Pricing Question

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Permalink Reply by Melissa Linton on November 4, 2010 at 9:37pm

If this person is a friend the situation is tricky I think that 85 was a fair price, I also think that reducing th cake and decorations is fair for the $50 dollars. Delivery is completley different if its an hour away. My advice to you is to create order forms even if its a hobby. That way there is no mistaking the price. You can have the person sign the form as confrimation on the price. I would do what i fet was worth 50 dollars personallt if thats all you are going to get.

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Permalink Reply by Amanda Fry on November 4, 2010 at 9:47pm

Thanks Melissa! She didn't want t understand that I have a full time job and 2 young kids on top of doing a cake. I already cancelled plans to go to Chicago this weekend with family to make her cake. Thanks again for te response!!

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Permalink Reply by Kimberly Brown on November 4, 2010 at 10:00pm

I'd tell her to try to find such a great cake for such a great price AND try to find someone to deliver it on short notice and she wouldn't be able to. but that's just me :-/
I think that if you originally talked via email and you still have it, to resend her the emails and show her the price she agreed to. If you talked on the phone, that's a different story, its her word against yours. but totally get a deposit, or write down everything on an order form and email it to your client, even if they are friends and have them agree to it by virtual signature then send it back. that way you have a record and they cant rescind on the price.
Don't be angry.
As for the delivery. if you are delivering it an hour away, take and map quest, or Google earth the directions out, then take the mileage and multiply it by 1.85(gas price highway) that would be the charge for the delivery. i have to drive to all of my cake deliveries and that is what i charge if its out of my 30 miles radius that i would normally drive to work.
people try to do this all the time and you have to get it in writing in order to get the right price down. personally i think you are charging far less than what you should.
so compromise if you don't want to loose the cake, or give her time to try to find someone who would do it for less. don't feel like this cake will make or break you. you are a business woman, and you require money to bake and decorate your cakes. I think stick to your guns and she'll most likely come around. but definitely draw up a contract of some sort. ;-)
hope i helped. if you have any questions, you can email me too, brownkhope@aol.com
Kimberly
i price my cakes based on slices. # of people/slices you can get out of the cake, x 1.75(which is standard at most bakeries). so i already would be charging more than you, even for butter creme. once you build up a base of people who buy your cakes regularly, then you can start charging more.

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Permalink Reply by Amanda Fry on November 4, 2010 at 11:03pm

Thanks so much both of you ladies for your advice. The cake is due for this Saturday morning and she just finally told me the flavors and colors this past Tuesday. So that is why it took me time to think of a price, but from now on I have a better idea of how to calculate my price and thanks so much for giving me an idea of how to figure that out approximately! Both of your comments were a HUGE help!!!

Kimberly Brown said:

I'd tell her to try to find such a great cake for such a great price AND try to find someone to deliver it on short notice and she wouldn't be able to. but that's just me :-/
I think that if you originally talked via email and you still have it, to resend her the emails and show her the price she agreed to. If you talked on the phone, that's a different story, its her word against yours. but totally get a deposit, or write down everything on an order form and email it to your client, even if they are friends and have them agree to it by virtual signature then send it back. that way you have a record and they cant rescind on the price.
Don't be angry.
As for the delivery. if you are delivering it an hour away, take and map quest, or Google earth the directions out, then take the mileage and multiply it by 1.85(gas price highway) that would be the charge for the delivery. i have to drive to all of my cake deliveries and that is what i charge if its out of my 30 miles radius that i would normally drive to work.
people try to do this all the time and you have to get it in writing in order to get the right price down. personally i think you are charging far less than what you should.
so compromise if you don't want to loose the cake, or give her time to try to find someone who would do it for less. don't feel like this cake will make or break you. you are a business woman, and you require money to bake and decorate your cakes. I think stick to your guns and she'll most likely come around. but definitely draw up a contract of some sort. ;-)
hope i helped. if you have any questions, you can email me too, brownkhope@aol.com
Kimberly
i price my cakes based on slices. # of people/slices you can get out of the cake, x 1.75(which is standard at most bakeries). so i already would be charging more than you, even for butter creme. once you build up a base of people who buy your cakes regularly, then you can start charging more.

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Permalink Reply by Kathy Kmonk on November 5, 2010 at 1:17am

You ladies are too kind. I wouldn't even mess with her. I'd tell her to go to the bagel shop and get her cake. You shouldn't have to defend your prices. You quoted her a price months ago. If she didn't like it she should have said then, not two days a couple days before it's to be delivered. I'm so tired of people trying to take advantage.

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Permalink Reply by Eileen S on November 5, 2010 at 9:49am

I'm with you, Kathy. It's the friendship part that's sticky. The "muggles" have no idea the time and attention that go into a custom cake. They watch cake challenge shows where giant masterpieces are created in 8 hours, or Cake Boss (where he has a staff of about 30 people), or Ace of Cakes (again a huge staff), and see a cake from start to finish in an hour, so they figure it's not a big deal. If you have two small children (I have 3 under the age of 10 myself), you're probably doing most of your "caking" after 8 p.m. into the wee hours of the night. I agree with your decision to scale down her cake to match the $50 price, although you are a saint to drive it an hour away. Were your kids at least invited to the party since you are friends? I hope this works out for you.

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