People Are Funny, Or Not, It All Depends On What Day It Is

Business By BomCakes Updated 6 May 2014 , 3:55pm by jennicake

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BomCakes Posted 29 Mar 2014 , 1:52am
post #1 of 20

I get up front price quote requests 90% of the time.  "Hi,  How much are your cakes?" 

I always explain that I will need to know what the cake has to look like and the number of guests, other details, and then I would be happy to quote a price.

 

So I get this FB inquiry from a lady that starts out like this..

" HI! My friend and I are so stoked! We beat cancer and we want you to bake a cake for our "we beat cancer" party!" I said "That's Wonderful! I would love to make a cake for you! thanks for choosing me!" (She sends me ideas, and we chit chat and joke back and forth)

"Cake is for 100-150 people, this is what we want, how much? Gave her a really good price.

 

Two days go by, we're tweaking the design yet, a beautiful custom cake! The lady comes back.."Okay so looks like there's going to be about 200-250 people so how much is that going to cost?  

 

So I re-quoted again. A new, higher total. She says "you mean it's not the original quote of ($$$)? I said "Ok, if you go back up through our convo I quoted ($$$) for 150 servings. It then went to 200 and then 250 servings. I have to increase the quote with the increase in product."  (3-4 flavors, Lipstick pink Swiss Meringue, giant cake shaped like the superman emblem, with ribbons and all manner of pink warrior "theme".

"So how much is this going to cost?"   I repeated the quote and gave her the per slice equivalency along side. 

 

No response back.  But  I swear I heard her thoughts echoing across the sky... (((what a rip off!..rip off!!...rip off!!)))

Lol! Who Knows!? 

19 replies
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enga Posted 29 Mar 2014 , 4:20am
post #2 of 20

Wow, so you are suppose to eat the extra 100 servings. SMH, I don't miss that part of selling cakes. Who knows, maybe she will get other quotes and come correct the next time.:wink: 

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costumeczar Posted 29 Mar 2014 , 1:01pm
post #3 of 20

Instead of "people are funny" I would say "people are thick."  :roll:

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BomCakes Posted 29 Mar 2014 , 7:27pm
post #4 of 20

I actually heard back from this customer, I think she was shouting at me, but how can you tell on FB? She replied "I guess it'll just have to be 100-150 servings because I just cant afford more than 120 dollars!!!!!"

 

I basically just put out an apology for my business sake, "I hope I didn't offend you, but.." I explained that she isn't going to find another baker around here to make what she wants for the price I quoted and here's my regular price to compare it to. Please feel free to call around, I'll hold the order until I get your go ahead.'' 

It's just the rural mentality of this part of the country. 85% of the pop is elderly/blue collar. Average income of about 38,000 per year or less.  Price is the first consideration with the assumption that cake for 25 people is always going to be 20 bucks. Cupcakes naturally make wedding cake prices "cheaper".

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enga Posted 29 Mar 2014 , 7:37pm
post #5 of 20

LOLZ, she probably already called around and found out that she isn't going to get the cake that you discussed for that price and pardon my pun, had to come correct, haaa ha! She cant afford to go higher than that, yeah......right.

 

You offered her a lovely detailed cake and I think you handled the situation (like a champ), very professionally ;-D 

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howsweet Posted 30 Mar 2014 , 12:42am
post #6 of 20

You're charging around a dollar or less per serving? Why?

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BomCakes Posted 30 Mar 2014 , 9:55pm
post #7 of 20

Quote:

Originally Posted by howsweet 
 

You're charging around a dollar or less per serving? Why?


Yes I know. Only on this occasion. I actually charge well over twice that. I don't personally know her, but know that She's a friend of my neice, struggling with breast cancer. She has a bunch of kids, no money and I wanted to do something nice. My mom passed a few months ago of cancer, it's close to my heart and I wanted to give her a great deal. She still freaked out though, like it was highway robbery..lol!  Which is normal for this area of Ohio. Just have to laugh at it or would be frustrated all the time.

