How do you accept payment for orders? I have an order in August. I was thinking 50% payment one month prior and final 50% one week before event. How do others do this?

i break it into 3 payments all non refundable and the last payment is due a month before the date, the second payment is due a month before that and the first payment is due when the cake is booked --

i say that the first payment means i'm not going on vacation that week, i'm not booking another cake to take that spot -- it reserves me for them that week -- the second payment enables me enough time to order/gather supplies -- the last payment pays me to complete the job -- i verbally stress that this is all time sensitive no refunds no substitutes -- this caek that date -- done -- i'd probably do a restocking fee if i had an open date but i don't let on to that in advance -- and i'd have to be in the right mood and that doesn't happen often either --

When I take a wedding cake order, I require a $50.00 non-refundable deposit which locks in their date and is also deducted from their total balance.  The balance then is due 2 weeks before the wedding.

I take a 50% non-refundable deposit at the time the order is placed. The balance is due no later than 2 weeks before the event. There are no refunds if they cancel after that 2 week cutoff. If it's something small and they order within that 2 week window then payment is due in full at the time the order is placed. : ) Wedding cakes are a $100 deposit at time of order with balance due 1 month prior. 

I do a non refundable deposit and they can make payments as they wish until the final is due 15 days prior to the event.(this is when I double check the cake size and make sure the bride still wants the same size and not smaller or larger after getting her RSVPs) I haven't been taking orders lately as I have been too busy with the kids and baby but my deposit was $50. I think I will make it $75-$100 when I get back at it again. If it was a big order to tie up my entire weekend and I couldn't take anything else I would possibly consider making them do more down maybe half. That way if they backed out a few weeks before I am compensated for keeping my calendar tied up completely for that. I try to avoid checks and prefer cash giving them a receipt. I had a bride give me a check that was bad. I fortunately had a funny feeling and decided to take it to their bank or I would have been stuck with the bill! It was less that a week prior to the wedding. (I agreed to take a last minute cake) well after the check incident I cancelled all around.

 I also like paypal for payment and being able to send an invoice. It is neat because you can put a lot of description in there that they are seeing before they pay. It is just an extra form of documentation. I would ask that any paypal payments be made a few days before the due date. (if you need to transfer funds)

Hth.

If it's for a single cake, payment in full is due at pick-up or delivery.  I haven't been burned yet with the whole personal check thing, and after reading some of the horror stories here lately, I'm starting to cringe at the fact that I say you can pay me by check!  (I'll work on that...)

For larger orders, I require a 35% non-refundable deposit at booking plus a signed contract - and that locks them onto my calendar.  The remaining 65% balance is due three weeks prior to the event date.  I have a cancellation and refund policy written into my contract also.

I used to have a different initial deposit/final payment amount, but the lower initial deposit wasn't quite enough to cover the purchase of some order-specific supplies (individual boxes, small cake boards, etc.), and increasing it to 35% of the order total gave me some breathing room.

I just do a $100 non-refundable deposit to book the date because even though it's non-refundable, if I was the one to cancel I'd return the money, So I don't take the money out of the bank until the cake is delivered, and I don't want to hold onto that much money in the bank. The balance is due three weeks before and I don't turn on the oven until I've been paid in full. I've had to hunt a few people down in 16 years of doing this, but for the most part people will pay on time if you send them an invoice with a due date and a link to a paypal account or an address to send a check. 

I break  up the payments but need full payment 3 weeks in advance for weddings. This is so that the check has plenty of time to clear if they are paying that way. I will be more flexible for cash, PayPal, or credit.

For anyone using PayPal or other ways of accepting credit cards, do you charge the fee to the customer or just increase the cake price by a few dollars to cover the possibly of them paying that way vs. just handing you cash?

For anyone using PayPal or other ways of accepting credit cards, do you charge the fee to the customer or just increase the cake price by a few dollars to cover the possibly of them paying that way vs. just handing you cash?

this is a little late but incase you're still curious...

I add the Paypal fees that I pay into the amount of my overhead costs. :) 

I've been lucky enough that everyone's paid me cash. They are all friends and family or friends or friends. I don't have a system yet so everyone pays me at delivery and I have not had an issue yet. But I do offer Square as a payment option since they accept all major credit cards. And 10% of what I make goes to a local non-profit organization where I picked up my pup from =D

I take payment 50% by etransfer or cash and full payment a week before the delivery date. It works fine.