OMG shes killing me.
She just emailed me and asked me if she could spend the 50$ on cupcakes instead of a cake and could I make it look like it was a cake.
Not one of my questions about flavors or fillings did she answer. Not one.
I asked where she was having the party, the dates she was available for the tasting, if the whole cake had to be diabetic, what she thought about doing a small diabetic cake.....NOTHING. She answered NOTHING.

Do I buy the cupcake tower and charge her for it?
Does it then become her cupcake tower?
If I bought my own, how would I get it back from her?
Geez, this is crazy.

Does she mean a tower, or does she mean a flat "cupcake cake" where all of the cupcakes are iced together? In my own humble opinion, I wouldn't go and buy a cupcake tower to rent out to her for a $50 order. Just tell her that you don't have one at this point, and that she would have to provide a stand herself if she wants one.

State very clearly what you can provide for $50 - and it does not include the stand...it may end up being a nice birthday present for Grandma~

You may also want to give her a deadline ( 24 hours?) as to when you need the information (ie. flavours, date of party, etc.)...say something like you have other orders, and you would like to give her right of first refusal to make up her mind about booking you. Light a fire under her (so to speak!) and a decision will be made one way or another, for better or worse!

Good luck!
Nicole

Im not sure. I emailed her back along with some pics of cupcake towers and then a pull apart cupcake "cake", but I dont think Ill hear from her until tomorrow. I have decided that I am definitely NOT providing one to her to rent, she can buy her own and Ill just make them. For an extra 20$ Ill deliver them and set them up!

And thats a great idea about the deadline, I didnt even think of it, thank you!

wow, I'm so sorry you have to deal with all this on your first order. Please continue to keep us posted. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

I can't believe you're willing to make 60 specialty cupcakes for $50!
I think you should charge her at least a dollar each- especially since cupcakes are more difficult and time consuming than just making one big cake, as far as I'm concerned. I know the Super Target by me sells a whole lot of flavorings(their Archer Farms brand) for cheap- they have a mango one I've seen and several other kind of unusal flavors, too. Might be worth looking into...Good luck! Keep us posted!

My local grocery wanted $24 for 24 "naked" (no frosting) cupcakes when I needed blank ones for my girl scout troop. There is no way she can get the price she wants for the amount of what she thinks she needs.

just the worrier in me but be careful that this isn't some kind of scam too. Have you actually talked to this person? Or is it just all email? I've gotten strange requests throught Craigs List that I've ignored becuae they're very vague and mostly interested in how much $. You hear about it all the time - fake money orders, etc and by the time you or the bank realizes it, they're long gone. Just be careful.

OK, well I emailed her this morning and told her I just booked a wedding cake for the 28th of July....which I didnt, but enough of this changing your mind crap. Ive got things to do.
I told her I needed an answer from her by this evening.
I also told her that if her budget only allowed for 50$ then she would be better off baking them herself because if 60 people are expected, then each person will only get one cupcake, which are quite small, IMO. I told her once we go over the 60 quantity, she would be charged more.
I also told her I will not rent the tree/tower and if she wants one she will have to purchase it herself.

I was excited for my first paid order, but this is ridiculous. And yes its all through email. She sent me her phone number, but I havent called her yet. If shes this indecisive over the net, can you imagine how she'll be over the phone? Ill be on the phone forever! Thank goodness I have free long distance.

Good grief, this woman is something else! I'd want out of it at this point too. She's still trying to get more for her $50. I wouldn't be doing a "tasting" either. I agree with TheCakeMaker who said you would be eating up any profit you'd make on gas to get to her and the ingredients for this tasting. Who does a tasting for a $50 birthday cake? She's nuttier than a Payday.

I'd try to stick away from what you can't do and just lay out (maybe only once more) what you can do for her $50. 50 cupcakes (that's being nice) or a double layer sheet cake. No, I don't suggest buying a tower just for this - just not worth your time.

She needs to go to this phantom Publix of hers where she can get a 3 tiered cake and 60 cupcakes for $50.

I'm so sorry that your first order is turning out to be a PITA.

I am so happy you have stuck your ground with this woman...it sounds as if she is trying to get "something for nothing", she is trying out different ways of getting more for her money. I agree that 60 cupcakes for $50 is very cheap and will take longer than if you made one cake. And also agree that they should not get the whole cake sugar free i only the birthday girl is diabetic.

good luck!!

OK, she just emailed me back.
I have a feeling I cannot get rid of her.
She told me that she called some places and one will rent a motorized lazy susan with tiers and she wanted to know if that would be ok.
She also just told me she was flexible with her budget.....ummm, OK.
I havent emailed her back yet. Im still quite.......I dont know what I am lol.
At first her budget was $50, now shes flexible.
I KNEW when I told her to bake it herself she would change her tune with the price.
I am going to tell her that the tasting is free if she comes to me. My dad is diabetic and I know he wouldnt mind getting some leftover cake. I have to bake him one anyways for fathers day.

Of course she's "flexible" now!

At least you can use the leftover cake after this "tasting" - that's if she drives to you.

I have a feeling she's going to give you a hassle to the very end.

I know, right!
I emailed her back and said that I needed to know if the lazy susan was tiered.
I also told her that we really needed to get this finalized and the contract signed, money paid, and tasting date done because I am going out of town (which is true) and I wanted to have everything in order so when I came back we could just take care of business.
And wouldnt ya know? No return email!
Oh well, its a sign lol.

It's definitely a sign. I would tell her that you are unable to do the cake. This is way too complicated an order. I understand about wanting a paid order, but believe me, there are much better customers out there. You have already said that someone else booked for the 28th. Stick with the story and drop this order.....this has disaster written all over it. Go with your gut...you will feel so much better if you tell her to look elsewhere. You do not want your first paid customer to be her!! Set your standard from the start!!!

Good luck!!

Patrice

I agree with Patrice...this is going to leave a bad taste in your mouth for future orders....this is no way to start out!! There are A LOT less complicated customers out there. And she is being this way and its not even a big order ($ wise), I am sure it will be a problem til the end. RUN!!

LOL! I just thought of Woody in Toy Story when he says "run like the wind bullseye!".
Yeah, I am glad myself and I also think I made the right choice. Oh well. A new customer is out there somewhere.
Thanks for everyones help and advice! It is greatly appreciated!!

So did you tell her you weren't doing the order then?!!?

I just read through this whole post and I am amazed! The way you stuck to your guns! It really doesn't sound worth it though!

Good luck!

I actually did not ever turn her down from the order. I just made it a bit more complicated for her to place the order.
I didnt want her to bad mouth my brand new business to other people. While she lives a few towns away, I didnt want her saying something like "oh you need a cake? Dont go to Nikki".
I wanted to make it so that she decided to not place the order, which is what happened.

Oh, Ok! I got it!! I had to do the same thing recently! How weird!

Great job again!

Thank you! It did get a bit confusing towards the end. She kept changing her mind and she would send me like 3 and 4 emails at a time, all with different questions about different "ideas" she had. Every time I asked her a question, she wouldnt answer me, but just reply with a different question. I was getting so confused and had no idea which email was the most current.
What a crazy mess. Im glad but at the same time disappointed because it would have been my first paying customer.
Ah well, theres always more waiting.