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sweetsbyJ
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Joined: Jun 11, 2008
Posts: 43
Location: South Florida
Birthday: Sep 01
PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 10:00 am  Reply with quoteBack to top

I had a lady call me a couple of weeks ago asking for a Baby Einstein cake. I told her to email me with the info and I would give her a price through email (i do it that way so that both parties have it in writing) Well we emailed back and forth and she sent me this picture. (attached)

She wanted it just like this for 40 people 2 tiers in fondant.

Im not that great giving prices since Im just starting out and I usually end up undercharging people Embarassed ..anyways..I charged her as follows:
$2.75 per person plus a separate charge for each animal: Cat, Dog, Lizard @ $12 each. Duck @ $7 and the catepillar @ $5
The total was $158.00 ($110-cake $48-animals) Confused

I think I was giving her a good deal..the cake giants here wouldnt charge less than $3 something per person and they would have proably charged like $100 something or more for the animals..

This was about 2 weeks ago and she never responded..I even wrote her back telling her that I was already getting orders for her date and that if she thought the price was too high I could do the cake at $1.35 per person out of buttercream and I could do the animals in 2d for cheaper....still no answer... Sad

Now..honest opinions..do you think I charged her too much?? to little?? what would you gals/guys have charged?

TIA! Confused



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kelleym
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Joined: Aug 24, 2005
Posts: 2441

Birthday: Dec 21
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:07 am  Reply with quoteBack to top

Your price was more than fair. My local cake shop won't even DO 3-D molded figures for any price. Your "customer" probably was thinking she could get the cake for $40-$50, and suffered extreme sticker shock - NOT YOUR FAULT!!! If ya want the Cadillac of cakes (which that cake certainly is), then you have to pay the Cadillac price.

Just let her go - it wasn't meant to be. Certainly don't lower your price for her, like I said, the price was fair and most people here would probably tell you it's under-market.

To quote indydebi - "Who cares? Who's next??" Very Happy
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sari66
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Joined: Mar 02, 2008
Posts: 245
Location: hot lanta
Birthday: Sep 05
PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:20 am  Reply with quoteBack to top

You so didn't overcharge for this cake! Like Kelleym said she just had sticker shock and didn't know how to respond to your quote.
On to the next one!
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Maria_Campos
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Joined: Oct 16, 2006
Posts: 207
Location: Raleigh NC
Birthday: May 06
PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:39 am  Reply with quoteBack to top

I think thats a more than fair price, you want good paying customers that value your time, efforts and skills and know the value of an excellent cake. So you just weeded out a cheap cutomer and it leave your calendar open for a good paying returning customers.
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chutzpah
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Joined: Apr 12, 2008
Posts: 539
Location: nowherenearchurch
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:42 am  Reply with quoteBack to top

My opinion? C'mon over here and let me slap you up!!! NEVER EVER NEVER reduce your prices to get an order. *whap*

It was NOT too much. Take other orders. If she snoozes, she loses.

You can bet she was expecting a quote of $19.99 including delivery.
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jamalyn1
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Joined: Jun 19, 2008
Posts: 20
Location: Chico, CA
Birthday: Jun 28
PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:49 am  Reply with quoteBack to top

It's like with most industries, people who are not involved don't understand. Your time & talent is worth every penny. This is also a lesson I'm learning for myself, but we have to take pride in our work. If we are not getting paid enough than we are not taking pride in what we do. We are saying that what we do is not as good as the others. But darn it we are! and we should get paid. So let her get a yucky, tacky grocery store cake...you have better things to get accomplished today!
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poshcakedesigns
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Joined: Jan 15, 2008
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 3:52 pm  Reply with quoteBack to top

More than fair I would say. You know what your work and time are worth. Don't let the WM mentality shoppers get to you. I finally after a year have gotten some backbone about my prices. The price is what the price is and it's not up for debate.
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sweetsbyJ
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Joined: Jun 11, 2008
Posts: 43
Location: South Florida
Birthday: Sep 01
PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 8:16 pm  Reply with quoteBack to top

THanks for all the replies Very Happy I feel much better! You are all right ..I shouldnt have lowered the price....Chutzpah--I do need a little slapping!! LOL

I think you all are right..she was probably expecting for me to say $50...what? to make like 20 bucks and spend HOURS working on it? I dont think so...and I agree..my time and talent IS worth every penny...I just have to give myself a little more respect Razz

Thanks soooo much!!!
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indydebi
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Joined: Jul 07, 2006
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Location: Indianapolis IN

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:56 am  Reply with quoteBack to top

chutzpah wrote:
My opinion? C'mon over here and let me slap you up!!! NEVER EVER NEVER reduce your prices to get an order. *whap*


AGREE!! I never chase after an order. If they can't afford me, that's A-OK with me!! Many people can't and I consider that a status symbol!

ALso your email of offering to reduce the price reeked of desparation, which put the power in HER hands instead of in yours.
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all4cake
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 12:16 pm  Reply with quoteBack to top

I think your quote was fair.

I didn't think you had lowered your price on THAT cake...you just offered her another option at a lower price ...different design, different price.
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Ruth0209
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Joined: Aug 09, 2007
Posts: 107
Location: Boise, Idaho
Birthday: Feb 09
PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 12:16 pm  Reply with quoteBack to top

I'm all for encouraging people to live within their means regardless of what they're buying. Your prices are set. If someone can't afford the cake they had in mind, they just need to adjust what they want to the budget they have to work with. If you can only afford a store cake, then you buy the prettiest one you can find and have a lovely event with it. There's no shame in that.

I'd like to have a lot of expensive things I can't afford, but so what? I shop for the nicest things I can afford and I'm content with them. That's called being a grown up. My mom taught me long ago that "deserving" something has nothing to do with what you can afford, and it's no excuse for overspending.
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Kitagrl
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Joined: Jun 16, 2005
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Location: NE Philly suburbs
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 12:24 pm  Reply with quoteBack to top

The fastest way to hate cake decorating is to undercharge...and I've accidentally done that a few times (misjudging the time it would take to do a project). Would be better to charge a little too much (and I've done that before too) and be glad to see your profit when you are done, than to say "Man I hate this, I stayed up all night long for a lousy $25 profit."

I would have charged probably no less than $160 for that cake, Philly area...about $4/serving.
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Lady_Phoenix
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Joined: Mar 07, 2008
Posts: 159
Location: Charlestown, Indiana
Birthday: Nov 21
PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 12:29 pm  Reply with quoteBack to top

I had someone ask me for a price not long ago. The price I quoted was more than fair, and he asked why it was so expensive. He said "its a cake for heavens sake!" I reminded him he is not only paying for the cake baking itself but for the artistry used to create his custom creation. Once he thought about it that way, he changed his tune about the price.
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Omicake
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Joined: Mar 11, 2006
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Location: Puerto Rico

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 12:32 pm  Reply with quoteBack to top

All4cake made me re-read the OP and she's right. Another option was offered in BC and 2d figures.
The new offer was for a another type of cake.
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Kitagrl
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 12:39 pm  Reply with quoteBack to top

....and supplies are surprisingly expensive. Once I purchase a nice wooden board (for a larger or 3D cake), ingredients, fondant, and etc, we are talking big bucks. I recently sold a $300 3D cake (one of my undercharges, frankly) and it costed over $100 out of pocket and plenty of hours of tedious hand painting. I bet nobody would ever guess cake actually COSTS that much.

I bet some of these people, you could quote them the "at cost" price (without telling them) and they would still say "That's too much just for CAKE..."
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