Having Trouble Pricing my Cakes....
Well, the time is almost here, im nearly ready to start my cake business! So excited!
But im having trouble pricing my cakes.
I tried to do the ever suggested, call up local bakeries/cake decorators to find out their prices... but ive stumbled upon a problem, there arent any! The nearest one to us, is about a 45 minute drive away... and they only make a few certain "staple" cakes, that are lovely, but a small range so, not much to go by. Ill be driving up there to have a look at prices (can only see prices in their display book in store), also, the only local cake decorator (or the only one who advertises on the internet at least) is charging ridiculously low!! I pretended to be a customer wanting two different cakes on seperate occasions, wanting a quote. I know thats not nice to fib, but she gives off a very unhelpful, unaproachable vibe and i wouldnt dare tell her i was wanting to know because ill be her competitor! Anyway, she quoted me a mere $75 for a doll cake (you know the ones using the doll tins) this was including the doll, fondant and buttercream decoration, with glitter and a rich chocolate cake with filling!!!! And then for a two teir cake with a few decorations, about $120.... just crazily underpriced, which is a bit scary. Im a beginner and i know my cakes and my time are worth more than that!!!
i just dont know what to charge. Im really lost.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Penny on
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Thank you Jackie, I'm on my phone and the links aren't working I shall have a look on a laptop! Thanks!
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Permalink Reply by V on
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Hi I am in uk and I use cakeulator.com I find it really useful go onto the site and you enter all your inredients including ribbon, cake boards, boxes etc., then how long it took you to do any prep work, cooking time, shopping time and decorating time, finally you add in how much profit you wish to make and it works out a price for you. I find that it is not usually overpriced either.
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Permalink Reply by joseflin on
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Hi all, am interested in your discussion on pricing because I am so bad at it . I am doing cakes more as a hobby but friends are starting to order and I just feel stressed on how much to charge them. I even made some for free. I was advised to just ask for the cost of the ingredients but sometimes i overspend on this as i like to make really quality cakes. When do i start asking for the actual market price or do i have to continue charging for ingrdients for all my friends? They seem to expect this. Thanks
Jo
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Permalink Reply by Jackie Merseal on
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Joslfin, I would charge friends. You may discount your profit, but I wouldn't give the cakes away. I'm pretty new to decorating so I really only bake for friends and family. Many times I've made cakes as gifts for baby showers and such. It's important people know that baking and decorating is an art and deserves the proper notation. If I spend 5 hours on a cake, I want to be appreciated for it, and so should you. I mean they can go some where else but they will learn quick, you get what you pay for.
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>Thanks Jackie,you are right . A friend is asking me to make a cake for her sister and i have given her a quote yet as I am getting stressed on how to nicely tell her my price. Anyway, I do need to start being business-like from now on.
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joseflin I too would definately charge friends if Your able to. Where I am, your not allowed to sell food without having a health department approved kitchen, council approval and a registered business name. Selling your cakes for more than cost price makes you a business. It's different from country to country and state to state so this may not apply to you but worth a look in. Also public liability insurance just incase you get a nasty money hungry customer who wants to sew you for "food poisoning". But if your able to sell your cakes, absolutely do so! I wouldn't be making a cake for my friends sister for nothing. Your time and care is worth some
thing :-)
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Permalink Reply by charles wood on
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Don't let these people get you down. So many want something for nothing. I just tell them to go to wall-mart
Penny said:Thanks ladies! Well today a lady I know found out I'm starting a cake deco business and asked for a quote on a peppa pig cake.
She wanted a 10" round with a nice vanilla cake flavour. This is the picture she showed me (I've attached it) I could tweak it a bit, had to include the number 3 somewhere on it.
The cake itself was going to cost me $25 as it was a good vanilla cake with a syrup using vanilla pods and also Swiss meringue layer/crumb coat as she doesn't like buttercream and fondant decoration like the picture of that cake.
With the ingredients cost, and my decorating time and delivery and all that, I quoted $80. Is that unresonable? I know everywhere is different but were you are, is that bad? She messaged me back saying she couldn't possibly justify spending that much on a cake for a 3 year old but thanks anyway. I thought it was pretty reasonable. I know one lady who would have charged her $130, and another lady who wouldn't do it for her at all because anything under $150 is a "waste of her time" and another lady who would charge only $95 so I'm below all of them being my first "paid" cake. Was a bit disappointing. I even offered to make a peppa pig cake topper for $35 as a substitute to put on her supermarket cake and she said no too much.
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Hi Penny, I did a bit of "fibbing" myself and e-mailed bakeries & cake studios to investigate some pricing. I sent a photo or two of cakes that I had done (without the text of my company's name/logo/website etc. that I usually add in there). I inquired as a potential customer, indicating that I had seen the cake(s) at events that I had attended (ie. a relative's wedding, a friend's party, etc) and would like similar for "x" date (choose a date far in the future. The establishments emailed back with estimates, and I was able to see what some of the 'big guys' are charging. With the magic of e-mail,you don't even have to contact bakeshops in your vicinity, you can contact places from all over and get some info. Hope that helps; I'm constantly in a quandry about my pricing!
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Permalink Reply by art deco cakes by galidink on
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depending on the area your in also , but the pricing depends on size , fillings , frosting /fondant !and time also !
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yes charge your friends !
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Penny, there's a great course on setting up a Cake Business that Australian Louise Vansleve made. I know that covers costing a cake. I think the side is www.startyourcakebusiness.com
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Permalink Reply by Mai Fathalla on
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Sharnette... I know that's an old post; but I couldn't help reply to your comment because I did EXACTLY what you did!!! Even the spreadsheet I've created has an identical name of yours!!! :)))
Sharnette Hallenbeck said:Here is a copy of what I use
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