Hi everyone, (sorry, this is long)

Just ran into a little problem with a customer, and need some input. This girl put in an order for 200 square Tiffany box cupcakes for her brother's rehearsal dinner for August 31st in mid July. I am charging her 2.00 a cupcake for a total of 400.00 for the order. I don't have square cupcake pans, but a few people here took me to a website where they were sold.

Well, when I went to order them 4 weeks ago, they were on back order. Then I was on vacation. When I called last week, they still did not have them. So very early last week, I called the girl to let her know that I was unable to get the square cupcake pans. what would she like me to do instead.

She said, "I'll call you right back". She did not call me right back. So I called her again, got her voice mail, and left a message.

Did not hear a word from her. I got busy over the weekend, and thought for sure that she would call back. Still nothing.

So first thing this morning, I got a hold of her. She was at the bank and said, "I'll call you right back." Guess what happened? NOTHING!! She did not call me back.

So I called her again this evening. I got to talk to her for 2 minutes, and I told her my idea of doing round instead of square, but that I'd upgrade them to fondant to make up for it. She just whined that I did not have square cupcake pans. I told her, "I'm sorry, but that is not something I have control of right now." Then she said, "Can I call you right back? I promise it'll be one minute."

Guess what happened? Yep. No call.

So I called her back in 1/2 hour, and left a message on her VM saying that if I did not get confirmation from her about what she wanted to do with these cupcakes by tomorrow morning, that I will send her the 50.00 deposit back and I will be obliged to cancel the job. I told her that I cannot guess as to what she would be happy with, and that I will not make 200 round Tiffany box cupakes without confirmation from her that it is ok. I also told her that since the cupcakes are due Thursday, I start all my preps Tuesday, making the bows and logos and fondant. So if she still wants these cupcakes, she needs to call me. If not, I am happy to send back her money.


Any advice or suggestions??

Thanks,
Ellen

I think you have handled it just fine. If she can't confirm with you two days prior, then why should you bust you #$^&@ to get them done?

I am not as experienced as some when it comes to dealing with customers. But since you are unable to provide her with the product she is wanting..did she know that you had to find the pans or was this agreed upon with her thinking that you had them? Regardless though I would follow through with what you have told her. If she doesnt call you back, which it seems she is trying to avoid you dont waste your valuable time worrying about them. Refund the deposit if that is what you have told her you would do. If it were me and she didnt call I would keep the deposit for my time since she is seeming to be avoiding you. Also if you have already purchased anything special, with you saying you would refund already, I would take that out of the deposit. BUt this is jsut my opinion

I would say the ball is in her court. If you don't get a call from her by tomorrow, just leave her a message and tell her you're sending her deposit back because it's just too late and you haven't heard anything from her. I think you did all you could do.

I told her that I would have to order the pans special, that I did not have them in stock. So it is understandable that there could be an order problem. That is really great advice...thank-you!!

i think from what you have wrote & what i understand, you are doing the right thing giving her the deposit back & i think i underrstand why you offered it, you do feel that this was your fault for not being able to provide what she ordered...also she may not be avoiding you, she could me trying to fine someone who can do what she was really wanting--good luck to her if that's the case--haha & good luck to you!!

risquebusiness,

Ironically, I have 2 inch square pettifour pans that I could turn into cute little Tiffany boxes.

I actually made 50 of them this past June. It took myself and my mother helping, two twelve-hour days to complete just 50 of them. To do 200 of them just isn't possible for me. I have a 25 maximum limit for those, and I did let her know that. In addition, she did not want to spend the 7.00/cake I was charging for them.

So I told her in her consultation that I'd do 200 cupcakes, which is still pretty time consuming. She asked if I could find square cupcake pans, and I told her I'd look. I did look, I found, but it just didn't work out.

I feel that I should at least get her deposit back, because she would not be getting what she ordered, and I don't believe that is fair. I consider the pan situation to be my fault, and she should not be responsible. However, I just don't know what she is thinking at this point by not calling me back.

I guess I"ll find out more tomorrow!

I would not proceed without payment in full.

Did you have a contract with her for the cakes and specifications?

Are you licensed or home baking??

I think she will refuse to pay you for anything less than what she originally requested so I would not proceed without full payment and an authorization to change the order in writing to round cupcake tiffany boxes. Is she expecting the sides frosted or cupcake liners? If the whole ting is frosted on 3 sides, it seems like this is an order for mini cakes and that they should cost $4 plus per item!!!
I wouldn't bake and cut sheet cakes....seems like frosting the sides on those open cuts would be more than a pain.

Never heard of a rehearsal dinner for this many!!!!!

I agree that you need either to get confirmation to proceed with round cupcakes or refund the deposit. (It's not the customer's fault that you couldn't source the pans. It's not your fault either, of course, but as you said pans are a business overhead kind of thing.)

You did nothing wrong but maybe for next time give the customer more advance notice if something beyond your control blows up.

I bet she decided that spending $400 for rehearsal dinner cupcakes was crazy and figured she'd take advantage of your pan mis-hap to get out of it.

How big is this wedding that she needs 200 cupcakes for it? Are they rehearsing the reception, too?

If you are having this much trouble getting her to commit, what makes you think you are not going to have trouble getting her to pay for these cupcakes? Do not do them without full payment.

