came across this: Cakes Across America.
looks interesting in terms of allowing you to MAYBE get more business by registering w/ them.
BUT...
is it legit?
does it work?
anyone done this or know of someone who has?
My MIL(step MIL) sent a cake to her daughter when she went to LasVegas for her birthday. She was very happy with it.
Debbie
I worked with them I really did not have a good experience. The moment I quote them the cake and they also wanted a cheese and fruit cake tray they star to bargain the price!! that that was too expensive! I end up earning no money and Dorothy one of the managers was very very rude!!!
It certainly sounds interesting, I would want some more info before trying it out though. scastro, sorry that you had a bad experience... anyone else?
Doug
I signed up with Cakes Across America when I had my first place around...96
I only had a few orders, they are not cake people, it's just a phone number people call and they go down the list to see who's available to make and deliver the cake.
Nothing more nothing less.
They have their prices, what I did was create something in those parameters.
Nothing elaborate..
chocolate and vanilla....I think I offered the MINI SHEET that wilton had at that time..the 7x11.
I don't remember the prices, but everyone was happy with that.
I forgot how they paid you or if you paid them..lol
Maybe I should check it out again!??
Well here is an update....
As mentioned earlier in this thread, I had requested info from Cakes Across America about a year ago and never heard anything.
Just now...I got a call from Cakes Across America and they asked if I could do a simple chocolate cake for Saturday. They gave me the details and the price they are willing to pay (which happens to be more than I charge for this size cake!). I was given the instructions for delivery, i.e.....between certain hours, don't give a reciept and stuff like that. They asked if I take credit card payments (other than Payapl) or if a check would suffice! So, we will see how it goes!
I went to the website to check it out. If it works out MrsMissey I would consider trying it out myself. However, on the application page it mentions a "Bakery Name." Does that meen that home bakers are not alowed to become members? I just make cakes and things by word of mouth and for people that I already know so I dont have a "Bakery Name." What are some of your thoughts about this. Should I just sign up anyway and chance it or not? 
Sharon
From what I know, you do have to be a legitimate, legal business to be a member of Cakes Across America. My mom, who has a licensed home bakery in NE Ohio, has had several orders through them, and has been very pleased with them. I am also registered with them, though I have yet to receive an order. 
Hi-todayJan 3rd I got a call from Cakes Across America for a sheet cake for a business a few towns over. First of all I was taken aback because I filled out a form over a year ago and secondly, she was not interested in finding out anything about me just if I would do this cake order. I am skeptical but willing to give it a go - once bitten, twice shy.
She emailed me the details and asked me what I wanted to charge. I will go over the details once more and see if it is worth my time.
Well the link Doug posted is no longer working...
That link was posted in 2006.
http://www.cakesacrossamerica.com/
I know nothing about them.
I did an order for them a year or 2 ago... they had a contract with Disney & ordered a cake for the AAA office in town that won some award for Disney Vacations or something. I did a bunch more stuff than just the cake, they wanted pop, ice & balloons too. They sent the edible image they wanted & the balloons with instructions on the specific helium they wanted used. Luckily there is a balloon place I have dealt with before & she gave me the quote. The manager at Cakes Across America was easy to deal with & didn't bat an eye at what I charged & I made sure to charge good for everything I had to do. They sent a check as soon as I billed them.
CAA has been discussed several times here, reviews are mixed:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1378&bih=748&q=%22cakes+across+america%22+site%3Acakecentral.com&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
My experience was positive at first and turned quite negative later.
Please tell me the story if you don't mind. I got a frantic call today asking if I could deliver a sheet cake to AAA for Disney. I can't understand how the payment works and if it is even worth my effort. Like another person said ti is not just dropping off a cake, they want you to bring party supplies.
My experience was positive at first and turned quite negative later.
Please tell me the story if you don't mind. I got a frantic call today asking if I could deliver a sheet cake to AAA for Disney. I can't understand how the payment works and if it is even worth my effort. Like another person said ti is not just dropping off a cake, they want you to bring party supplies.
Dizzy, I dealt with this company about 5 years ago. They always call with a "Frantic" last minute order. You are out the funds and it will be months on end before you will see a dime. Unless your business is booming enough or your personal pocketbook is large enough for you to be out the expense of the order I would not do it. I don't like having to beg and scream for funds that are owed to me. I now only do business with clients (and that is what they are is a client) who pay me upfront before I even turn on the oven. They aren't willing to do that. If you want to chase money then go right ahead. But AAA for Disney won't bring you business in the future just because you are delivering the cake. They will go back to CAA to order again, eventhough they could get it directly from you at your price, not CAA's jacked up prices. CAA is just like Teleflora for cakes. They get the funds at the time of order, then you have to wait for yours. Nothing positive ever came from any order I ever did for CAA and 2 times I had to deliver to some very dangerous neighborhoods. The last cake I did for them was to the 4th ward in Houston. I couldn't understand how these people could afford an $80 basic quarter sheet cake when there was a Kroger across the street and they could get the same decorated cake (granted not the flavor 
) for only $14. Well supposedly they paid with a stolen credit card. It took me almost a year to get that payment from CAA. Not my fault CAA had to refund the money to the original card owner. They still owed me the money. I never took another order from them. Now they have Wedding Cakes Across America. Heaven help us!
