Help With Pricing A Cake???

Decorating By multilayered Updated 25 Apr 2010 , 2:20pm by multilayered

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multilayered Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 1:16pm
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I am making a version of a pink cake box cake(I will try and attach a picture) the original price was $1,275!!!! I am making the cake AND 18 mini fondant cakes with ribbon and a butterfly. Now this cake involves. a lot of time and detail. I of course am not going to ask the original price, but I don't want to go to high or too low. I was going to ask $500 for the cake and the mini cakes, what is your opinion?? TIA
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29 replies
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tarheelgirl Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 1:27pm
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In my opinion $500 is too low for that size cake and 18 mini cakes. As well as all the details with butterflies. That is a huge amount of work!

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mamawrobin Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 1:33pm
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I agree. That's not very much considering the labor involved.

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TexasSugar Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 1:44pm
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How many servings is the cake? What size are the mini cakes?

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Swede-cakes Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 1:56pm
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Hmmm...what size tiers are you using? I'd say you start building your price just like any other cake you'd sell. # servings x price per = starting point. If you charge more for carving topsy style, then add that on. Calculate the price for fondant you'll use plus labor or else your usual fondant $ ncrease and add that on.
What size are the mini's? 4"? 6"? Calculate a price for one, multiply it by the qty you have to do, then add a p.i.t.a. charge for all those minis! lol!

Hey, once you do all this, you may see a reason for PCB to charge what they do! lol!

Let's say that wedding cake were to feed 100 with a 12"/9"/6". I'd be charging $500 just for that cake in my market. And there you go...close to half the PCB price without even factoring in the minis.

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multilayered Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 1:56pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasSugar

How many servings is the cake? What size are the mini cakes?




The cake will serve 65 and the mini cakes are 3"

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TexasSugar Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 1:59pm
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Are you doing a smaller cake than pictures? That cake looks like it serves more than 65.

What is your price break down between the cake servings and the mini cakes?

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multilayered Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 2:09pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasSugar

Are you doing a smaller cake than pictures? That cake looks like it serves more than 65.

What is your price break down between the cake servings and the mini cakes?




The cake is approximately $7.5 per slice the mini cakes were $6 per cake

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multilayered Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 2:10pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by multilayered

Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasSugar

Are you doing a smaller cake than pictures? That cake looks like it serves more than 65.

What is your price break down between the cake servings and the mini cakes?



The cake is approximately $7.5 per slice the mini cakes were $6 per cake




Plus I will buy all the mini cake boxes,decorative bows for the tops and the mini-cake circles

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TexasSugar Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 2:18pm
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Personally I would charge more for the mini cakes. Atleast $10 if not more. They are going to be alot more work than a large cake, and like you said you have the boxes, bows and circles. Have you priced out how much those are going to cost you to buy?

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leily Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 3:24pm
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I can see $7.60/serving for the cake, but definitely charge more for the mini cakes.

Have you ever made mini cakes before? They are VERY time consuming. With the butterfly/ribbon/packaging I would charge a minimum of $15/each, but this is just off the top of my head without doing more research on the cost of some of the supplies I would need to do it.

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multilayered Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 4:47pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by leily

I can see $7.60/serving for the cake, but definitely charge more for the mini cakes.

Have you ever made mini cakes before? They are VERY time consuming. With the butterfly/ribbon/packaging I would charge a minimum of $15/each, but this is just off the top of my head without doing more research on the cost of some of the supplies I would need to do it.




No I have not made a large order of minicakes before. That's my concern I know this is a BIG order and I don't want to under charge but I also don't want to scare her away!!! I want to be confident in the price I give her how does $750 sound??? That would include everything (boxes,boards, delivery &set-up) I think it is fair.

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brincess_b Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 4:57pm
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if $750 covers your costs, and all of the time (aka your wage) then its a fair price.
have you sat down and priced out what all the stuff you use costs? and what you want to make per hour?
what size tiers are you doing - and have you done topsy turvey before? they are a learning curve! if its only to serve 65, and still to be three tiers, i think your end up working with smaller cakes which is tricky - might be worth bigger cakes and a dummy tier.
xx

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TexasSugar Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 5:04pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by multilayered

No I have not made a large order of minicakes before. That's my concern I know this is a BIG order and I don't want to under charge but I also don't want to scare her away!!! I want to be confident in the price I give her how does $750 sound??? That would include everything (boxes,boards, delivery &set-up) I think it is fair.




