My first "disappointed" email - Page 2

Looks like it was broken in the car...you can tell the cake drum is curved up on the sides they probably didn't support it from underneath when carrying either.

Based on the pictures I would say that somebody squished the cake. This is in NO way your fault and you DO NOT owe her a refund.

I would email her back:

Dear Client,
I am truly disappointed to see what happened to the cake. I can only say that the cake was constructed and supported properly and was in perfect condition when you picked it up. It appears that something happened either during the transportation of the cake or that it was not stored properly. As per our contract/release form (insert proper phrase) I cannot be held responsible for the cake once it leaves my kitchen.

I want to add that I had something like this happen to me and I no longer allow pick-ups for tiered cakes. Never. Ever. They have to pay for delivery.

To me, that was not a collapse. The supports are still upright and the cake didn't cave in. It caved "out" if that makes sense. I would venture to say she dropped it. If the cake was going to cave in it would have done it way before this. And if it caved in, the octopus guy isn't going to have icing pushed up all over his tenicles. That octopus has been pushed down into the cake. That is without a doubt.

I don't even know what to tell you to say. Has she asked for a refund? I really don't think I'd give her one. Maybe say "as my policy states, I cease all responsibility for the cake when the customer picks it up. The cake was fine all "yesterday," through the night, and "this" morning. I don't want to accuse you of anything, but from these pictures I can see that my supports are still upright and standing. This being the case, a cave in is highly unlikely. It is possible that the cake was not properly handled and secured during your drive. I'm sorry you're disappointed, but I'm afraid I cannot offer you a refund."

If she hasn't asked for a refund though. I don't know what to say. But either way, I wouldn't offer or give one. You have to stick to your contract.

Holy Schnikes!! I am completely gob-smacked that the customer would send you this pic and try to say there was something wrong with your construction. As others have mentioned, if you used SPS a cake of that size (6" 8") would practically live through an earthquake. I'm afraid that those pics look like someone dropped it, or slammed on the brakes to avoid an accident and caused one in the front seat! You are NOT responsible for that.

I would send her a very carefully worded reply in NO way accusing her of anything, but explaining to her that the support system you used in the cake (feel free to actually tell her SPS and even link to information about how sturdy it is) would make it such that the only way this damage could have occured is if the cake had been dropped or smacked into. I would also perhaps mention that those white circles were on the bottom tier of the cake and there is no explicable reason that they could've moved to the top tier without... let's call it... human interaction?

I would remain sympathetic, while assuring her that you are a professional and stand behind your work 110%, but this is simply not an issue of improper construction. I would MAYBE offer a small gesture of good faith like a $10 coupon toward her next order of $50 or more, but I would certainly not refund her money.

Unfortunately this is a he-said she-said type of situation, and you will never know the truth about what happened, but don't start doubting yourself or your abilities. I've seen your work, and you are a dedicated pro. And come on... SPS... that speaks for itself. Be gentle but firm with this customer and don't be bullied. If you lose her business, what's the saying... "Shit Happens". All of your other positive work and satisfied customers will speak volumes. Chances are good that the people she would complain to about this already know what she's like.

Ok. Just noticed the uncentered cake in the pictures she sent you. The customer obviously dropped it. No refund. No good faith offer. You don't want her as a customer if she's willing to lie about her own mistake anyways.

And you can see the SPS in there, rock solid, doing its job. The poor cake looks like it was held at an angle for quite some time (riding on a lap in the car). Then when they opened the box and found its backside smooshed all over the box, they tried to push it back to the center of the board, damaging it further.

Melvira is spot on with her advice - you basically have to write her back an email telling her how sorry you are that she destroyed the cake, without coming out and saying so.

By the way, extremely cute cake, I feel sorry for all parties involved that it met this fate.

First of all, that is an adorable cake. I'm sorry it was mistreated. After looking at the pictures it is obvious that the cake damage was not caused by the support. Like I said previously, I have NEVER had a cake fail using SPS.

With that being said, I also agree that the cake was either dropped or picked up incorrectly (maybe when the cake was removed off the lap from the person in the car). if you look at the second picture you can clearly see grease stains on the edge of the board on the left. To me that says the cake was either half off or completely off the board at some point. I'm sorry, unless the buttercream had superglue in it, there is no way that cake could survive a drop or an extreme shift in the angle of the board.

I hope you can resolve this soon.

I think the misplaced fondant circle on the top tier was put there after their mishap to try and cover up as much damage as they could before the shower began.

I don't think the cake slid on the board because if you look at your first photo of the undamaged cake there does appear to be a bit more space in the front of the cake compared to the two sides.
And in the "after" photos the one showing the front of the cake....the border on the bottom of the bottom tier is still in perfect condition and there are no grease marks in front of that tier. If the tier had slid on the board there would be either grease marks or blue butter cream stains where it had been.
So you secured the cake just fine to the cake board, it didn't shift or move, there's no evidence of that when comparing all 3 photos.

The SPS is still in tact and standing as is evident by the first photo from the client, therefore it wasn't a support issue.

It simply looks like the box was tilted and the back of the cake was damaged when it made contact with the box.

While it sucks for the client, this clearly wasn't your fault.

Somehow construct an e-mail delicately explaining that the support system did not fail since her photos show it still in tact, therefore it wasn't a construction error on your part.

Sorry you have to deal with this headache after making such a cute cake.

This does not llok like the structure if the cake was incorrect. It clearly appears that this cake was dropped. No refund due!

My hubby even said the cake looked like it had been dropped. Sorry you have to deal with this customer!

So if the bottom tier collapsed as she said, but still is holding up the top tier, then how does she explain the big scunge thats been made in the top tiers that they have tried to hide by shifting one of your fondant accents onto?

you are going to have to kindly state to her that the structures were not the problem and you can tell by the photos that damage during transportation was the problem. so sorry they didn't think that a stacked cake would have to be held by someone stronger than a child!! not your problem! if she didn't read the release that's not your fault either. the communication was in what she signed and you can not count on verbal communication for every delivery...she may not even have heard him if he said it...written word always holds up in court.

she picked the cake up in great shape and SHE delivered it herself and it arrived like the picture--HER PROBLEM!!!