Last Minute Price Panic!!!!!! Help!!!

Business By MikeRowesHunny Updated 16 Jul 2006 , 7:46am by tw1nkle

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MikeRowesHunny Posted 14 Jul 2006 , 3:54pm
post #1 of 7

Hi all! Just got back from my friends birthday party, where a guest there loved my cake so much that she asked if I could make a cake for her daughter's birthday next weekend. Sure...........BUT we leave for vacation at 5am on Monday, so it would mean me making and decorating this cake over the next 2 days and it being frozen. HOWEVER.........she wants a doll cake for 70 people!!! OK, so the Wilton wonder mold pan, I know can serve up to 18 (for kid-size pieces anyway), and then I was thinking of putting the doll cake on sheet cakes to make up the rest of the servings (a couple of double layered 11x7s should give 50 party serves by my reckoning).

So, how much do I charge for this cake being so much cake, a fair amount of work, very last minute (while I'm trying to get sorted to go on vacation!), and she wants the whole thing in FONDANT!!!???

She belongs to a very large church family, so I have the potential to get a fair amount of business from this. Am I crazy to even consider doing this with everything else going on this weekend - if not, what price to I tell her, please someone help me, I need to tell her and get a decision tonight!

TIA xxx

6 replies
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MikeRowesHunny Posted 14 Jul 2006 , 4:27pm
post #2 of 7

23 people have viewed my plight, but it seems no-one can help me - someone, please, a rough guesstimate would surfice - pleeeeeeeeeease???!!!

BUMP

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Omicake Posted 14 Jul 2006 , 4:36pm
post #3 of 7

I don't like to price anybody's work, but reading your plea I only can give you my personal estimate .At $3.00 per person the least I'd charge would be $210. Not counting the last minute order.

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karensjustdessert Posted 14 Jul 2006 , 4:41pm
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I would price it at about 175.00 myself, taking into account 70 servings, a "sculpted" cake, the fondant work, and the last minute order. Good luck!

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Fishercakes Posted 14 Jul 2006 , 4:47pm
post #5 of 7

Not sure that I can really help much, I know that I really underprice my cakes, but I do live in a College/Medicare/Medicaid town, so most people here don't have a lot of money to spend on birthday cakes.

I would suggest putting everything into the cake matrix and see what price estimate it gives.

Here, in my area, I would probably have to charge $165 ($2 per serving and $25 for homemade MMF and last minute order). You also have to take into consideration that this family could end up being one of your best customers but I would also tell her that this one time you are waiving your "standard rush order" fee so she thinks that she is getting a discount and it may be the "extra touch" that keeps her coming back for more cakes as most shops would not waive any fees.

Hope this helps, but the best advice is for you to follow your instinct!

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MikeRowesHunny Posted 14 Jul 2006 , 6:18pm
post #6 of 7

OK, so I ran it through the price matrix (which I've altered to allow for my location & resulting expensive ingredients!), and it comes to 165 euros, not including any penalties for rush orders. I thought I'd quote her 140 euros, because she's promised to pass my cards on to other moms she knows and to her church congregation too - so the discount (one time only!!!), would be my way of saying thanks for doing that. What do you all think, does this seem fair?

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tw1nkle Posted 16 Jul 2006 , 7:46am
post #7 of 7

I would charge and even 150.00 thats if your sure that this cake will generate further business for you.

Just a side issue - I don't think fondant freezes very well?!

HTH

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