things NOT to ask/say to a baker! - Page 28

I do reproductions of other cakes all the time, who cares? I'm in business to make an income, not for my  personal  artistic gratification. However, if you don't want to do it then you're perfectly free to set limits. Just be prepared to piss some clients off. There's a baker in my area who tells clients what they can and can't have based on his own preference, and they come to me griping about how rude he is.

designers and marketers print/sell cake deco books telling us exactly how we can make the featured designs

of course the internet makes it even easier

cake deco is a repeating process just like fashion redoes itself year by year

you can find most all our 'new' design elements & techniques in old books

omg... i am crying laughing

Quote:

Originally Posted by carmijok 

 

 

 

No one can recreate the exact version of any cake simply because everyone brings a different skill level to the table.  However to tell someone that they must take MY vision over theirs is , IMO, a bit arrogant.  

 

If the customer wants a particular design they've seen, and you have the capability to do it, then why not do it for them?  It will be different because it's a different designer...but the look can be the same.   I don't see the problem there.   I hate to recreate cakes I've already done for people because I like to try new techniques....but I darn sure use other people's designs sometimes for inspiration...and have even  directly 'stolen' a look ( with proper credit to the designer of course ) on a couple of occasions.  There really is hardly any design that you can't find that has not been done by someone, somewhere. 

 

I wouldn't deny someone's desire to have a particular design if that's what they want.  The trick is to make it an even better version of the original!

I get inspired from a lot of other cakes....like every other cake decorator. But sending me a drawing (made by the client) for me to replicate??? I guess i just like the idea for liberty in the design. I would never send a drawing of a design to a painter and ask i'm to recreate exactly the same thing...i would, instead, send him some colors, theme and style to get inspired from and maybe send him some picture's of painting that i like.

But maybe that's just me

Quote:

Originally Posted by jason_kraft 


Unfortunately this is one of those things you should not say to a baker who is in business. Fact is, you are running a business that is advertising to the general public via your web site, and undercutting competitors harms the entire market.

Totally agree with Jason If you're charging money it's a business.

Quote:

Originally Posted by uberathlete 

 

Unbelievable. The nerve of some people. I've had some people ask me to sell them baked goods without the packaging so that it would be cheaper. I'm like

LOL... I've had that too!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Annabakescakes 

$4? I would certainly do it, for the right amount of money, no less than $60, depending on where I had to drive, but, putting myself in the place of the girlfriend, why would I care if a (albeit fabulous ) baker delivers 2 beautiful and delicious cupcakes? I would be wondering what this person is doing walking up to my table, and in such a small box, I would be expecting something a bit more sparkly!

It would be a lot cooler if it was a younger Richard Gere, or Chris Hemsworth...

LOL... I'd go for Richard Gere, as he looked on Pretty Woman... :-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by costumeczar 

I do reproductions of other cakes all the time, who cares? I'm in business to make an income, not for my  personal  artistic gratification.

Love it!

Quote:

Originally Posted by lesucreaufour 

I get inspired from a lot of other cakes....like every other cake decorator. But sending me a drawing (made by the client) for me to replicate??? I guess i just like the idea for liberty in the design. I would never send a drawing of a design to a painter and ask i'm to recreate exactly the same thing...i would, instead, send him some colors, theme and style to get inspired from and maybe send him some picture's of painting that i like.

 

But maybe that's just me

It happens...I have clients who are graphic designers every now and then, so I just let them have at it. I figure that when I pay THEM to make their cake I can do whatever I want, but if they're paying then they get to decide.

Last week I had to refused an order for a wedding cake. I know the bride and I'll be to the wedding. She told me that she wanted two svanilla buttercream cakes with two fresh roses on it for 60 parts.

I said :  euh....... we will be about 90 guests to the wedding... Have you tought about some other sweet things to complete the dessert table???

She answered : No, when cake will be over, people will just stop to eat it. ......

Can you imagine that everyone at the wedding knows me and my cakes?  I'm I supposed to justify the lack of pieces of cake for the next 10 years???

I mean really, if I went to a furniture store and told them that I wanted to buy a green chair and they said that they just made a green chair and I should get a blue one instead, I'd go spend my money somewhere that would sell me a green chair. I offer clients suggestions but it's their decision as to the final design of their cake. I do my own designs 100% when I'm making display cakes, but it doesn't bother me to replicate something else if that's what the $$$ is buying.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jason_kraft 


Unfortunately this is one of those things you should not say to a baker who is in business. Fact is, you are running a business that is advertising to the general public via your web site, and undercutting competitors harms the entire market.

Jason_kraft, while I agree with you on some level, I also disagree on another. Just because I have a website doesn't mean I am advertising. And just because I charge a small fee doesn't mean I am doing this as a business. The fees I charge cover my costs...this would be an awfully expensive hobby if I didn't recoupe at least some of my expenses....lol! Websites have to be search engine optimized in order to show up in any searches, which mine is not so it will now show up in a search. I created it as a way of housing photos and prices for family, friends, friends of friends etc who may inquire whether or not I would bake a cake for them. It's much easier, and quicker, to give them a web address to review than me sending them a long email outlining everything and then attaching photos.

That said, if I actually did advertise which I don't, and I actually did profit which I don't, I would totally agree with your comment of undercutting competitors but I wanted to clarify that this is not the case here

Now, your comment and me responding to it has totally gotten off topic of the thread....lol....hopefully I have clarified well enough and haven't ticked anyone off by getting off topic!  LOL!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JPepper 

Jason_kraft, while I agree with you on some level, I also disagree on another. Just because I have a website doesn't mean I am advertising. And just because I charge a small fee doesn't mean I am doing this as a business. The fees I charge cover my costs...this would be an awfully expensive hobby if I didn't recoupe at least some of my expenses....lol! Websites have to be search engine optimized in order to show up in any searches, which mine is not so it will now show up in a search. I created it as a way of housing photos and prices for family, friends, friends of friends etc who may inquire whether or not I would bake a cake for them. It's much easier, and quicker, to give them a web address to review than me sending them a long email outlining everything and then attaching photos.

 

That said, if I actually did advertise which I don't, and I actually did profit which I don't, I would totally agree with your comment of undercutting competitors but I wanted to clarify that this is not the case here

 

Now, your comment and me responding to it has totally gotten off topic of the thread....lol....hopefully I have clarified well enough and haven't ticked anyone off by getting off topic!  LOL!

I hate to tell you this because I'm not trying to start something, but this is totally wrong. If you take money for cakes you're doing business. You don't have to be making a lot of money to be in business, there are plenty of businesses that aren't making any money. Putting a website up makes it accessible to everyone, so it will be considered advertising if the IRS comes a'knocking. I wrote this a couple of weeks ago, please read it: http://acaketorememberva.blogspot.com/2013/02/weird-undercutting-practices.html