Opinions Needed

Business By luelue1971 Updated 3 Jun 2009 , 9:46pm by alvarezmom

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luelue1971 Posted 24 May 2009 , 12:39am
post #1 of 66

I met this lady to deliver this cake on Friday. The party was supposed to be Saturday. She told me she would be driving a Honda Pilot but showed up in a small pickup truck so I sat the cake in her lap.

When she saw it she said it was cute and we chatted a bit before she left with the cake.

Here are the emails that I received. I have informed her that I will not give her a refund but I wanted to know if you guys think I am wrong.

I charger her $85 for the cake and it was to serve 45 people.

This wasn't the original design. Here is what she wrote about what she wanted.
" I will describe it the best way I know. It was a cake that looked just like a graduation cap. The cap was white and trimmed in red, with a red tassel and a diploma on top of the cap. The diploma was partially rolled out that said, Congratulations 2009 graduate Caitlin. It was really cute. We need a cake that will feed approximately forty. (possibly a few more). We can still go with chocolate cake, the icing that you suggested, and trimmed in red, since WCHS is red, white and blue. Thanks so much!"

So here are the emails I received after she got home with the cake.
Natasha,

"I was so SHOCKED when I saw Caitlin's cake that I didn't know what to say. That is the UGLIEST,HIDEOUS cake I have ever seen!!!!!!!!!! Nothing like I described. Do you think that cake looks like a graduation cap? What a joke!!!!! A paper towel and straws are in the cake?????? I was praying it would taste better than it looked but it don't so I'm screwed to put it lightly. But you live and learn. ????? "

"I bet you don't post that cake on your blog because you know it looked awful. Like I said before you live and you learn. If you can live with it I can live without it."

"Well, my daughter's whole night was ruined. One piece of cake was cut and EVERYBODY could not believe that I had paid 85.00 for something that tasted like_____________. We thru the entire cake away. No cake, no pictures of a cake, NOTHING. Post that beauty of a cake on your blog.....I knew you wouldn't"

The cake tasted fine. I actually made another cake from the same batch of frosting and I ate the trimmed off top. Everyone loved the other cakes.

I feel like maybe the cake was destroyed on the to her house and that she just wanted a refund. Some of her comments are contridictory. She picked the cake up at 11 am and the first email after that came at 1:40 pm. I don't know why she would have taken the cake apart at that time.
Then the last email says that everyone thought it looked awful and I'm sure it did after she dismantled it.

The paper towel she mentioned was rolled inside the diploma to ensure that the gumpaste didn't wilt and I explain this to her at pickup and told her she could just pull it out before the party.

The straws were of course for support.

So what do you guys think I should do.

Please be honest.

Here is the cake

BTW, I did post it on my blog.
LL

65 replies
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Kimmers971 Posted 24 May 2009 , 12:46am
post #2 of 66

I think it looks GREAT! Something happened on the trip home and she is trying to blame you. You did nothing wrong and she doesn't deserve a refund. At most, give her a discount on her next order to keep peace and not have her spreading rumors (although she still might).

You can't please everyone everytime. So sorry she is doing this to you.

Again, I think it looks perfect thumbs_up.gif

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Kitagrl Posted 24 May 2009 , 12:46am
post #3 of 66

icon_confused.gif

I don't see anything wrong with the cake....????

The lady sounds so venomous, I half expected to see some kind of sloppy blob for a cake. Maybe she did wreck it on the way home and decided to make up the story that it was your fault to save face with her family.

Sorry this happened to you. thumbsdown.gif At least you posted it on your blog so that nobody can say "Oh yeah it WAS ugly" because its NOT!

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TantalizingTreats Posted 24 May 2009 , 12:48am
post #4 of 66

i dont see anything wrong with the cake.. I think it looks great.. She is obviously dilusional (sp)...

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doreenre Posted 24 May 2009 , 12:51am
post #5 of 66

Yeah, sounds like she was fishing for a refund. Your cake looks fantastic! If she was displeased w/ it, she should have said something at pick-up, otherwise, it's safe to assume the cake was 'monkeyed' with before the party.

Why is it people wait until after they've picked up the cake to complain about it?

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Minstrelmiss Posted 24 May 2009 , 12:59am
post #6 of 66

Get tough and call her on her lies!!!!!