 

No matter what the appropriate price should be in this town, my place of residence, low income America, minimum wage mecca..Home of the 1500 dollar potluck wedding including the dress! And that is no lie. Charging two and a quarter for a serving of cake is like being backhanded to most people.

 

I completely understand the concept of perceived value. The cost of one's wedding cake is equated with a car payment and a birthday cake no matter how many tiers and ornate is "only" for a birthday and should never cost over 35 dollars. There's been a petition online to try to get a Chipotle here!

 

I don't "go there" in case you're wondering!  

 

But I find it's also in my best interests to be diplomatic and charitable when it matters.:)       

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howsweet Posted 30 Mar 2014 , 10:45pm
post #8 of 20

Oh, I see - thanks. Having them think they were paying a lot would drive me out of my mind. Chipotle probably sees these people coming and realizes they will think their burritos are over priced hahaha

 

Since 200 people are attending this thing, it might be good business to spread the word that you basically donated a thousand dollar cake (or whatever the value is). Of course you don't want them gossiping about how you think that $75 cake was worth a thousand dollars.  Good luck...

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BomCakes Posted 31 Mar 2014 , 1:29am
post #9 of 20

Howsweet, You completely misunderstood everything I posted. Not enough smileys? Did I say something offensive? You asked a question, I answered it as thoughtfully as the question warranted .

 

I don't owe you an explanation and who do you think you are redressing me for discounting a cake for a good cause? I like to give away cake at times it gets my product into places that may not have had it otherwise. Occasional give-aways cause more customers!! That's just good business. Stay out the conversation if all you have is a snarky response.

 

Having a heart is going to get me a lot further in my community than demanding 1000 dollars for a cake from a cancer patient. And save the "You're ruining it for everyone else" line.  

 

I come here to communicate with like minded souls, not get witched out by high and mighty strangers.  

 

Your sarcastic attitude is crap- and no matter where you matriculate from -that never ends well, nobody wants it,   so good luck with that

 

My apologies to everyone else in this thread.

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reginaherrin Posted 31 Mar 2014 , 1:48am
post #10 of 20

I'm a little afraid to post but did I miss something?  I didn't think Howsweets response was rude or offensive and certainly nothing to get upset about.  So did I miss something? Not trying to be rude, just confused.

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Danilou Posted 31 Mar 2014 , 2:57am
post #11 of 20

AI'm confused too!

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costumeczar Posted 31 Mar 2014 , 10:29am
post #12 of 20

A

Original message sent by BomCakes

Howsweet, You completely misunderstood everything I posted. Not enough smileys? Did I say something offensive? You asked a question, I answered it as thoughtfully as the question warranted .

I don't owe you an explanation and who do you think you are redressing me for discounting a cake for a good cause? I like to give away cake at times it gets my product into places that may not have had it otherwise. Occasional give-aways cause more customers!! That's just good business. Stay out the conversation if all you have is a snarky response.

Having a heart is going to get me a lot further in my community than demanding 1000 dollars for a cake from a cancer patient. And save the "You're ruining it for everyone else" line.  

I come here to communicate with like minded souls, not get witched out by high and mighty strangers.  

Your sarcastic attitude is crap- and no matter where you matriculate from -that never ends well, nobody wants it,   so good luck with that

My apologies to everyone else in this thread.

This was really rude. I didn't see anything wrong in howsweet's response, and the advice to tell people you donated the cake (which you pretty much say that you did by being "charitable") is right on the money. Giving things away doesn't get more customers, it gets more customers who want you to give things away.

I suspect that you're still feeling sensitive about the whole issue, which is understandable, and you read too much into howsweet's response, but there really was nothing snarky or rude about it.

