

AIf I was you I'd send her a 'receipt for her records' detailing the supply cost and labor time involved in the cake, and the big old discount line at the bottom showing what she saved. That might shut her up.

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Stitches Posted 28 Jul 2013 , 11:13pm
post #3 of 6

That looks like a 8" & 6" which doesn't feed 60 people dessert portions, in my experience. I know that wasn't what you wanted feed back on, sorry. Even though you have a lot of drawing on the cake it's not very big and that might create a price to value problem for some.

 

$200. retail is more than I can get for that cake in my market......but I understand CA is far more pricey than other states. So I can see that she didn't think she got a "bargain", but I bet it tasted far superior to anything she could have purchased else where!

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BeesKnees578 Posted 28 Jul 2013 , 11:54pm
post #4 of 6

It think it's reasonable.  That's a lot of work on that cake.  It would only serve about 40 using the wilton guide for a 6 & 10 party servings, though.

 

So at that rate, for me it would start at $4.00 (for fondant with basic cake flavor and vanilla BC filling) x 40 = $160 PLUS $20 for the topper, and about 4 hrs labor for the extra design elements/materials at $20/hr. 

 

I would charge $260 for a cake like that to feed 40...not 60.

 

If you give her the rundown of "if you go to a restaurant and you were buying dessert for everyone, you would be charged at least $5.00/person for a cake that was probably made in a factory in minutes.  Not handcrafted over xxx amount of hours JUST FOR YOU and your SPECIAL EVENT!"

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jason_kraft Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 12:17am
post #5 of 6

ASimple solution: on the invoice you give the customer, show the retail price and the discount you gave them.

If 60 party-size servings were required I would probably recommend a 12/9 for 64 servings, priced in the $400 range. If I were to give a discount for family (say 15%), the invoice would say $400 minus a $60 discount for a final price of $340.

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ddaigle Posted 29 Jul 2013 , 12:31am
post #6 of 6

Family discounts will vary from person to person...but I always give them the non family total then give my family memers 40%.   Once they know the non-family price...they never bat an eye. 

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