Did you see Duff's show over the weekend? The client wanted a 3-D spiderman cake. Her check bounced, but she kept begging him to do it anyway. He emphatically said no, and that she lost her slot in his schedule. That is the answer all of us should give to clients who do not pay up on time.

Theresa

I think you are doing the right and fair thing. You can't deliver what was originally requested and you offered a substitution. I think giving the deposit back is acceptable in this situation. As far as her not calling you back.....RUDE!

I read this last night and after re-reading this am I have a couple of thoughts. At this point let her know you are sending her deposit back. A couple of suggestions for the future. When this all began and you didn't have the pan I would have put a back-up plan in the contract that she was ameanable to and shouldn't she have already paid for this order? It seems to be standard that final payment is due two weeks prior to an event/order of this size. Or is it that you hadn't required payment while waiting forthe pan to show it's square little face and make life much easier!

Well, just to update: she called me this morning, and agreed to do round cupcakes instead. As a peace offering, I offered to go set up all the cupcakes for her.

This is a big fat Greek wedding...explaining the 200 person rehearsal dinner. There are two families from two different cities. If you know anything about Greek American culture, you will understand that there will probably be over 1000 people at the actual reception.

Ediecooks, no offense here, but it will take me 3 days to prepare, bake, decorate these cupcakes. They aren't just cupcakes with a swirl of frosting on them. I have to make 400 fondant loops and ribbons, cut and apply 200 edible logos, cut 200 fondant circles, in addition to baking, frosting, and filling 100 of them with white chocolate mousse and raspberry, and 100 with dark chocolate mousse and liqueur. They cost 2.00/cupcake. Would you put all of that work, expense, and time into it for less than 2.00/cupcake? In fact, I don't think I"m charging enough! I don't know what you charge people for your cakes, but if you put the same amount of time and energy into your cakes, you may want to reconsider your prices.

This wedding wouldn't happen to be in Michigan would it?! Just curious because my cousin's husband's brother is getting married this weekend and it is a Greek rehearsal dinner and everyone had to learn Greek dancing for it! They are having a big uproar with the brother so I just thought maybe it ran in the wedding party
Good luck,
Heather

i agree...you're definately not charging enough!!!!!

Wow....that's a ton of work....yep, not enough money!!!!

Heather, no the reception is in Ohio (close guess, though!)
I also am spending over 100 dollars on edible images, special cupcake liners, and ingredients. It's going to be a crazy endeavor....I talked my mom and neighbor into helping me. My area of Ohio is not the highest income area, so the prices fall in line with other bakers. It's a more than fair price for what one gets.

That is why i was a little put off by that comment about 400 dollars being crazy to spend on cupcakes. If they were normal cupcakes, yes it would be crazy. But I would be crazy if I charged anything less for the amount of work and expense I'm about to endeavor over these cupcakes.
Nonetheless, I'll post pics when they are done!

Good Luck ellepal. It will be a lot of work, but it sounds like you have some good helpers, and I know the cupcakes will be beautiful! I don't think $400 is crazy at all, especially considering how much work you're putting into those. She is getting a great deal, IMO! Looking forward to seeing pictures!

thanks for all the nice support!

You most definately aren't crazy. In fact I say charge more next time. : ) These really don't even sound like cupcakes, they sound like mini-cakes and should be priced accordingly.

Best wishes and please, please post a pic! I can't wait to see them.

I may be wrong here, but I don't think ediecakes was saying you were charging too much. I think she was just suspecting the customer of having buyer's remorse. I don't think any of us doubt that the cupcakes you are making are worth AT LEAST what you're charging, if not ALOT more!

I hate to say it, but usually when you get that behaviour from a (potential) customer, it usually means they don't want your service. Rude, yes. I wouldn't lose any sweat over it, but I would start charging a non-refundable consultation fee. Time is valuable, and this potential customer wasted yours, IMO. You handled yourself appropriately and professionally, but sometimes you have individuals who are going to be the opposite.

ellepal,
I think you have handled this order very professionally. The fact that this girl was not returning your calls makes me nervous. I hope she does not create any more problems when it is time to be paid.

Your cupcakes sound (as always) DIVINE! I can't wait to see a picture. It's hard to price above the 'standard' pricing for your area, but I'm sure no one else in your area can touch the quality of your (and DH's) work. I would definitely charge more than $2/pc for what you are doing. That girl is getting a bargain!

Sorry if I over-reacted.....I happen to be a very emotional, moody pregnant woman. (My husband will attest to that!) I know ediecakes wasn't offensive........I'm sure I took it the wrong way.

I guess after having my own business, seeing how much work goes into my cakes compared to what a grocery store would do, and then having customers expect a grocery store price from me for elaborate designs....it gets tiring. By the way, the cupcakes are turning out really cool looking. I'll post tomorrow night!

I can not imagine making 200 cupcakes at the same time!! KUDOS to you ellepal!!! Especially with all that work. Wow. If they are having that huge of a wedding and reception, then this $400 is probably the least expensive thing they have purchased!! Have pride in yourself mama! I know what you are saying about cost though, I live in a very depressed area too, no one here would pay $7 for a cupcake, too bad, but they wouldn't. Not unless it was filled with gasoline!!