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DaysCakes Posted 31 Mar 2014 , 11:47am
post #13 of 20

I know this is sensitive but please don't shoot me but I would seriously consider some of what howsweet is suggesting - you could donate the cake - obviously then you could have first call on what goes in it and on it but sensitive to the customer's needs - and then you can emblazen the display with your name and if anybody asks how much you can name a price but say it was your donation to this worthy cause.  There will be a lot of people at this party it seems.  Over here in the UK we would call this earning Brownie points - willing to be corrected if I am wrong though.

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-K8memphis Posted 31 Mar 2014 , 1:45pm
post #14 of 20

bom, i think maybe you were perhaps anticipating someone coming down on you (in the wrong way) as can happen here far too often but howsweet was not it -- in fact she is right on and you need to consider re-reading her post more straight on, less emotional--she's actually got your back on this.

 

best to you and best to howsweet as well

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LoveMeSomeCake615 Posted 31 Mar 2014 , 2:07pm
post #15 of 20

A

Original message sent by howsweet

Oh, I see - thanks. Having them think they were paying a lot would drive me out of my mind. Chipotle probably sees these people coming and realizes they will think their burritos are over priced hahaha

Since 200 people are attending this thing, it might be good business to spread the word that you basically donated a thousand dollar cake (or whatever the value is). Of course you don't want them gossiping about how you think that $75 cake was worth a thousand dollars.  Good luck...

Original message sent by BomCakes

Howsweet, You completely misunderstood everything I posted. Not enough smileys? Did I say something offensive? You asked a question, I answered it as thoughtfully as the question warranted .

I don't owe you an explanation and who do you think you are redressing me for discounting a cake for a good cause? I like to give away cake at times it gets my product into places that may not have had it otherwise. Occasional give-aways cause more customers!! That's just good business. Stay out the conversation if all you have is a snarky response.

Having a heart is going to get me a lot further in my community than demanding 1000 dollars for a cake from a cancer patient. And save the "You're ruining it for everyone else" line.  

I come here to communicate with like minded souls, not get witched out by high and mighty strangers.  

Your sarcastic attitude is crap- and no matter where you matriculate from -that never ends well, nobody wants it,   so good luck with that

My apologies to everyone else in this thread.

What the???

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howsweet Posted 31 Mar 2014 , 5:09pm
post #16 of 20

Holy cow, what happened?  I thought I was being sympathetic to your situation.  The only thing I can think of is you thought I was being sarcastic when I said 'Oh I see' and then thanked you for explaining? 

 

To everyone else, thanks for sticking up for me. :)

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reginaherrin Posted 31 Mar 2014 , 8:07pm
post #17 of 20

So glad I wasn't the only one confused.

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BomCakes Posted 6 May 2014 , 1:59am
post #18 of 20

HowSweet if I misunderstood and you actually weren't being sarcastic, my sincere apologies. That's how I understood it.  Everyone else, forgive my rudeness. I can see how that came across loud and clear. Nobody deserves to be talked to like that, no matter how I interpret what they say to me. I've always tried to stand taller than that. I apologize, truly.:-X:-X

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howsweet Posted 6 May 2014 , 2:31am
post #19 of 20
Quote:
Originally Posted by BomCakes 
 

HowSweet if I misunderstood and you actually weren't being sarcastic, my sincere apologies. That's how I understood it.  Everyone else, forgive my rudeness. I can see how that came across loud and clear. Nobody deserves to be talked to like that, no matter how I interpret what they say to me. I've always tried to stand taller than that. I apologize, truly.:-X:-X


No, I wasn't being sarcastic!  :grin: After you explained about wanting to do something nice for someone having a hard time, I was like, oh, I get it. And I was sincere in thanking you for explaining, which is certainly something you're not obligated to do. And the stuff in the second paragraph was intended to be helpful. Thanks for coming back to thread!

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jennicake Posted 6 May 2014 , 3:55pm
post #20 of 20

I like it when misunderstandings get cleared up... doesn't happen enough around here!  Kudos Bom.

 

Group hug :)

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