............ CAA is just like Teleflora for cakes. They get the funds at the time of order, then you have to wait for yours. Nothing positive ever came from any order I ever did for CAA and 2 times I had to deliver to some very dangerous neighborhoods. The last cake I did for them was to the 4th ward in Houston. I couldn't understand how these people could afford an $80 basic quarter sheet cake when there was a Kroger across the street and they could get the same decorated cake (granted not the flavor
) for only $14. Well supposedly they paid with a stolen credit card. It took me almost a year to get that payment from CAA. Not my fault CAA had to refund the money to the original card owner. They still owed me the money. I never took another order from them. Now they have Wedding Cakes Across America. Heaven help us!
Oh Dear Lord!
I am taking the advice of the majority and passing on this opportunity. I was professional and wrote to Denise and told her that based on reviews and time constrant I am not able to commit my time. This is what her supervisor wrote back: (LONG)
We have been in business 20 years now and I have been with Cakes Across America for 13 of those years.We have put millions of dollars into the baking industry.Our bakers choose to work with us we have a network of over 5,000 bakers.
So of course there are misunderstandings and orders that go bad now and again from customers who give us fraud credit cards (stolen), etc.
When our bakers do what we ask them to do (bake & deliver a freshly baked and nicely decorated cake), we pay them for their services.
In the past (from 1993 up to 2009), we paid our bakers BEFORE delivery. Then we experienced (as everyone did), a bad economy and our corporate orders fell short of what we needed to pay our bakers promptly. We struggled, as did everyone else.
Yes, we receive payment from our web orders (the small, 8 round orders), but for the larger orders (except for Disney), we receive payment maybe 30, 60 and even sometimes 90 days after delivery, especially in this economy is tough for us to pay our bakers when our clients now expect terms, which we have to accept in order to receive these orders.
We have been extremely grateful to our bakers in the past for their wonderful cakes and of course the deliveries. We are in Florida and have no idea of bad areas our bakers certainly have the option to refuse any orders we give them; we wouldnt want to put them in harms way.
Our customers order through us because we provide a service. For someone in Iraq who wants a dozen cupcakes delivered to their wife on her birthday or a daughter who lives 1,000 miles away from her Mom and wants her to have a wonderful cake for her birthday. This is what our service provides. J We have many, many happy and heart warming stories of loved ones who used our services to deliver a very special cake for a very special event, and we are grateful to our bakers to be our long distance arm to do these cakes for us.
If you dont reconsider doing the cake for us, thats fine. But Im sorry you have been left with a bad taste in your mouth for us - its too bad you cant experience working with us. Perhaps in the future .
It was such a nice response I almost regret saying no- but it is one more "deadline" to live without.
I got an app a few years ago but never submitted it. I just had a weird feeling. Not based on anything. Just a feeling.
EXACTLY what cakesdivine said. And in 2009 they certainly did not pay in advance. Run.
Nor did they ever. Her statement is a lie. I worked with them from early 2000 up through 2005. Didn't get alot of orders from them (about 6 or 7 over that 5 year period). And EVERYTIME I had to wait several months before getting my money. None of the orders were corporate orders so the "terms" excuse didn't fly. They had their money. Even if someone ordered with a fraudulent credit card, the company is still responsible to pay the baker. When you decide to become a middle man between customer and service provider then you take on the liability of any fraudulent payments, not the service provider.
They even called me last year (after I had been asked to be removed). I had even moved to a different city and they tracked me down to do a cake in my area. I told them as I had before that my payment policy is to collect payment from all customers whose cakes are under $300 up front before delivery. They said It would be at least 60 days before I could get paid, and I said that is exactly WHY I will not do business with them.
I haven't had any experience with them but it sounds like more like they are cake pimps. Does the baker/bakery even get to tell the receiver who did the cake, get there own business name out there? Or is that against the rules.
Having been cake "pimped" before myself and it didn't end well, I'd say run......
Cakes Across America is similiar to FTD. They advertise, get the business and then pass the business out to a local baker in that area. So my guess is if you havent heard from them then they havent had an order in your area or they have a baker in that area already. Great concept, it has been around for a long time and they work with a lot of big businesses. But they are legitamate and I do know the owner personally and she is a fantastic person!
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