Charge her what your time is worth. This is a big order, as was said have you figured your costs vs time and how much you are making?

Don't worry about scaring her off. Give her your price. She can take it or she can go somewhere else.

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indydebi Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 6:49pm
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what Texas said. If it "scares her off", then she can pay the $1250 at PCB. If you want a Cadillac, then you pay the Cadillac price ... doens't much matter WHAT dealership you buy it from.

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multilayered Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 7:00pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

what Texas said. If it "scares her off", then she can pay the $1250 at PCB. If you want a Cadillac, then you pay the Cadillac price ... doens't much matter WHAT dealership you buy it from.





LOL....that's great. It's true, I recently started decorating as a business and I do good work. But I am guilty of under charging and I do have to stop, and charge what my time and cakes are worth. If she gets scared away then it just was not meant to be!!! Thanks so much everyone icon_biggrin.gif

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TexasSugar Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 7:10pm
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In the long run, if you keep under charging you will get burned out. Almost 90% of the burned out posts result for under charging.

If she has priced this cake at PCB, then she already knows any lower price you give her is a deal. You have to decide if you want to be the cheapest place out there just so you can do cakes, or if you want to charge what you time away from your family and talent is worth.

Personally I'd rather pass on doing a large order at a low cost just to get it.

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CeeTee Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 7:16pm
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Seeing as I would charge $360 (give or take) just for the mini-cakes alone, I think $750 is way too low for the entire job.

When it comes to pricing, the client needs to pay what is fair for you to get, not them to pay.

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multilayered Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 7:26pm
post #19 of 30

That's exactly it...I LOVE to decorate, but I am also trying to make a living. It is not worth it to under charge just to get an order. I want to be competitively priced I don't want to give my cakes away. I have to stop being afraid of people walking away, and just let them if they want to. I think part of it is a lack of confidence on my part, I almost feel since I am self taught and I haven't be decorating "professionally" very long that I some how deserve less. But I need to stop thinking that way, all of my clients have LOVED their cakes and I have been proud to make them all. Thank all of you ladies, I just needed a kick in the butt. I deserve to be paid for my work and the time away from my children &husband icon_biggrin.gif

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JulieMN Posted 31 Mar 2010 , 11:39pm
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It is a beautiful cake, but sounds unbalanced: too much work and too little money for the order. Those mini-cakes have a lot of costs associated with them that customers may not recognize but that you need to recoup.

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SpecialtyCakesbyKelli Posted 1 Apr 2010 , 5:35am
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I haven't looked at your cakes, but the first question I would ask myself is "am I capible of putting out PCB QUALITY work"...and if the answer is yes, then I would charge top dollar for it. Whatever YOU think is going to be worth your time and skills. As far as the mini cakes...... I wouldn't charge less than $10 each for them.... any less and you're gong to be pulling your hair out fooling with those little PITA cakes thinking why in the HE*L did I agree to do this!

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multilayered Posted 1 Apr 2010 , 2:03pm
post #22 of 30
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpecialtyCakesbyKelli

I haven't looked at your cakes, but the first question I would ask myself is "am I capible of putting out PCB QUALITY work"...and if the answer is yes, then I would charge top dollar for it. Whatever YOU think is going to be worth your time and skills. As far as the mini cakes...... I wouldn't charge less than $10 each for them.... any less and you're gong to be pulling your hair out fooling with those little PITA cakes thinking why in the HE*L did I agree to do this!




Please take a look at my cakes, I have never had a disappointed client. I am VERY meticulous. I am definitely capable of making this cake. Here are a few of my cakes...
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SpecialtyCakesbyKelli Posted 1 Apr 2010 , 3:37pm
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Wow, beautiful cakes! Worth top dollar thumbs_up.gif
I hope you understand that I wasn't trying to be disrespectful... Just saying that product quality plays a big factor in pricing in my opinion. But your quality is GREAT!

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multilayered Posted 1 Apr 2010 , 3:48pm
post #24 of 30
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpecialtyCakesbyKelli

Wow, beautiful cakes! Worth top dollar thumbs_up.gif
I hope you understand that I wasn't trying to be disrespectful... Just saying that product quality plays a big factor in pricing in my opinion. But your quality is GREAT!




