Help! I Dont Want To Be Known As The Cheap Cake Lady!

Decorating By kazita Updated 15 Aug 2012 , 7:11pm by SoFloGuy

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kazita Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 12:49am
post #31 of 66

Ahh ok raspberry filling it is. Just got off the phone with my husband and he just cant believe the nerve of this lady, when i spoke with her today i actually complained how far the drive is way out in the country and that it was gonna cost alot in gas, her reponse was oh i know we have to pull our camper out there and its going to cost a mint too and oh thanks again for doing the cake im so excited about it. Yep SUCKER wrote on my forehead.
tapedshut.gif

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Cakery2012 Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 12:59am
post #32 of 66

I think I would have call this woman back and say sorry but you cannot make this cake . A)You would be losing money making this cake B) They do not have a fridge to keepit in and it would be a mess. C) You Dont deliver for free and you are already losing money on this cake . You did not know it was to.be delivered 30miles away .
D) any extras such as raspberry fillibg are EXTRA $.
This is already stressing you out and I think you need to lift that stress.You will be glad you did..Let her get a cake at walmart .
Next have a talk with your neighbor telk her you did her a favor .She is Not doing you one by telling everyone you make cheap cakes. You cannot afford to give everyone the discounted price you gave her.

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jackmo Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 1:27am
post #33 of 66

After reading ll this. That lady is taking advantage of you and she knows it. The fake tears, ect all this to get a cheap price ofr a two tiered cake plus cupcakes? Maybe you need to call her back and let her know that you are already loosing profit on doing a cake that cheap, and driving back and forth for 60 complete miles are costing you more. If she wants it soo bad, let her pick it up and have her sign a agreement that you are not responsible for any mishaps on the way to the campsite. She might blackball your name,but you can explain your situation too. And please next time name your price and stick to your guns. Don't take down for anything. The cost of the ingredients, your time and travel costs. i get to the point, that i quote the price. if they are interested, fine, if not, thats their problem.

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SoFloGuy Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 1:32am
post #34 of 66
Quote:
Originally Posted by kazita

Yep SUCKER wrote on my forehead.
tapedshut.gif




At least you know it. No one can take advantage of you unless you let them. No good deed goes unpunished. Things will only get worse. Hopefully the worst thing to come out of it will be a lesson learned.

The lady who is taking advantage of you is trash. You are trying to hint that she should offer to pay you more for gas, and any decent person would offer, but instead she agrees and just says that she knows and it's an awful ride.

Please keep us posted about the outcome. At least you have a great story that you can tell all the members here.

If I were to guess she hasn't paid you yet, and probably will give you a bad check when you hand over the cake.

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costumeczar Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 1:36am
post #35 of 66

Seriously, cancel the order. You're losing money on it? I don't think so...Tell her that you can't do it. I doubt that you have a contract or a deposit from her, do you? Even with my contract I can cancel and return the money they've paid me. Was she going to pay you when you delivered the cake? Don't hold your breath on that one, either. I'd be willing to bet that she would have "forgotten her wallet" that day. Cancel the order!

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cheatize Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 2:09am
post #36 of 66

While reading this I, too, was wondering about the contract. What does it say? Anything that is not specified in the contract doesn't happen without a contract change, agreed upon by both sides. Those changes would include not only the new details but the corresponding extra pricing.

You don't have a contract? You don't have a sale yet. C'mon- this chick has a camper and will have to pay a lot of bucks to get it out of there? She's using you and you are letting her, IMO.

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kazita Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 6:26am
post #37 of 66

Nope didnt get a signed contract or the money yet. I did leave her a message on her voicemail stateing that i need payment for the cake before thursday, i know that seems like short notice but she live 3 blocks from me i told her in the voicemail that she can either have me pick up the money and i told her cash only or that she could bring it to my house. My husband said dont cancel the order unless you dont get paid, just get the money use it to cover the cake and be done with this woman. When we talked about fillings the very first time that we talked about the cake the mother had told me strawberry would be fine , so thats what i bought and i used a small amount of that on a cake that i just did on saturday, well today im talk to the daughter who the cake is for and she informs me that she wants raspberry filling really had i known that i would of bought that instead of the strawberry in the first place being that the other ordered cake that i just made the lady was very nice and said fill it with whatever flavor you like, Ahh really people this lady is killing me! And do i dare inform you all that she informed my today that she will be using me from now on for all 4 of her kids birthdays! Nope next time she calls for a cake the first thing that comes out of my mouth is whats your budget and if she doesnt like my priceing to bad, i will be informing her when i deliver this cake that i lost money on the whole deal and she wont be getting this price ever again. As for her having a camper i never even gave that a thought until now except how the cake wasnt gonna fit into the small frig now i really feel like a fool and am pissed, if she can afford a damn camper and to throw this damn party and feed people food and cake well than she can afford my prices . What a fool i am. My huband said you never charge for your damn labor and all the stress you go thru making these cakes he said you should be charging like $20 a hour for your labor now i dont really know the going rate for labor but i do know it sure isnt free like this cake ended up being. My husband did say No way to late to back out unless no money exchages hands. icon_cool.gificon_cool.gif

