Need to vent...

My sister, I love her dearly, but is really getting under my skin right about now! She called and left me a voicemail earlier this afternoon wanting to know how much I would charge for cookies for her work that they would like to get for a trade show. The kicker is this... she wanted to know what kind of discount I would give since she would come out and help me! She did the same thing to me a couple of weeks ago when calling to inquire about doing a cake for her friends husband!!

I just want to yell at her! First of all don't go around telling people that I will give them a discount b/c you will help me. Second, you coming out to help me will be more of a hassle than a help so NO! lol

Sorry, just needed to vent....

That's nervy.....I'd tell her that your prices are your prices, unless she's willing to pay the difference on this so called discount she's promising everyone.

I agree with Deb, the previous poster, tell her discounts on your work is at your discretion and nobody elses. Family Sigh

As annoying and rude as that is (ugh, sisters!) she might be doing it with love though, thinking that you are getting more business and she is helping offset the difference by coming,and she gets to look good too. She probably doesn't realise how unhelpful her help would be. Doesn't make it right, but she probably loves ya!

Put your foot down and it will all stop.

Not to mention the fact that these people may want to be repeat customers and won't like it when your sister can't "help" and they have to pay full price. Family... can't live with 'em... can't lock 'em in a closet.

Tell her she can give them any type of discount she feels fit for the cookies she is going to make them in her kitchen.

Sorry that happened to you but Ive definetly been there with family had to make a stand Ive also done with friends. The family member who abused her discount now has to pay full price when ordering cakes, but my friends only get a discount for their kids cakes "which are on my calender" all other cakes they pay full price and its bad when your friends understand & your family doesnt.

What does your sister do for a living? Perhaps you should leave a message on HER voicemail telling her you have someone interested in her product (or services) and you'd like to know what kind of discount she could give considering you would be willing to help do whatever it is she does. This would get your point across even better if she is in a field you couldn't possibly assist in. Such as...

"Hi, Sis, it's Karen. I just wanted to let you know I have a friend who is interested in having brain surgery and I was wondering what kind of discount you'd be willing to give her because, of course, I'd totally be there to help you out on this one."

I have sisters too and WOW yours could actually be one of them !!!

I told my sister to stop it before i decked her. That helped.

Then she popped that bubble by blurting out, that she just wanted to show my work off. That it made her feel good, and that she got to brag that her sister could actually DO this kind of stuff (baking). Her friends thought it was cool.

IMO if your sister is promoting your goods out, it sounds like she is proud of her sis and wants to show you off, and by helping she can use the old phrase "and i helped!" when the compliments start flying. so, be firm but gentle when you tell her to please stop selling your work cheaply for you.

Once you do something cheap for one of your sister's friends, all her other friends will start wanting things. I made a cake for my sister's best friend for cost (because I don't have a business and can't sell cakes) and the next thing I knew, the girl had five "orders" from friends lined up and thought I'd be excited...but I didn't have to tell her anything unpleasant because she thought my sister would drive 120 miles each time to pick up and deliver the cakes and my sister shut that down fast.

LOL - thanks for making me laugh ladies!

Part of me believes she is doing it out of the goodness of her heart, BUT part of me thinks she is trying to get in "good" with her new boss. I called and told her that my prices are my prices, no discount and that while I appreciate the help she has offered, it would take more time to schedule time for her to come help me than to just do it on my own. I also told her I need a date and # of cookies needed, then I would put together a quote that she could give to her boss. Don't think I will be hearing anything else about needed cookies!

Assuming it is partly out of the goodness of her heart, why don't you supply her with a mass amount of business cards? That way, she could spread the love at full price!

Yeah, family, they're a birth defect you just have to learn to live with.

No family living in this area! haha.

However if it was for my sister and/or her family, I would be like "Sure I'll do one for ya!"

But if it was for her JOB or some other social occasion I'd be like "Payment please!"

I love that!! but i think of half of my family as more of an STD. [/quote]

You could tell her there will actually be an add'l charge if you have to take the time to put up with someone being a PITA in the kitchen WITH you while you tried to make these!

A repeat story that stopped my hubby DEAD from doing anything like this:
Friends of ours are getting married. I work with the groom. Bride cuts hubby's hair. They are paying me to do their catering. They have a chocoalte fountain also. Hubby asks me to discount them "to help them out". I info him I've already given them the friends discount (we really really like this couple!) and I can't discount anymore.

Hubby asked "What if I pay for the chocolate fountain?" Heck I don't care who pays for it, as long as I get paid, so fine with me. His next hair appt, he tells bride that her chocolate fountain is free to her. She calls me in disbelief to make sure she understood right. "Is it really free?" I said, "It's free to you ... Phil's paying for it."

I share the conversation with Phil. He thinks that's cute. I said, "She probably can't believe you're spendign that much on her." He said, "How much is it?" I said, '$700".

His mouth dropped open and he said he thought it would be around fifty bucks. I said, 'Nope. $700."

He stammered, "you're not really going to make me pay it are you?"

I said, "Get your check book, babybcakes! I also take credit cards!"

He NEVER asked me about giving a discount again!

Chuckle!!! What a great story!

That's blimmin hillarious!

So, Debi, does she know cut his hair for free? Like to the tune of $700 worth? I bet not.