Cake Pops-No More Hand Rolling!!! - Page 2

Very interesting!

This is a great idea. I have seen this kind of process used in clay crafting.

However, I think it is too expensive. And if you look on the Youtube video she makes a comment that maybe the price will go down if someone like Michaels picks it up. She then mentions that initial upstart costs are so high. It sounds like she is trying to recoup her start up costs by a deadline of April 8th. And then it will go up even higher?

I personally think she has priced this product out of the general market, because the current "introductory" price it is still too high. While this may appeal to those that make a high volume of cake balls, how many are those anyway compared to the general population?

I know from taking Economics in college that there is a formula she could do to predict how many sales and at which price point will give the best return. It doesn't sound to me like she did this, but instead she fulfilled a minimum manufacturing order and then divided the cost of that by how many she needed to order to get to her price point. I wonder if instead she took a bit of a loss and wrote that off if she would then actually have more sales and make her money and then some in the long run. That is a question that a marketing or econ expert could help her determine.

I don't blame her for wanting to recoup cost, but I believe the price point is going to turn some potential customers away. And I am one of them. I guess I will have to continue to resort to the by hand method. Or check out the meatball magic one at least.

ETA: After reading the verbage again I think she is trying to get a minimum manufacturing order by using the revenue from pre orders, or at least get a commitment by having the $1 deposit so she knows she will at least sell of the initial order. This is smart on her part because I have heard of people who order a run of tons of stuff and then it sits in a storage bin unused. So maybe if one expresses an interest at least she will be able to gauge how the market will work for this. So even if you don't like the price point, it might be worth it to let her know you have an interest. This may help her determine if she wants to go forward or not.

If you look at other food service sites, you will see that the pricing really isn't that bad. A similar item sells on pastrychef.com for $329 - it rolls out marzipan/ganache into much smaller balls though.

Personally, I thought the Agbay was way overpriced - but I paid it! Money well spent too.

I just pre-ordered mine.

I respectfully disagree. But maybe instead of Michaels, she should try the get it on QVC or HNC route. It worked for the Cricut machine, so it could work for her. I sure do hope she patented this idea, because I fear that someone with more revenue could sweep this away from her and at a lower price point.

Also, I'm not too concerned with HER economics - but with mine. And for me, the amount of time I will save (I figure I'm worth at least $15/hr.) is far more than the cost of this item. If the price goes up or down doesn't matter to me, so long as I get a good return on MY investment - which I will, if this thing works as well for me as it does in the video.

I don't think she can patent the idea, since there are the exact same item already in production. I mentioned another one (although it makes different size balls) being sold on pastrychef.com.

Like I said, there is a market for those that mass produce these. I am wondering how large of a market vs. the general population. If I had to make the amount you do, it would probably be in my best interest also. But you are one of those rare people that this product makes it worth the money. If there are enough like you then it will help her. But my guess is there is a larger pool of customers in the general, casual cake pop maker than there is in the industry. And that could be why the one at pastry chef is so high. Because it has such a narrow audience that the cost is higher.

Linda, that was why I emailed them. I let them know I was interested. Her prototype was probably costly. And of course, she is bringing in the revenue for the startup production. I think she has a good idea, and the price is not prohibitive if she markets to high volume bakeries and chain bakeries. The wages saved would offset the cost. But I totally agree about the return for most of us who run private bakeries. I think it comes down to us doing the cost analysis you referred to for ourselves. One way to look at the justification is to make a decision to market the cake balls more heavily. My other concern, after reading the two threads today, is the hand pain that comes with the higher volume. Since I have only done a small volume, this didn't occur to me. I have a wrist that can get aggravated with repetitive action. I am seriously considering ordering this because no one in my area offers cake balls. I make them with scratch cake and real chocolate, no binder except alcohol. I just have to commit to the marketing.

I think there are plenty of us who like the new "cool" toys that may be luxuries rather than necessities (we are probably the same ones who also drooled over the Agbay) to make this worth her while. I'm willing to pay a little more now (if it works out that the price goes down), but I really think the price may go UP. Similar items are sold for much more to people in the food service industry - I'd rather take my chances and get in now for $200 (which is less than I paid for my Agbay).

Honestly, I don't make that many cake balls right now, because I don't like the hand rolling (it's hard to do with gloves on - which is required since they won't be cooked any further before being sold), so I might be inclined to sell more if I have this and it works. And if not, well, it's still a business expense and gets written off. Win/Win! LOL!

Yes, you both bring up very good points. I think I will ponder this a while, but not too long! There is a presale deadline!

I am in the process of opening a cake shop, so this may be needed. Who knows now that Starbucks is making cake pops it could explode. I do know from my time working at a local bakery that cake pops are not too much in demand. Although it could have been because the ones this bakery made were way too sweet. so it could be a matter of taste. I think mine taste better, but that is because I make them like SCP1127 but without the alcohol as a binder. It is definitely something to think about.

And while I don't have a wrist problem, it is not something I have....yet. We can all develop these problems over time and I do knit, so the odds of this developing are higher for me.

I sell cake pops like crazy and am in the process of expanding so this has the potential to have a great return on investment IPO....unless its a lot harder than what the video shows. i'd definitely like to see more reviews on it though from others who have used it. i think some testimonials would really help her sales.

I think it is a great idea ..However like someone already stated ...a bit expensive.I guess if you get orders for lots of cakeballs it would be worth it but I don't so hand rolling is still okay...

Linda, my husband is a doctor and he has taught me for twenty five years NOT to wear down specific body parts. Once it starts, there is no correction. The reason I started this bakery is because I fell off of a ladder and broke a vertebrae in my construction company. And at 45, he told me I was lucky the injury healed to 90%. But I needed to stop. I have prescription inserts in my shoes that are a preventive step to being able to stand and not injure my arches. They are the best thing I have done for myself physically. This is the main reason I am contemplating this tool. But again, a bigger commitment to pushing them would be needed. I do charity work and I could start putting some out at the right events... obviously without the alcohol. I would love to know what you use. The alcohols I use are the sweeter liqueurs like Bailey's, Advocat, Godiva, and Frangelico. They realy are more of an "extract".

I agree. But I want testimonials from CC members who are known on the board...not from someone with only a few posts, and all of them about this device. If regulars on the board, whose opinions I trust, said they use this with great results, I'd be more inclined to purchase one.....although probably not at this price. At that price, it would have to roll the balls AND coat them with chocolate!

I can't vouch for this particular item, but I've used other rollers (both for clay and marzipan) and they work EXCELLENT. I use the little clay ball/bead rollers to make fondant pearls, and I've used the marzipan fruit rollers to make marzipan fruit. I don't see that this would be much different, which is why I'm willing to purchase one without anyone else's testimonial.

I figure if the cost is going to go up, even if I don't like it, I could probably list it on ebay for what I paid for it and get my money back. Heck, I was just thinking about upping my order to 10 of them and making a profit once the price goes up. Heh.