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yamber82 Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:03am
post #7 of 66

omg!!! what a byotch!!!! it looked fine to me. and to complain about the straws and paper towek is just ignorant. did she ask for her money back? i wouldn't give anyone that acted like that her money back even if she really didn't think it tasted good. so what time was the party? it sounded like you meant she took the cake apart before the party?

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-Tubbs Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:05am
post #8 of 66

How did you reply to her? I hope you were firm with her, because that cake is exactly what I envisioned when I read her first email, and after the second (poisonous) one I was expecting something truly awful. The cake you made was as she described, looked great, tasted good - something must have gone wrong on the journey home. NO REFUND!!!

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Andy383240 Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:07am
post #9 of 66

The woman sounds unhinged. The cake is lovely, very well done. You should be proud of your work!

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luelue1971 Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:13am
post #10 of 66

yamber-she must have. I'm sure the party wasn't until last night after graduation and the email complaining about the straws was at 1:40 pm. She wouldn't have know about the straws if she hadn't taken it apart.

I told her she should have let me know when she saw it that she wasn't happy with it and that I would not refund her money. If she didn't like the cake ok but it was by NO means awful tasting. It was chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream frosting.

I'm just hoping now that her check doesn't bounce.

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Lita829 Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:14am
post #11 of 66

That lady must be coo coo for cocoa puffs!! The cake looks great...exactly like what she described in the initial e-mail. I think that something happened on in transit and she was trying to put if off on you.

Don't even sweat it....you don't need a return customer like her, anyway icon_wink.gif

Keep your head up...you right not to give a refund.

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chefjess819 Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:15am
post #12 of 66

i would go with a "once it leaves my hands, its your responsibility" reply. you received the payment, she accepted the delivery. end of story. if your cakes are good and no one else has complained, i would just shrug it off as a loser lady. they cake is beautiful in my opinion! i wish someone would have made me a cake like that for my grad!

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cylstrial Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:19am
post #13 of 66

Your cake was gorgeous! If she says anything else say, "I'm proud of that cake. I thought it looked great and I did post it on my blog!"

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hails Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:19am
post #14 of 66

OH MY GOSH, I can not beleve what I am reading, was she raised a barn I mean how rude and insulting. I looked at your cake and think it is absolutley perfect. I think you are spot on that she ruined the cake somehow as it was on her lap. I am almost at a loss of words, that does not often happen to me. No matter what don't give her that refund. I feel ashamed for her to have behaved that way. I know how much love and pride we put into our cakes and then to get that. EWWWW she is not a nice person. I hope that never happens to you again. Have a Blessed day, Haley

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jamiekwebb Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:22am
post #15 of 66

Looks fine to me. Call her and remind her of the way she liked it when she picked it up and how you told her baout the paper towel. Aske her what she did to it once it was in her hands??? or don't , it doesn't really matter. Since you posted it anyone who asks direct them to the blog and picture so that they can see for themselves that it was fine.

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sayhellojana Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:23am
post #16 of 66

Nope. you did the right thing. Some people are just rude and selfish. You gave her a nice cake, it fits her description perfectly. And, I honestly bet that it tasted good too, because by the time you've done enough cakes to make something that nice, you've figured out something about baking. lol.

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yamber82 Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:25am
post #17 of 66

she sounds like one of those occasional wierdos to me. first of all, why did she take it apart before the party? i mean, was she trying to sneak a taste without anyone knowing? seiously i just have this really funny mental picture of this bipolar wierdo disassembling and inspecting a cake while no ones watching. one thing is obvious, she DID take it apart before the party, and so she must have tried to put it back together before the party in which case i am sure it didn't look the same as it did when you gave it to her. and the suspiciousness that she has no pics of it? i mean how wierd is that? i bet somebody from the party has a pic. too bad you don't know the people.

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-K8memphis Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:28am
post #18 of 66

I think the first thing you need to do is go put it on your website!!! Front and center asap. <screw her!!>

What a mean person.

She is so shopping for a totally undeserved refund.

I love your cake--it's so pearly and white

Website!!! Website!!!

Then fire her off a little email with the link. icon_biggrin.gif

Bwooowahahahahahaha icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif

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indydebi Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:38am
post #19 of 66

Hmmmmm..... YOU have a picture showing a cake that looks great and exactly as described.