No...not at all I totally understand what you were saying!!!! I really do believe I can do that cake justice, I am going to tweak it and make it my own but the PCB cake is the inspiration. And thank you so much for the great comments about my cakes....it's always nice to hear good feedback especially from a FANTASTIC decorator like yourselficon_biggrin.gif

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SpecialtyCakesbyKelli Posted 1 Apr 2010 , 3:50pm
post #25 of 30
Quote:
Originally Posted by multilayered

Quote:
Originally Posted by SpecialtyCakesbyKelli

Wow, beautiful cakes! Worth top dollar thumbs_up.gif
I hope you understand that I wasn't trying to be disrespectful... Just saying that product quality plays a big factor in pricing in my opinion. But your quality is GREAT!



No...not at all I totally understand what you were saying!!!! I really do believe I can do that cake justice, I am going to tweak it and make it my own but the PCB cake is the inspiration. And thank you so much for the great comments about my cakes....it's always nice to hear good feedback especially from a FANTASTIC decorator like yourselficon_biggrin.gif



Aww... well thanks! icon_redface.gif
Looking forward to seeing the cake... by the way, that tennis shoe is to die for! I've had someone ask for one, but I talked them out of it....scared of how long it would take icon_eek.gif

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multilayered Posted 1 Apr 2010 , 4:19pm
post #26 of 30
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpecialtyCakesbyKelli

Quote:
Originally Posted by multilayered

Quote:
Originally Posted by SpecialtyCakesbyKelli

Wow, beautiful cakes! Worth top dollar thumbs_up.gif
I hope you understand that I wasn't trying to be disrespectful... Just saying that product quality plays a big factor in pricing in my opinion. But your quality is GREAT!



No...not at all I totally understand what you were saying!!!! I really do believe I can do that cake justice, I am going to tweak it and make it my own but the PCB cake is the inspiration. And thank you so much for the great comments about my cakes....it's always nice to hear good feedback especially from a FANTASTIC decorator like yourselficon_biggrin.gif


Aww... well thanks! icon_redface.gif
Looking forward to seeing the cake... by the way, that tennis shoe is to die for! I've had someone ask for one, but I talked them out of it....scared of how long it would take icon_eek.gif




Yeah...the sneaker took 9 hours!!!!

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dreamcakesmom Posted 1 Apr 2010 , 4:38pm
post #27 of 30

I always love IndiDebs responses and this one is no different. Just like all the other posters I would say starty with your fondant covered cake base price x servings and add on for detail work of butterlies and then price the small cakes per cake. Ballpark how long it will take to cover and decorate each cake and make sure you pay yourself for your labor. When I first started i WAY undercharged for my time and then I quickly realized if this was going to be my business I had to trust that the people who appreciated quality work and taste would find me and pay me fairly for the work and they do!

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ArtieTs Posted 1 Apr 2010 , 4:56pm
post #28 of 30

@OP your cakes are beautiful & there is no doubt you can put out a PCB quality cake, so I say charge top dollar all the way. I agree with INDEBY, if you want a cadillac then you gotta pay the cadillac price. Good Luck!

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multilayered Posted 2 Apr 2010 , 1:00pm
post #29 of 30
Quote:
Originally Posted by ArtieTs

@OP your cakes are beautiful & there is no doubt you can put out a PCB quality cake, so I say charge top dollar all the way. I agree with INDEBY, if you want a cadillac then you gotta pay the cadillac price. Good Luck!




Thank you so much icon_biggrin.gif I took a look at your pic's too......so great!!!! Thank you for all of the input I really appreciate it!

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multilayered Posted 25 Apr 2010 , 2:20pm
post #30 of 30

Hi Ladies (and Gentleman),
Thank you so much for your support and advice with this post. I did end up quoting her $750, it was to expensive for her so we adjusted some things. Instead of a three tier cake I made a tall 2 tier with a large gumpaste/fondant calla lilly & butterfly topper topper, I did not do a topsy turvy, and we changed the mini cakes to cupcakes (which she actually ended up liking moreicon_smile.gif Thanks to your advice and help I got a fair price, and didn't feel "bad" asking for it. I'm attaching some pictures of the finished cake loosely based on the PCB cake ( she did not want any "flying" butterflies). The pictures are not the greatest quality, but I hope you can get the jist!! Thanks so much again!! Andrea
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