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Does this ever happen to you (pricing)?

post #1 of 52
4/20/10 at 7:47am
Thread Starter 
So I've created a little bit of a buzz about my cookies at work and with my friends and on facebook. In the beginning I priced (to only a few, like 3) co-workers way, way, way, to little for my time involved with the cookies. Of course since then I have enhanced my skills and become more efficient, but it was definitely a slave labor wage.

I increased my prices and made a presentable, professional looking website, have business cards, and made a price sheet. I have been doing cookie bouquets and was quite busy around Easter, so all in all I have done well with business even after changing my prices.

So every few days or so I will get an inquiry about my cookies going on and on about how beautiful they are and how so-and-so said they were so good etc. and would you please let me know the info for getting X amount of cookies for such-and-such event. So I email them the info (don't have my prices listed on my website--working out the kinks of getting time in a commercial kitchen here in Texas) and then I hear the crickets start to chirp. No reply. No, that's okay, but thank you for your time. Nothing. Ugh, why do I feel so bad when this happens?

Part of me wants to contact them again and offer a lower price, but I never do it because I don't want to be bitter about working hard for crumbs. I have a full time job and 3 kiddos, so when I make the cookies it is during what would be my leisure/unwinding time after they go to bed or before they wake up.

Anybody else have this problem?
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post #2 of 52
4/20/10 at 7:55am
It's happened a couple of times, but DON'T offer a lower price!!

You will develop a customer base that is fine with your prices and word-of-mouth will begin to grow like wildfire. Those "nevermind"'s will slow down down to a near halt and you will always make the money you desire.
No pressure... no diamonds.

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No pressure... no diamonds.

WASC Gourmet Flavors
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=df4f9hbq_46cs9f28fs
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post #3 of 52
4/20/10 at 8:01am
You may want to add a starting price for your cookies to avoid most of the situations like that.
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post #4 of 52
4/20/10 at 8:05am
I don't know what you charge, but don't go down! I have had that happen-- several times. "Oh, ok. Thanks." Then I feel the way you do, then I do some more cookies and think, "NO WAY! I'm not going down-- these are alot of work!" I don't even charge as much as most people on cakecentral and still I get that. (I live in a small town). Like you said, it's just too much work to not make money at it. And take it from me and everyone else on here, you'll get burned out if you aren't making a profit.
You can either be thin and wrinkly or you can eat another piece of cake and fluff those things out!
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You can either be thin and wrinkly or you can eat another piece of cake and fluff those things out!
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post #5 of 52
4/20/10 at 8:05am
it does happen (especially with my cookies.....and I have my prices posted!)......I think people figure they're small so they're cheap!


Anyhow, instead of re-emailing and offering a lower price..............re-email and something like " I'm following up on your inquiry as my calendar is filling quickly and given the time-consuming nature of cookies, I wanted to be sure I would be able to fill your order" This way they'll have to respond with a "never mind" or.........."hold the date for 100 cookies and I'll get back to you on decorations"

Sometimes people are so consumed with planning they forget things!
God's Word will either keep you from sin;
or sin will keep you from God's Word.
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God's Word will either keep you from sin;
or sin will keep you from God's Word.
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post #6 of 52
4/20/10 at 8:05am
WOW!! I hear EXACTLY what you're saying. So often my husband and friends have said that i'm charging way too little for my cakes. I feel bad sometimes charging what I charge. How can I charge more?? Then when I make the cake and realize how much time and effort it takes..it sort of ticks me off that I DID charge so little. BUT....as time has gone on, my usual customers are fine with my prices and I am getting more and more cake orders through word of mouth. So..don't charge less. Your time is worth what ever you charge. Just remember that. Eventually you'll have enough clients who know that what you charge is worth it!!
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post #7 of 52
4/20/10 at 8:06am
You know there are people out there that just don't understand the home bakers.....they think you can product a product for nothing (because you work out of your home and have no "overhead"). Word got out there for your Easter bouquets....and it will spread. and as your skills enhance hopefully so will your business.... If your prices are fair and within range of other cookie decorators, (you can check here on CC with other cookie decorators as to what they charge) don't lower your prices...
SMILE - and people will smile back.

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SMILE - and people will smile back.

www.myspace.com/mycakesite
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post #8 of 52
4/20/10 at 8:25am
Charming Chelsea........what are you going to do if the orders start coming in but you don't have a commercial kitchen to work in?? I to am in Texas and would be interested in any info you have regarding commercial kitchens. Good luck
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post #9 of 52
4/20/10 at 8:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CharmingChelsea

So I email them the info (don't have my prices listed on my website--working out the kinks of getting time in a commercial kitchen here in Texas) and then I hear the crickets start to chirp. No reply. No, that's okay, but thank you for your time. Nothing. Ugh, why do I feel so bad when this happens?