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scp1127 Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 10:35am
post #38 of 66

The only thing I have to say is that there are bakers like you in every area. There is someone who can be pushed around on price, someone who has no license, no insurance, no state sales tax account, no intention to pay the IRS... all things that licensed businesses must do. This type of sale lowers the market price for the cake and hurts those small businesses who are actually conducting business in a professional manner. No, you don't want to be pegged as this person. It's one thing to give great prices to relatives, but this is not your family.

Word does get around like wildfire. Then the baker thinks she is so great, must have a phenomenal product, and thinks she's on her way to a great business, when in fact, she is just cheaper than Walmart.

Do yourself a big favor. First, I have backed out of a cake for a friend because the demands just got out of hand. I texted that obviously my original cake is nowhere near what the person really wanted and that because the daughter deserved the cake she planned, another baker may be a better match. I then said best wishes with the cake and the event. End of story.

Find out the prices and laws in your area, get that taken care of, and then you can properly price your cakes according to the market. Word spreading about the cheap cake lady usually eventually gets back to the local health department. I don't follow CFL, but if you do have that in your state, you still need to have insurance and pay proper taxes. And not paying yourself a proper wage not only hurts you, but other bakers around you, even in a CFL situation. And get yourself some policies, a contract, and a deposit/final payment plan.

I agree with FromScratch. I have never put myself in a position where I have to explain or justify anything. I give a corporate discount to a dentist in town because her office is next to my husband's and we know and like her. But I don't feel the need to explain that to someone else if she shared the price. She is also a high volume customer. Again, no need to give details.

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LoveMeSomeCake615 Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 3:36pm
post #39 of 66

I agree with everyone else, I really think you should just cancel the order. No money has changed hands at this point. In our business, if we haven't received payment of some kind, whether a retainer or full payment depending on the timeframe, they are NOT booked with us and no order has been placed. You can use the same policy with this- you haven't received money, so she hasn't ordered yet.

At the very least, stop just giving in to her every whim and demand! Please draw the line somewhere!

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Pearl645 Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 4:01pm
post #40 of 66

Let us know what decision you make in the end and how things work out. Susan's advice was probably one of the best I have seen here about running this type of business and some of the mistakes that can be made or things that are overlooked.

One of the strongest competitors in my area was on top of her game for her cakes, taste, quality etc but she failed to price any of her work properly and her design skills were amazing. Her business facebook page has been inactive for a year now. I heard she moved to another country and got a managerial job. She became known as the same lady you didn't want to be known as "the lady who does great cheap cakes". Now she drove her business into the ground and hasn't been able to pick it back up yet. She was charging grocery prices for fondant cakes and sculped work. At least you have the support of CC to get advice on what to do so it won't happen next time. Trust me, you'll feel better about getting your worth icon_smile.gif

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Bluehue Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 4:18pm
post #41 of 66

Honestly - are you serious - Is this Thread for real.
It reads like some C grade sitcom....

This isn't another of those pathetic punk threads is it....sure reads like it.

Why on earth do you need to have 3 pages of CCers tell you how not to be a cheap cake lady...
You can't figure that out for yourself... It really is very easy.

You say.....my price is$xxx.xx.
Unless of course you like bartering with people over the cost of a cake.
And why are you feeling sorry for your customers....
Shezzzz, are they feeling sorry that they are ripping you off - i think not.

You had better toughen up - get a caking spine and start saying NO.
And tell your neighbour to zip her lip.
Unless your ok with her running your cake buisness.

Hmmm - i still think this is another of *those* threads... thumbsdown.gif

Watch this space people - i think there is another poor customer coming along any minute now....

Bluehue

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SoFloGuy Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 5:09pm
post #42 of 66
Quote:
Originally Posted by kazita

Nope didnt get a signed contract or the money yet. I did leave her a message on her voicemail stateing that i need payment for the cake before thursday, i know that seems like short notice but she live 3 blocks from me i told her in the voicemail that she can either have me pick up the money and i told her cash only or that she could bring it to my house. My husband said dont cancel the order unless you dont get paid, just get the money use it to cover the cake and be done with this woman.




You don't give her an option. You tell her where you want her to pay and when specifically when via an appointment. At least you still have an out, but chances are even she fails to pay you this week she will still demand you make her cake. Don't be nice to people who are trying to take advantage of you.

