She wanted me to make this cake for $45

I get that a lot in my area.

Sadly it won't be the last time you get a ridiculous request like this.

You were VERY wise to turn it down.

I accepted a request like this once in the very beginning just so I had another cake to add to my portfolio.

I made no money, in fact it cost me money, then I started receiving calls from people she had referred to me who were also expecting ridiculously cheap cakes due to the fact she told everyone how much she paid. NOT the market I was trying to hit. Lesson learned...fast! 

What I get a kick of is that we get customers who come to us asking if we make sculpted cakes or similar because they think that, if we do (which we don't), it'd be cheaper getting it from us than from an independent decorator.

Um, no, it wouldn't.  If we did those kind of cakes, they'd collapse at the markup we'd put on them!

You've got to chuckle at the disparity.  People either don't honestly understand the labor involved, or they understand it, but they want to pay as little as possible.
 

The cake ingredients along would cost that much! Crazy.

Most people's cake experience is buying a mix and a can of frosting for $5, and spending about 5-10 minutes 'decorating' it. They really just have no idea .

I had one lady get really upset with me for what she called an 'absurd quote' on her wedding cake and ranted about all the bakers in towns being 'greedy thieves'. Usually I just keep it professional and wish her luck or whatever, but this time I sent her my own cost breakdown, before labour. She wanted to pay me half of what the ingredients, supplies and business expenses would have cost me.

She was pretty shocked, lol. The reply I got back was, "Omg! $52 of just butter!? I had no idea..."

Now whenever I get a request like this or someone surprised by the cost, I try and break it down a little and explain the reasons.

It's all about educating your customer. Like you stated... not many people are familiar with the costs involved to make a good product. They are used to buying cake mixes for $1.99, frostings and commercial cakes (by the way, what;'s in those frostings?...lol). When you actually break down the costs for ingredients it does add up. However, the end result is so much worth it. I rather buy a cake made from scratch than a store brought brand.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrumdiddlycakes 

Most people's cake experience is buying a mix and a can of frosting for $5, and spending about 5-10 minutes 'decorating' it. They really just have no idea .

I had one lady get really upset with me for what she called an 'absurd quote' on her wedding cake and ranted about all the bakers in towns being 'greedy thieves'. Usually I just keep it professional and wish her luck or whatever, but this time I sent her my own cost breakdown, before labour. She wanted to pay me half of what the ingredients, supplies and business expenses would have cost me.

She was pretty shocked, lol. The reply I got back was, "Omg! $52 of just butter!? I had no idea..."

 

Now whenever I get a request like this or someone surprised by the cost, I try and break it down a little and explain the reasons.

I'm glad you sent her the follow up. Did she apologize for calling you a greedy thief? As if you're only in business to ruin her day...

Wow now that's rude. Talk about the 'no cake for you list'! 

Please friend, tell me where this supermarket is that sells butter for 5p a pack. 

My sister just called, she needs a dessert for tomorrow. I told her the price, she said, maybe i'll just buy a pound cake from the place down the street. i said it sounded like a great plan.

Quote:

Originally Posted by IAmPamCakes 

Jeez. Isn't it most painful when your own family doesn't want to support you? Not that they don't try, but just saying they'll go somewhere else kinda stings.

LOL but I didn't want to do it anyway! She only needed a simple dessert for a family dinner, something she could have made in her own oven in half an hour, but she didn't want to spend her Friday evening on it, and frankly, neither did I.