SHE has no cake, no photo, no proof of any of her allegations.

How freakin' "convenient"!!!! icon_twisted.gificon_rolleyes.gif

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yamber82 Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:40am
post #20 of 66

i just noticed something else when i read back over her messages. she said only ONE piece of cake was cut... but somehow by her having cut that one peice everybody at the whole party was suposed to be of the opinion that is tasted bad? that's not even remotely logical. haha. ...yep, she's making it all up. she took it apart or it fell apart on the way and she didn't even give anyone else a chance to taste it since she only cut one peice and threw it all away. what a loser. laugh at her, lol

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Deb_ Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:40am
post #21 of 66

Did you say CHECK?

Sorry hon, I have a feeling that thing has a big "stop payment" placed on it.


Cash only for cakes paid on delivery, never a check. In fact payment in full before the cake is even made.


Sorry this happened to you, the cake looks great.

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HamSquad Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:41am
post #22 of 66

Sounds like this nutball recked the cake before she got home, like it might have flown out of her lap while driving or she is might be just trying to get a freebie! The cake is absolutely beautiful. Give her NOTHING!
Hamquad

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kelleym Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:41am
post #23 of 66

Yeah, I don't like to make snap judgements, but this one comes off as batsh!t crazy. As in, block her number, block her emails, and hope you never run into her again. You can't fight crazy.

And post that cake on your blog.

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in2cakes2 Posted 24 May 2009 , 1:57am
post #24 of 66

Sounds like she was trying to see how it was put together and maybe broke the cap part or something like that. She's a big wack-a-doodle!

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smoore Posted 24 May 2009 , 2:12am
post #25 of 66
Quote:
Originally Posted by k8memphis

I think the first thing you need to do is go put it on your website!!! Front and center asap. <screw her!!>

What a mean person.

She is so shopping for a totally undeserved refund.

I love your cake--it's so pearly and white

Website!!! Website!!!

Then fire her off a little email with the link. icon_biggrin.gif

Bwooowahahahahahaha icon_lol.gificon_lol.gif




EXACTLY what I was thinking!!!! icon_lol.gif HA!
If you haven't already, I'd take the check to HER bank and try to CASH it 1st thing Tuesday morning (darn holiday weekend!!!!). Don't try to deposit it at your bank only to find out later there was a stop payment.

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Margieluvstobake Posted 24 May 2009 , 2:29am
post #26 of 66

I was about to post just exactly what smoore said. Be at her bank when it opens Tuesday if you possibly can. I can't imagine that she will not try to stop payment on the check.

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Lita829 Posted 24 May 2009 , 2:39am
post #27 of 66

That's good business practice...only accepting cash when paid on delivery, Dkelly...I might have to adopt it icon_wink.gif . And Kelleym...you are so right...You CAN'T fight CRAZY!!

I don't know if I'd go to her bank in the morning because this woman seems like a wack job and a liar. Things might get really ugly. If she does stop payment, then either take her to court (I know it sound tedious and time consuming) or just cut your losses and NEVER deal with her or anyone in her family again.

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bethola Posted 24 May 2009 , 2:43am
post #28 of 66

What a Whack Job! The cake is lovely and I'm sure it tasted as good as it looked. I'm with the poster who mentioned that by some MIRACLE of OSMOSIS....EVERYONE thought the cake tasted....uhhhh.....Not good? Yeah, Right! I'd call her on it. AFTER you get your money from her bank on Tuesday!

Beth in KY

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cutthecake Posted 24 May 2009 , 2:47am
post #29 of 66

Sounds to me like the old "my family thinks I paid too much for the cake...let me complain about it and get it for free" scam.

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varika Posted 24 May 2009 , 2:57am
post #30 of 66

I agree with everyone else. Your cake looks fantastic, and she probably, like, put it on the seat next to her in the truck and then slammed on the brakes and the cake went flying or something, so she's trying to get her money back because she was stupid. If it was really so "ugly" and "not like her description" (Looks like a graduation cap to ME! Looks nicer than the one I WORE to graduation, even!) then why'd she take it in the first place? You should totally respond with, "Ma'am, once it's in your hands, it's your responsibility." It's not like she found a bloody fingernail in there or something.

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