Had this lady, whose sons go to the same school with my daughter, asking me about the birthday cake for her son's party. Here is how she started her email:
"I would like to know how much you sould charge for a 9x13 sheet cake? The venue charges $40 if they provide it. But I'm not sure about the flavour..."
Seriously, no discussion about cake flavour, filling, design or decoration yet, she's talking about another potential vendor's pricing already. I guess she's expecting me to automatically do a price war to undercut the venue...
I think most average people have completely zero idea about cakes. To them, a cake is really just a box of cake mix, plus a can of frosting; perhaps the fanciest cakes they could ever think of are the ones from grocery market's bakery section.
Quote:
"........I think most average people have completely zero idea about cakes. To them, a cake is really just a box of cake mix, plus a can of frosting; ......."
viannescakes: Bingo, I agree completely.
only they are too lazy to even go out and buy the box and the can and do it themselves, they look for a 'dupe' to do it for them for free. Don't fall for it, you guy have some spectacular talent.
Quote:
Just had a request for a cake two days after christmas... Originally, in an email, she had stated that she saw one of my other cakes (I pretty easy/non time consuming, single tier cake with a stencil & a single flower on it) and wanted one like that - just in a different color. Then we played phone tag for about a week. Finally, she reverts back to email and sends me this request for a cake:
that feeds 20, oh, and 10 servings need to be sugar free. I would like multiple tiers, at least 3 tiers. Gold leaf on one of the tiers, rhinestones around the base of each tier, fondant swags from one tier to the next, a rhinestone monogram on the cake and a rhinestone 25 on another of the tiers, about 3-4 flowers with rhinestone centers at the stopping point of each swag and a mound of rhinestone centered flowers on the top.
....All 2 days after Christmas.... 
The request came from a long term client's best friend. I really, really like this client - she is fun, loves great designs in cake and allows me creative license with the designs. I felt bad but I let her know that I just could. not. do it. That the most I could do, would be a small, rustic buttercream cake.
So then the request turned in to - "can you do the cake I want using fake cakes and have one small cake for serving?" - Which I gladly agreed to. THEN I get the email that says, basically, "Great! Sounds perfect. So a 4 tier fake cake like my design and then a sugar free cake, a regular cake and some sugar free "fancy sugar cookies", some fancy regular sugar cookies and some other sugar free treats for the guests."
Quote:
The request came from a long term client's best friend. I really, really like this client - she is fun, loves great designs in cake and allows me creative license with the designs. I felt bad but I let her know that I just could. not. do it. That the most I could do, would be a small, rustic buttercream cake.
So then the request turned in to - "can you do the cake I want using fake cakes and have one small cake for serving?" - Which I gladly agreed to. THEN I get the email that says, basically, "Great! Sounds perfect. So a 4 tier fake cake like my design and then a sugar free cake, a regular cake and some sugar free "fancy sugar cookies", some fancy regular sugar cookies and some other sugar free treats for the guests."
Stand your ground, you told her what you are willing to do. I'm pretty tough about orders at Christmas, we work a ridiculous amount of hours in the last couple of weeks leading up to Christmas and have an absolute rule that I knock off 3.30pm Christmas Eve no matter what, and spend Christmas and Boxing Day with my family. Don't let somebody else ruin your Christmas it's not worth it.
things NOT to ask/say to a baker.......on CC.com
?.........................
?.........................
?.........................
?.........................
?.........................
"How much can I charge" and
"Is this a reasonable price"
That looks easy! Wonder why more people don't just do their own cakes????
I have a client who calls last week and orders her cake ending with "Because I come to you every year (I've only been doing this 2 years - this is her second order), I would like a better price as I am a regular".
tell her if she wants a better price go to WalMart. Or that you don't give discounts until she has been ordering from you for 5 consecutive years.
I have also had people ask me for recipes, one customer sent me an email saying how much she loved my cake and she wanted to make one at home, so could she get the recipe from me. I of course kindly said, "I'm sorry I don't give my recipes out, but would be happy to make one for you anytime."
AHad a customer call day before thanksgiving. If like to order a cake.
Okay. What date?
Today in a couple hours.
Sorry no can do. (It was allready 3pm)
But I really want one of your cakes. Can't you cancel someone's order and give me their cake.
Lol. No ma'am
This is what I find all the time, people don't understand how much time and cost goes into making the decorative cakes!