Anybody else have this problem?



I, too, have had this problem. I also think it's rude not to say, "Thanks, but no thanks" when a person takes his or her time to respond to you. But, that's just me. A woman contacted me twice in one day about cookies and when I followed up with her regarding the price (which was low), she didn't call back. AND this was a woman who works in catering and I'm sure would have been annoyed had this been done to her by a potential client AND I'm sure she understands pricing.

Last week, a former co-worker insisted that I follow up with him for a price on a three layer carrot cake. I contacted him twice and never heard back. I was really annoyed by that because I know this guy personally. I think some people just want something for next to nothing. But don't worry, there are people out there willing to pay a fair price. In fact, on an Easter cookie order I had a customer insist on paying me more than I quoted once she saw the finished product. So, try not to be too bothered by the no responders b/c those folks would have probably been PITA customers anyway. lol
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post #10 of 52
4/20/10 at 8:56am
Don't lower your prices! If they were so cheap and easy to crank out nobody would pay others to do it, they would do it themselves. Cookies take time, skill and patience! I would suggest purchasing the CC Cake Boss Software. This will help you realize what you need to be charging and feel good about it. Your time and skill is valuable and there are plenty of customers more than willing to pay for good, quality cookies. Besides, if you don't feel your cookies are worth it, then how can you expect clients to? Lowering prices reeks of desperation, and that is soooo not you! Love your cookies, love your new site!
~I want adventures that excite me at dawn, challenge me by day and surprise me by night!
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~I want adventures that excite me at dawn, challenge me by day and surprise me by night!
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post #11 of 52
4/20/10 at 8:57am
Stay strong and be a tough cookie! I doubt that you are setting your prices too high. I think we worry about the cost more than some prospective customers would. So I figure that some will pass on it when they hear your price, and others who appreciate your talent will be happy to order from you.
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post #12 of 52
4/20/10 at 9:19am
I had a friend who ordered a cookie bouquet for a meeting that came in at over $100. her friends loved the cookies but said they'd never pay that much for cookies. I told her, "Then I hope they don't shop at C by D because my prices are about 25% cheaper than theirs." her mouth dropped open in shocked surprise!

It's a good idea to get (for example) C by D's pricing so you can even start out a conversation (and I've done this) with, "A 7 cookie bouquet from C by D is $xx.xx PLUS they charge $xx.xx delivery PLUS they charge $x.xx for the container. The good news for you is that that same bouquet from me is only $yy.yy!"

Know your competition! thumbs_up.gif
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Cake Cutting Guide: http://cateritsimple.blogspot.com/search/label/cake%20comb
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www.cateritsimple.blogspot.com
http://debiswritingcollection.blogspot.com/
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post #13 of 52
4/20/10 at 9:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by indydebi

I had a friend who ordered a cookie bouquet for a meeting that came in at over $100. her friends loved the cookies but said they'd never pay that much for cookies. I told her, "Then I hope they don't shop at C by D because my prices are about 25% cheaper than theirs." her mouth dropped open in shocked surprise!

It's a good idea to get (for example) C by D's pricing so you can even start out a conversation (and I've done this) with, "A 7 cookie bouquet from C by D is $xx.xx PLUS they charge $xx.xx delivery PLUS they charge $x.xx for the container. The good news for you is that that same bouquet from me is only $yy.yy!"

Know your competition! thumbs_up.gif



Absolutely!! I don't charge a delivery and set-up fee, and as of yet I've been doing fine without even a deposit for wedding cakes icon_eek.gif . One bride called to cancel, in tears, because she couldn't afford the cake of her dreams and I told her "Pay me after the wedding!" She was thrilled, and she did. (I knew that they would likely be getting cash gifts icon_wink.gif ).

I know, indydebi probably wants to slap me for that...
No pressure... no diamonds.

WASC Gourmet Flavors
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=df4f9hbq_46cs9f28fs
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No pressure... no diamonds.

WASC Gourmet Flavors
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=df4f9hbq_46cs9f28fs
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post #14 of 52
4/20/10 at 10:02am
I just did a wedding consult from a bride who wanted a very intricate 5 tier cake for 60 people. They thought that if most of the cake were decorated dummies it would save them a ton of money. Surprise! I never heard from them again. Maybe they went to Costco!
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post #15 of 52
4/20/10 at 10:51am
Ditto, don't lower! Here's a good one, did a consult....yes a consult for graduation cakes yesterday, working out all the details, photos etc. Priced the cake, saw her swallow then I added, it's it nice to know you got a delicious personalized cake that reflects the personality of your graduate. It's so much more memorable then walking into the grocery store saying I need a graduation cake and they respond and the name is, come Friday and pick it up. Then she seemed to have been happy with her investment. Realized what she was paying for. If I'm going to work like a slave, it's going to be for my own kids, not someone else.
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