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jason_kraft Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 5:16pm
post #43 of 66

If you do decline to make the cake (assuming there is enough time left before the event) I would include a list of other vendors in your area that have availability to fill the order. Unless it's a last-minute emergency and no one else is available it's not professional to just say "sorry, can't do it" and leave the customer hanging without any options.

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SoFloGuy Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 6:02pm
post #44 of 66
Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_kraft

If you do decline to make the cake (assuming there is enough time left before the event) I would include a list of other vendors in your area that have availability to fill the order. Unless it's a last-minute emergency and no one else is available it's not professional to just say "sorry, can't do it" and leave the customer hanging without any options.




The lady claims she can't afford a Walmart cake, seems like there are few options for her.

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jason_kraft Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 6:14pm
post #45 of 66
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoFloGuy

Quote:
Originally Posted by jason_kraft

If you do decline to make the cake (assuming there is enough time left before the event) I would include a list of other vendors in your area that have availability to fill the order. Unless it's a last-minute emergency and no one else is available it's not professional to just say "sorry, can't do it" and leave the customer hanging without any options.



The lady claims she can't afford a Walmart cake, seems like there are few options for her.



As a vendor your main responsibility if you back out of an order is to make sure another vendor of similar quality is available to pick up the slack. If the customer doesn't like the price the other vendor is offering, that's an issue between the customer and the new vendor.

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AZCouture Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 6:19pm
post #46 of 66
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoFloGuy

The lady claims she can't afford a Walmart cake, seems like there are few options for her.


Oh please tell me that wasn't actually said somewhere. Come on!!!

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SoFloGuy Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 7:06pm
post #47 of 66

^^^^^^

Quote:
Originally Posted by kazita

ok great than she actually started crying saying that she had called around alot of stores trying to get the cake she wanted and she couldn't afford any of them




not even walmarts prices.




this

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SoFloGuy Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 7:07pm
post #48 of 66
Quote:
Originally Posted by AZCouture

Quote:
Originally Posted by SoFloGuy

The lady claims she can't afford a Walmart cake, seems like there are few options for her.

Oh please tell me that wasn't actually said somewhere. Come on!!!




It was said in the first post, I quoted it above because I don't think this forum has multiquotes.

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AZCouture Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 8:29pm
post #49 of 66

Wow. Guess I missed that one.

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BlakesCakes Posted 14 Aug 2012 , 10:07pm
post #50 of 66

Please, get off the "Drama Train", step away from the tracks, re-group, develop a pricing strategy, and start fresh.

If this cake is due in 2 DAYS and she still hasn't paid, I wouldn't have yet turned on my oven, so I wouldn't even be able to complete the cake--and I tell her that. It would be my reason for cancelling.

At this point, if you're really losing money on the deal, I'd cut my losses, go with her to WalMart and pay for the cake that she wants icon_eek.gif

and, NO, I'm not kidding. Better to give her a gift than to continue to kick yourself over YOUR OWN MISTAKES.

You can only get swept away with the tide if YOU step into the ocean.

Rae

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vgcea Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 6:43am
post #51 of 66

This thread has been most entertaining. I saw this coming OP. I hope you make it okay through this debacle.

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cakefat Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 8:57am
post #52 of 66

I'm not so sure this thread is actually real as there have been other very strange wind up wacky posts on here (clearly people have waaaaay too much time on their hands).

But if it is true, I truly hope the OP isn't making that cake right now. I really hope you told the lady "sorry, can't do it". Who needs customers like that? Surely, that is one of the reasons you work for yourself- to have the option to say "no thank you" to someone.

So, you're losing money, the lady hasn't even paid for it yet, she was going to keep it in a camper (!?), she lives in a campground in the middle of nowhere (!?!) and she has crocodile tears to get sympathy on how broke she is (then don't throw a party you cannot afford. duh!). What a train wreck.

But really go back to number one- why would you make a cake for someone and lose money and continue to go along with their up costs?

She's taking advantage of you (if this is for reals).

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kazita Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 2:08pm
post #53 of 66

No this is not a FAKE post, i was at my wits end and needed some input from people. That really upsets me that you wouls think that i would do such a thing. Anyways enough of that im not going to waste my time be angry about that comment made. I have talked thus woman into a smaller cake by showing her a cake stand that i have, yes there will be a deposit for the cake stand until its returned in the shape that its in now. I never said that this woman LIVED in this campground , thats where shes having the party at. I am fairly new here but have posted on here like 60 or more times ( as some of you can see im angry about the comment that this might be a fake post) she has until tomorrow to pay me for this order, i did bake and freeze the 3 smaller cakes last night, so if i get no money no cake or cupcakes. Do some of you want to know how this all turns out? The ones that think this is not fake post. And to reply to the i must have alot of time on my hands is a completely an untrue statment, i work 40 hours a week and take care if things around my house because my husband works 500 miles from our home and only can come home on the weekends man am i angery at that post

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cakefat Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 2:24pm
post #54 of 66

Dear OP- I hope you're not angry at my post. I certainly didn't mean to offend you if so, nor do I think that I wrote anything offending in my post above. It seems that you have misconstrued what I meant. I did not mean YOU, the OP, had a lot of time on your hands, but the people who have been posting fake posts on here lately...there have been a few.