AI had a lady come in once and order a very elaborate cake. When I gave her the price she about croaked.
The she said - My son ordered a cheesecake from you four years ago, and since that makes us regulars I really did expect a better price than this.
I just looked at her and you could hear a pin drop.
AThat was four years ago. Prices have gone up.
One customer came in and said "I ordered a couple years ago from you. An 8" cake with playing cards. How much was that again?"
Gave her the price.
"I think you're mistaken. I rembrr it being 20.00 less"
"No ma'am. Our prices have not changed. "
"I think you're wrong"
No ma'am. I'm the owner. That size has always been that price.
Quote:
I had a lady come in once and order a very elaborate cake. When I gave her the price she about croaked.
The she said - My son ordered a cheesecake from you four years ago, and since that makes us regulars I really did expect a better price than this.
I just looked at her and you could hear a pin drop.
hahaha! that's just silly!
i don't discount. if i want to give product away, I just give it away, but I don't want to be in the middle of an order, which I discounted, and regret it. That just feels lousy.
Quote:
I had a lady come in once and order a very elaborate cake. When I gave her the price she about croaked.
The she said - My son ordered a cheesecake from you four years ago, and since that makes us regulars I really did expect a better price than this.
I just looked at her and you could hear a pin drop.
Applauding your elaborate cake she was clapping with one hand, and shoving the other one in her pocket to pinch her pennies.
she doesn't deserve your upscale cakes with a Kool-Aid pocketbook.
I had one a while back
Customer (email): HELP! I need a cake for tomorrow (saturday) and so-and-so said to contact you but I forgot! I saw your website and I LOVE your cakes!!!! I will literally take ANYTHING you have- do you maybe have something sitting around or a cake that someone didn't want that I could just buy off of you?
Me: Well, thanks for the compliment. Actually, I do have a freshly baked 1/2 sheet cookies and cream cake that I did not end up needing. I almost never have extra cake, but you're in luck. I would just need a set of colors I can use and whether you'd like polka dots or roses.
Customer: OH THANK YOU!!!! This is for my daughter, she is turning 16 and we are having a big party. She LOVES cake boss so I need something really over the top with lots of bling.
Me: I'm sorry, it's 5pm on a Friday, you need the cake for tomorrow. I can give you roses or polka dots in your choice of colors.
Customer: Oh, well that just won't work. I need something really special. I guess I'll have to go somewhere else, but I'll think of you next time....
Facepalm. You do that, be sure to think of me, tell me you will take ANYTHING I have, then proceed to try and weasel a Cake Boss cake out of me with 12 hours notice on a Friday when I'm doing 3 weddings. Yep. Go right ahead.
I'm making a cake for my church's 40th anniversary service on Sunday morning. This morning (Thursday) at about 9am, the church sercretary calls and asks if I can send her a photo of the cake so she can put it on the slideshow for the service.
Sure - when do you want the photo?
Oh, today before I leave at 1 o'clock.
Sorry, no can do.
How long in advance do people think we have their cakes made? And sitting where? Do they want to eat cake that's been sitting on my kitchen bench for goodness knows how long?
Quote:
I'm making a cake for my church's 40th anniversary service on Sunday morning. This morning (Thursday) at about 9am, the church sercretary calls and asks if I can send her a photo of the cake so she can put it on the slideshow for the service.
Sure - when do you want the photo?
Oh, today before I leave at 1 o'clock.
Sorry, no can do.
How long in advance do people think we have their cakes made? And sitting where? Do they want to eat cake that's been sitting on my kitchen bench for goodness knows how long?
what is she thinking -- omg -- you're baking it sunday morning right?
Quote:
what is she thinking -- omg -- you're baking it sunday morning right?
Yep - 4 tiers of mudcake for 300 people to be in place at 9am. If I get up early and get started, it should be fine, shouldn't it?
DH said I should have opened the freezer and taken a photos of all the layers wrapped in plastic and sent that. 
I was showing someone my pictures the other day, and she saw a picture of my spa cake with the dolls sitting in it. She asked me how did I keep the dolls from melting when I baked it!!!
Quote:
I was showing someone my pictures the other day, and she saw a picture of my spa cake with the dolls sitting in it. She asked me how did I keep the dolls from melting when I baked it!!!
Can people really be this dense??? That is crazy! I would have made something up - "oh, I have a special heat shield that protects them in the oven" . . .
Liz
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%