How Much Would You Charge/ Pricing

Business By Wildthingcakes Updated 21 Nov 2014 , 2:46pm by julia1812

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Wildthingcakes Posted 19 Nov 2014 , 11:47pm
post #1 of 9


Client asked for this cake
Min to feed 35 people

Red Velvet cake w/a Cream Cheese filling

Buttercream icing and (rolled) Fondant

Edible Mask

2 plumes of Navy Ostrich feathers

10 - 12 peacock feathers

Satin Ribbon with Pearl detail

Those on bottom tier looked like Chocolate dipped or Fondant covered Oreos to me Approx 36-40

And of course matching Base

Curious - how much would you charge for this ... I don't think I charge unfairly and I think that I underprice
But Client said even $200 was too much ...

We are NY Borough Based also (in case that Matters)

Kindly, HELP! ? :-( 

8 replies
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morganchampagne Posted 20 Nov 2014 , 12:06am
post #2 of 9

AThose look like French macarons to me. Not chocolate covered Oreos, but I suppose you could have done it that way.

Also, cream cheese buttercream is a no go under fondant. Better to fill it with cream cheese and then just Ice with vanilla :).

As far as price I can say I would be well over $200 after adding (making those feathers) and the mask, and then the cost of those Oreos/macarons. So I think that person just can't afford a custom cake, and that's OK. They aren't your customer.

If youve done math and you're happy with your labor cost and profit margin just tell yourself you know what you have to charge to make money. If you haven't, then Google "how to price my items for sell" and research how that's done.

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leah_s Posted 20 Nov 2014 , 2:51am
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I think those are real feathers.  And I've never seen macarons that were that flat. You may be onto something with the fondant cover Oreo idea.  Is that maybe a 6/9?  So 44, servings.  So, $176 for the cake +$56 for overcovering the Oreos, $40 for the handmade mask, and Probably another $40 for the feathers, cause trhose things are expensive, plus $20 equipment fee. $332 + $50 delivery

And I'd probably be kicking myself thinking I didn't get enough . . .

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leah_s Posted 20 Nov 2014 , 2:51am
post #4 of 9

I wouldn't do that cake for $200.  

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Wildthingcakes Posted 20 Nov 2014 , 9:29pm
post #5 of 9

Thank you leah_s 

I simply told client that she was welcome to price elsewhere - but I could not give her that cake for $200  (She went on to start deconstructing it and mentioning several times it wasn't that much to do - and why I couldn't give it to her for $185- sigh:ouch:)

I decided to post to see what other bakers / decorators felt -  In the end I feel better that I wasn't overpricing - I usually feel that I take on too much and do not price accordingly often not enough to cover my overhead.  I'm building my business and its a slippery slope- I want to be fair yet profitable.

I often receive alot of referred inquiries/business - I send potential clients an info form and on it I ask for them to prioritize - meaning if Budget is their main concern then please let me know what that is (usually ask for a $50 range - ex $200-$250) - along with some ideas they have or want - I use that and come up with a suitable cake/ design etc.
Does anyone else do that?

However some clients want a $400 cake  (photo wise) and then expect to pay $150 - I'm willing to work with clients - but within reason. No?

 

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Rudd Posted 20 Nov 2014 , 9:59pm
post #6 of 9

Those feathers are expensive. I ordered some on ebay from China & they were still expensive & they were just the ostrich plumes, not even peacock feathers. I think they were like $20. I used an actual mask from a party store instead of an edible one on my cake (it was for friends) & just taped it to skewers to put it on the cake so that the actual mask didn't touch the cake. Also just an fyi, coffee stirrer straws are almost the perfect size to put the feathers into in order to insert into the cake.

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FioreCakes Posted 20 Nov 2014 , 10:24pm
post #7 of 9

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wildthingcakes 
 

Thank you leah_s 

I simply told client that she was welcome to price elsewhere - but I could not give her that cake for $200  (She went on to start deconstructing it and mentioning several times it wasn't that much to do - and why I couldn't give it to her for $185- sigh:ouch:)



 

This is terrible!! She knows what things cost? Does she know how much that gold/gumpaste/fondant costs? If so, tell her to make it herself! Ridiculous! Atleast $300.

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melmar02 Posted 21 Nov 2014 , 1:09am
post #8 of 9

A

Original message sent by morganchampagne

Those look like French macarons to me. Not chocolate covered Oreos, but I suppose you could have done it that way.

Also, cream cheese buttercream is a no go under fondant. Better to fill it with cream cheese and then just Ice with vanilla :).

As far as price I can say I would be well over $200 after adding (making those feathers) and the mask, and then the cost of those Oreos/macarons. So I think that person just can't afford a custom cake, and that's OK. They aren't your customer.

If youve done math and you're happy with your labor cost and profit margin just tell yourself you know what you have to charge to make money. If you haven't, then Google "how to price my items for sell" and research how that's done.

I do a crusting cream cheese under fondant and it works just like buttercream.

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julia1812 Posted 21 Nov 2014 , 2:46pm
post #9 of 9

AI just cried into my cushion after a client also expected a ridiculous price for a cake (8x12" shoe box cake with 2 louboutin high heels made out of gum paste for 40$). I posted even a thread here... Than I spoke to a friend of that woman who happens to be a good friend of mine and she told me that my potential customer / her friend never ordered a custom made cake in her life and simply has no clue about prices. I guess many people see it as a piece of art ... and you know how much a picture can cost: Anything between one dollar and a million, lol! So, I decided to treat my customers in the future like inexperienced/ first time art buyers and explain them WHY an original van Gogh costs more than a printed copy. Politely of course! Honestly, some people JUST DON'T KNOW! And some are better of when you tell them how to get to the next supermarket, hehehe

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