Anyway, I believe an earlier post mentioned it could be fake and I believe there have been some similar ones like that lately- stranger things have happened.

Good luck with you cake!

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Bluehue Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 2:26pm
post #55 of 66

Sorry you are angry at my post - but honestly - the whole saga just wasn't making no sense from where i sit.
Surely if someone hasn't paid you for an order - and you are unsure if you will get paid - then why would you continue...
In reality - if we put ourselves in this situation then we only have our selves to blame.
Sure i sound Harsh - then again i would never accept being known as the cheap cake lady down the road.
Perhaps the hardest thing for you is to stand by your set price.... if this is the case then you will find yourself in this situation again and again.
No one - not one CCer can help you if you don't change your mind set.

Many take pride in what they do - sadly they don't take pride in themselves... thus allowing many to walk all over them.

Set your price - stand by it - then you won't be creating for the likes of that women.

Your husband working away has nothing to do with this situation... many of our DH's work away - travel for many months at a time - doesn't mean we lower our prices for some *crying poor* customer.
All the more reason to stand strong....and be proud of yourself

Bluehue

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kazita Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 3:32pm
post #56 of 66

Bluehue, it was the other post that upset me saying that i was fake posting and that i must have alot of time on my hands . I have now sat down figured out all what goes into making just one cake, much less 3 and cupcakes. I am going to give this woman an invoice stating how much the cake and cupcakes actually cost and show her that i lost money on the deal so if she thinks she will be calling me again for a cheap cake she will be wrong. I do have a question, how much do you all charge for your labor? Thatd the only thing i havent figured in . Im am a hobby baker and work from home . I have seen post on here that state that the cake takes twice as long as you think it will, i agree with that statement. Oh and this lady posted on facebook for all to see that they would be eating at 1 and having cake at 2 , really she didnt even tell me to be there until 2:30 .i perfer to not set up the cake in front of everyone so i guessing ill be out there way early

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jason_kraft Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 3:38pm
post #57 of 66
Quote:
Originally Posted by kazita

I do have a question, how much do you all charge for your labor? Thatd the only thing i havent figured in . Im am a hobby baker and work from home



It really depends on the cost of living in your area, you can look up salary surveys to see how much cake decorators typically make, usually it's in the $10-20/hour range. Also don't forget to include the market value of your kitchen space, in order to avoid undercutting the market you should assume that you are paying "rent" to your business for your kitchen space ($10-30/hour, again depending on area), and include that rent in your cost.

So if your wage is $15/hour and the market value of your kitchen space is also $15/hour, and the order takes 6 hours to complete including prep and cleanup, the labor cost alone would be $180. You would then add the cost of ingredients and allocated overhead (insurance, utilities, license fees, etc.) plus a profit margin (usually 10-30%) depending on market rates in your area.

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Jess155 Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 3:46pm
post #58 of 66
Quote:
Originally Posted by kazita

how much do you all charge for your labor? Thatd the only thing i havent figured in . Im am a hobby baker and work from home .




I don't think WI has a cottage food law. Legally, you can't sell cakes made at home.

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jason_kraft Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 4:01pm
post #59 of 66
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jess155

I don't think WI has a cottage food law. Legally, you can't sell cakes made at home.



Wisconsin does have a cottage food law, but unfortunately it only covers canned goods, so you're right that OP would need to pass a health inspection in her home kitchen or find a commercial kitchen to rent before she can legally accept money for cakes.
http://fyi.uwex.edu/news/2010/05/05/wisconsin%E2%80%99s-new-pickle-bill-bringing-product-to-market/

There is a petition to add bakery items as an exemption here:
http://www.cakeswebake.com/forum/topics/wisconsin-home-bakers-cottage-food-law

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vgcea Posted 15 Aug 2012 , 4:02pm
post #60 of 66
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jess155

Quote:
Originally Posted by kazita

how much do you all charge for your labor? Thatd the only thing i havent figured in . Im am a hobby baker and work from home .



I don't think WI has a cottage food law. Legally, you can't sell cakes made at home.




It took us 4 pages to bring this up? This stuff usually gets knocked out in the first page or so. CCers come on, you folks are becoming soft! icon_twisted.gif

*Runs off to go find Jason icon_twisted.gificon_twisted.gif *

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