I took an order from a friend's friend for a $150 cake for 7.30. We agreed on design / price and she told me her friend will be picking up the cake because she (girl who ordered it) will be out of town. She gave me the number of the friend to arrange pickup.
That morning, the girl picking it up texted me she is on her way and asked how much the cake was. I told her $150 and she said she didn't have the money. Long story short...the girl who ordered it never gave the girl picking it up any money. So I told her that I can't give up the cake without full payment. (The girl picking it up offered to give me a "down payment"...I didn't even ask how much because it wasn't even an option.) So in the end, the girl bought a cheap store cake and I gave my cake to my friend who took it to a party along with my cards.
The girl who ordered it called me last night and was very apologetic that she didn't give the money to her friend. She said it was a miscommunication. She isn't mad and understands that I didn't give the cake to her friend. But now I feel like I could have given the cake to her friend and eventually got the money. Do you think I did the right thing?
I think you did the absolute right thing. If she was going out of town she should of paid you before she left to be sure everything would go smoothly. Next time, I'm sure she'll know better.
No money, no cake! Good for you on sticking to your guns!
Yes you did the right thing. How were you supposed to know if you would really get the money or not. You are a business. You can't go to a store and pick up items and pay them later! If they can't make arrangements between eachother how to get the money to you when you need it, that's their problem.
I think you did the absolute right thing. If she was going out of town she should of paid you before she left to be sure everything would go smoothly. Next time, I'm sure she'll know better.
No money, no cake! Good for you on sticking to your guns!
I totally agree and if she were a friend she shouldn't have taken advantage of the situation, out of town or not. I think you did the right thing. I just had someone also call me becasue they had recieved one of my girft certiifcates through a silent action type deal for a free cake and it was valid for 3 moths (3) to expire Aug 1st, well when she called she asked if I could make her a cake for Aug 22nd really 
, does expire mean expire? She had it for three months, why would you bid on it if you were not gonna use it? Well any way I kindly just told her that and expiration is an expiration and I would be more than happy to make her a cake, but I would not wait till the 22nd, you wouldn't be able to go to a store with a coupon that has expired and say "I wanna use it but don't need it now can I use this three weeks after it expires " I think if it were a weekend away from that date I might have said yes, but come on. So sticking to your guns is not gonna make everyone happy but it serves the purpuse on running a business.
Yes u did the right thing...i am still waiting for payment on a cake I did for April 9th all because I thought the person that I did the cake for would honor the fact that I had done some charity cakes for her and we had a prior relationship.....a hard lesson to learn do not work or make anything for anyone unless they have ur payment 
I am out $90 and this person could care less that i tried so hard to make her husbands cake amazing...and i had already given her a discount for the cake....believe me it hurts too much to be taken advantage of u did the right thing 
A friend of a friend? I have waited over a year for a family member to pay me for a cake done at cost. I learned that I do not send a cake without payment unless I don't mind not being paid.
I think you did the absolute right thing. If she was going out of town she should of paid you before she left to be sure everything would go smoothly. Next time, I'm sure she'll know better.
No money, no cake! Good for you on sticking to your guns!
I totally agree and if she were a friend she shouldn't have taken advantage of the situation, out of town or not. I think you did the right thing. I just had someone also call me becasue they had recieved one of my girft certiifcates through a silent action type deal for a free cake and it was valid for 3 moths (3) to expire Aug 1st, well when she called she asked if I could make her a cake for Aug 22nd really
, does expire mean expire? She had it for three months, why would you bid on it if you were not gonna use it? Well any way I kindly just told her that and expiration is an expiration and I would be more than happy to make her a cake, but I would not wait till the 22nd, you wouldn't be able to go to a store with a coupon that has expired and say "I wanna use it but don't need it now can I use this three weeks after it expires " I think if it were a weekend away from that date I might have said yes, but come on. So sticking to your guns is not gonna make everyone happy but it serves the purpuse on running a business.
Actually, there are stores that will accept an expired coupon (within reason). And most stores don't put an expiration date on gift certificates/gift cards. Maybe she didn't need a cake during those three months?? I don't mean to sound harsh, really I don't, I just don't think it's unreasonable to allow her to use the gift card.
OP-As a friend of a friend I may have given her the cake, BUT why in the world would she send someone to pick up her cake and not give her money? Surely she knew it was $150???? That's just ridiculous of her!
I admire your fortitude, Karolyn. You did the proper thing and certainly the business thing. I would have taken a different route though...I would have given the cake over to the friend (as long as I would be giving it away anyhow) and said (with a sweet smile) "I know the girl in question will be paying me as soon as she's in town again...after all she is a friend of a friend".
When the money wasn't forthcoming, I would then use every opportunity to remind all our mutual friends how disappointed I was to be taken advantage of. I would say "I never expected someone so nice to turn out to be a so unethical" In other words, I would focus all my attention to cover the girl in guilt. Yes, I'm not a nice person. My Irish blood demands revenge.
The moral lesson is that contracts that provide for payment before delivery of cake is preferable than the ire of a wronged baker!
I get paid in full in advance of making any cake to avoid these situations.
So you gave the cake away for free to another friend?
In that case I agree with vtcake.
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