AAh, I see now that the bride did like the exotic flavors of vanilla and chocolate but is waiting for the groom to place his order for another round of flavors. Just from my own experience, which as I said is almost 20 years of dealing with brides and grooms, when people ask for samples of just th vanilla and just the chocolat, they're either looking for free cake or they're unreasonably picky. Are these not flavors that they've had before? Just my observation, the vanilla and chocolate requests always send up red flags for me. Good for you for charging them but they're going to recoup that when they complain afterward and demand a refund.
and jason, you used a coupla phrases like 'their only crime was not liking the samples' and then that the couple 'needed another chance' from op--that's not what a tasting is about--it's all out of control at this point--
i can see that in the allergy cake business you would want a good solid thumbs up from the couple-i've had some dodgey allergy free cakes-- yoiks--but not in the rest of the wedding cake world necessarily--chocolate is chocolate as costumeczar sagely points out--
to me these peeps embody the stereotype of the runaway cake tasting--tastings are a courtesy (even if they pay for them) and a sweet thing and this has gone far too far --
it's turning into a personal pastry chef nightmare experience -- ugh!
and i'm sure, op, that you are learning a ton from this which is really good for you but please don't question your product through the eyes of these clients--
AI don't think it's safe to make the assumption that customers think everyone's vanilla and chocolate cakes are the same. This has nothing to do with allergy-friendly cakes, even with vanilla and chocolate cakes containing eggs, gluten, etc. there can be a wide variety of tastes and textures, especially with scratch recipes. The tasting is to make sure the customer is OK with that specific baker's take on whatever flavors they are interested in.
I also don't understand why someone wouldn't want to give more than one tasting (or at least to-go tastings) if you are making money from them. With the right price structure, tastings are just another profit center...in fact I was considering advertising the to-go tasting package as its own standalone product, something like a "sampler" as a cheap option (cost-wise) to satisfy customers who want to try a variety of flavors.
Like I said, there is nothing wrong with the couple wanting to make sure they get the cake they want. What is throwing up red flags is the customer not liking the texture of the lemon cake.
If you don't like a baker's texture, that is different than taste. I can put in more or less lemon, more or less almond, more or less strawberry. What I can't/won't change is the basic recipes I offer.
If I were a customer and I didn't like the texture of someone's cake, I'd move on. The fact that they came back with a bunch more ideas even after they didn't like the texture of her baking just sets off warning bells. I'm not saying I'm correct- I've never met them.
If this were happening to me, kara or any of the other veterans, then I wouldn't worry so much. But I just see this ending poorly for a newbie and while it COULD work out fabulously, it really might not.
It's just gut instinct based on being a seasoned wedding professional. If they came to me and didn't like the texture of my cake, (and I knew it was my standard product) the next time they contacted me for more samples I would have politely told them I have booked their date or that I didn't feel that I was a good fit. I would not take the risk.
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Original message sent by jenmat
Like I said, there is nothing wrong with the couple wanting to make sure they get the cake they want. What is throwing up red flags is the customer not liking the texture of the lemon cake. If you don't like a baker's texture, that is different than taste. I can put in more or less lemon, more or less almond, more or less strawberry. What I can't/won't change is the basic recipes I offer.
That makes sense if all your recipes have the same texture. Considering the customer loved three options from the second tasting, either something went wrong with the first tasting or OP's recipes have a variety of textures.
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"..........It's just gut instinct based on being a seasoned wedding professional. If they came to me and didn't like the texture of my cake, (and I knew it was my standard product) the next time they contacted me for more samples I would have politely told them I have booked their date or that I didn't feel that I was a good fit. I would not take the risk.
makes sense. Sounds like there's a lot of business instinct necessary in running a profitable business, (much more than just bending over backwards until you break or go broke.)
To the OP...This is not a business opportunity, this is a something to avoid like the plague. Put your foot down and stop the demands because it isn't going to get better. You can sell them as many sample boxes as you want, but this has the stink of disaster all over it. You obviously posted about this because you felt like something wasn't right about the whole siutation, and you're right. Not everyone is your customer, and you get to choose when you don't want someone to be your customer, it doesn't just lie with the customer to decide that.
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Originally Posted by forbiddensweets
Sorry I didn't mean "new" as in brand new never used. These are flavors I hv used many times. I'm very confidant in my flavors I am thinking it was just them not actually knowing what they wanted. At first it was chocolate almond and lemon. Now they like chocolate and French vanilla. I have been baking a while but this in fact is my first BIG order and I am sure I'm undercharging since it's my first order like this I planned on going to some bakeries and getting estimated. No I didn't charge for the tastings. That is another thing how do you have these just on hand. I am a home baker. Guess I should have done more research.
forbiddensweets while I agreed with Jason about giving them another chance, I can also see some good points made by fellow posters like custumeczar, k8mephis, MBalaska, and especially aneal. Most of them have way more wedding cake tasting experience than I have and all the posters have offered sage and honest advice.
I only offer 3 flavors, butter, marble and chocolate, flavors for the fillings are simple enough to change by using my base icing (ABC and SMBC). My job offers a variety of exotic tastings similar to this pic below, in cute little to-go boxes. They can afford to, I unfortunately cannot at this time.
http://www.bridalbuds.com/wp-content/uploads/Tasting-re__water_1161100121.jpg
Yeah, I lose customers but it saves me a lot of headaches now that I think about it.
Ultimately this is your decision, and you should do what you feel is right for you.
Good Luck!
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