I received a message from a bride I met at a show who wants to schedule a tasting. However, I noticed her comments and frequent posts on another bakery's page (who she is friends with) about her cake and confirming her order etc.

I don't want to waste my resources making samples for her when she seems to have already booked her cake with her friend. Should I go ahead with the tasting or cancel it? What kind of excuse would be good? Thanks for any advice!!

too much

way too much

now this i think this is a good time to contact the other baker

i would go back and double check that you have it in writing online that she is confirming with them--i'd screen shot it and save it word or wherever and i'd call the other baker

that is what i would do in a heartbeat

AHow much are you charging for the tasting?

I'd tell her the truth -- that I happened to see that she seems to have already booked her wedding cake elsewhere, and explain that I only offer free tastings to brides who are interested in booking with me. If she'd like to try my cakes then she's welcome to purchase one.

Yes, that is a great response! I agree.

AI agree with handymama!

A

yes i agree with handymama too

but right after i verify and document my suspicions then contact my competitor to check my understanding and to advise of the bride's potential breech of contract

it's simply professional courtesy

maybe bridelette already cancelled with her--no harm no foul--game on

if the tables were turned and the bride booked with me and was out looking for a tasting with you i would sure appreciate a heads up on that

you need to establish a baseline of veracity/truth--only the other baker can establish that for you

the bride's character is momentarily in question--perhaps it's all an innocent minsunderstanding

that the baker can clear up

but you might not be able to determine that if you go to the bride first

AI don't think there's any breach of contract or character issue here, OP has no idea whether or not this bride has a finalized contract with another bakery. And even if she does, she may still want to shop around and cancel the original contract if she finds a better vendor. As long as the bride is willing to pay for the tasting I don't see the issue.

I would just charge for the tasting, if she's only looking for free cake then that will soon get rid of her. If she's friends with the other baker then you may cause more issues than you need to by ruffling feathers there.

Thanks so much for the input! As for charging for the tasting, I already told her (as well as other brides I met at the show) that I offer complimentary tastings, since that is the norm around the area. I don't really have a rapport with the other baker to ask her about this bride out of the blue.... not sure if I should just go ahead with the tasting?

However, I think I am going to start charging for tastings from now on.... I had the misfortune of meeting a very rude bride who came along with her fiance and mom, and literally had to be coerced into discussing the design, preferences etc. Her mom was gracious, but I almost was going to leave from the meeting saying I did not want to force her to talk about her cake when she wasn't interested. I was hoping she does not choose me to do her cake, and sent her a quote with higher prices, thinking if I had to do it, I'd rather get good money for it. Turns out she went with another vendor...good luck to whoever that was! And good luck to her fiance too who would have to deal with her the rest of his life!

AShe may need a cake for a bridal shower.

sistercarey, she specifically mentioned wedding cake along with her colors/theme too.... and I'd refuse if it was a tasting for a bridal shower!

Yeah, I've had this happened and learned the hard way since my tastings are complimentary as well for cake's estimated to be over $175. I always tell them that they cannot have a deposit down at another bakery before we schedule a tasting and ALL of the details are usually settled (design, size, price, etc) so that when they come to the tasting, it's just finalizing details and trying the flavors. I've found that this weeds out those people who are just trying to get free cake. 

I would simply ask her if she has any deposits down anywhere else (and perhaps hint at the bakery you think she does). It's funny how many brides friend me on Facebook and don't realize others can read what they're posting about wedding planning! haha. 

Good luck with the client!

Charge her for it and tell her that you'd seen that she already confirmed an order with someone else. There are too many wedding groupies who go from show to show and vendor to vendor to get free stuff to mess around.

potential flake-a-potamus

My first thought was that she just wants some free cake.  But then I noticed you said she is friends with the other baker, and that makes me think she working on her baker-friend's behalf, helping her scope out the competition by using her status as a bride to get samples.

AI'm not sure if I can suddenly say there's a charge for the tasting when I already told her its going to be free :-/ yeah, I guess she's trying to scope out competition for her friend....Irene, she mentioned wedding cake and gave the date and venue too, so I'm pretty sure it's for the wedding. I think this will be a lesson learned and I'm going to charge for future tastings from now on. Really appreciate everyone's input! Any more tips welcome!!

Has she told you the date of the wedding? You could just tell her you've been booked for that weekend and won't be able to do her cake so a tasting won't be required. If she genuinely is looking for a cake, it sounds like she's the kind of shady client you don't need anyway. 

I would do as suggested, and just tell her someone has already booked that date and cancel the tasting.

Sounds like she just wants to spend a day eating cake.  Or, she could be helping her baker with comparisons.  

"Sorry, I'm booked that day".

I wouldn't do it.  

Yeah, unless you are ready to sell your butt off, and try to steal her away, I would tell her you are booked.

AND, if for some reason she is booked with the other baker, then she cancels and books with you, there is a chance that the other baker will find out and think you stole her. Not good.

This just has potential disaster written all over it.

I would tell her you are booked  for her date.
 

AWhy analyze it? If she loves your cake, you might have gained a new customer.

Charge for the tasting, and offput the price from the actual cake, when she books. I really don't understand the free tastings part, why should we bakers offer free cakes to "potential" customers, of all the hunderds of brides getting married, what happens, if 30 parties taste and only 2 book? As I understand it, most of them come with at least another person, if not three or four, that's money and TIME out of my pocket, no problem if they really book, but I could not afford to give away cake like that. At 30 tasting with at least 2 people tasting at a time that would be 60 servings at least, with at least 3-4 flavours of cake AND frostings.

no prob if they actually book, but with me, they would have to pay for the tasting. If they do book, the tasting would be merged into the cake price and deducted from that, but if I think of all the time and money all the others get, no way, not with the ingredients as pricey as they are here in China, don't know what you guys pay in the States, but I have to import everything.

I've had a couple of people ask for tastings out here for children's parties, before they wanted to book a 20 serving cake, uhmmm no way