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Are people shocked at the prices of decorated cookies? - Page 2

post #16 of 67
1/29/07 at 7:22am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by DianeLM


And borrow your cookie cutters???? What a frootloop! I wonder how she cuts down on dentist expenses!



OMGoodness, the visual is too much - especially since I just had a root canal last week! LOL

melissa
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post #17 of 67
1/29/07 at 7:24am
How do you think she'd react if you "charged" her a rental fee for the cookies cutters icon_lol.gif I swear I don't know where these people come from. I still can't believe that she asked to borrow your cutters. The nerve!!

I had a lady that placed an order for a cake but she lived 41 miles away and wanted me to deliver it. When I told her the delivery fee for an 82 miles round trip she said she'd think about it. She didn't want to drive that far to pick it up but didn't want to pay a delivery charge icon_eek.gif . 5 days to the actual date she cancelled and said she'd make the cake herself that the delivery was too high. Gas was $3.69 a gal at the time. thumbsdown.gif
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post #18 of 67
1/29/07 at 7:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by DianeLM



If you don't value your work, no one will. Letting people bully you into lowering your prices sends a powerful message. I'd rather have the weekend off and retain my self respect than slave over an order that goes unappreciated.



I just read your post DianeLM and I completely agree!! I just hung up with a lady who was trying to get me to lower a cake price and I stood firm and sure enough she agreed to it!! Thanks!
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post #19 of 67
1/29/07 at 7:36am
Thread Starter 
I did email the gal and told her that I didn't loan out my equipment but told her of a local place to buy specialty cutters if she needs these by Wednesday and to a few online places if it's longer term... We'll see if I ever hear from her... I can understand her not wanting to pay $60 for cookies, but to ask to borrow my cookie cutters so she can make something herself is just jaw dropping rude, imo... I would let my best friend borrow them, but that's about it!!! And she would NEVER ASK!!!

Melissa
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post #20 of 67
1/29/07 at 7:38am
I think it would depend on how well you know the person and how friendly you are. If the email exchange was more of a close relationship, like my playgroup is, we'veknow each other for years and would give each other the shirt off our backs, I wouldn't bat an eyelash at lending her a few cookie cutters. I doubt she had any ill intent, or was being a super cheapskate. She just might not realize she's breaking a cake decorator etiquette. icon_biggrin.gif Is it possible to only offer doing cakes and not cookies because I don't think I'd want to make cookies. They're too labor intensive. And just not as much fun. LOL! icon_lol.gif

-Heather
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post #21 of 67
1/29/07 at 7:40am
Oops, I just read your post. I was posting and didn't see your post.

-Heather
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post #22 of 67
1/29/07 at 7:42am
Thread Starter 
Funny, is that I never mentioned I would do cookies. I guess tjey just assume if you do one, you would do the other?

And I don't know this lady... MAYBE I've met her once, but she's not a regular... and even if it was, they all know I'm trying to stay at home longer and trying to sell a few cakes to get things going... so asking for some "freebies" to me is out of line. Maybe it's because I've always been raised to not ask for things from people. I NEVER do.

Melissa
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post #23 of 67
1/29/07 at 7:49am
Oh, if you didn't know her then yes that's rude. That's pretty gutsy to ask someone you don't know for a favor. LOL!

-Heather
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post #24 of 67
1/29/07 at 7:51am
Well, I must be doing something VERY wrong. Last week I filled an order for 4 dozen cut outs, iced and I charged $20. It was the SIMPLE icing, basketball, football, football helmet and trophy cup. I charged her the platter price for 4 dozen $15, and then added $5 to frost. She absolutely loved them. Our kids go to school together, etc. and she'll be ordering a cake in April too. If I do some cookies for a wedding, with the royal icing and lots of detail, then I'm charging $2 a piece. Maybe I'm off my rocker with my charging $20, but I'm in a REALLY small town, and am trying to grow my client base, and I really enjoy decorating the cakes and cookies too!
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post #25 of 67
1/29/07 at 7:52am
All I can say is WOW. The whole customer borrowing equipment to keep from paying for a (last minute at that) service thing is crazy.

I could see if it was a fellow decorator in a pinch.

They will try anything. Stick to your prices, I found that out the hard way. Those ornaments at Christmas taught me a valuable lesson in pricing and time.

If she never calls you for anything else you didn't need her as a customer. Somethimes it is more trouble than what it's worth.

Good luck!!
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Whatever your heart desires and your mind can dream you can find it here and it's one of THE SWEETEST THINGS.

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post #26 of 67
1/29/07 at 7:53am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Making1stCake

Oh, if you didn't know her then yes that's rude. That's pretty gutsy to ask someone you don't know for a favor. LOL!

-Heather



It's true, if it were someone I knew better, then sure, I would still think it's a bit bold to ask since they know I'm trying to do a business, but if it were another Mom who we did a lot of give and take, then it would seem less out of place... I even offered a couple of my cookie cutters for an upcoming event we have where we need some plain cookies made for the kids to decorate.

Just seems way out of place to ask me to make cookies, then say "Oh. sorry too expensive, can I borrow your cookie cutters isntead?" LOL The more I think about that, the more it makes me laugh!

Melissa
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http://www.sweetmelissas.net/ http://sweetmelissas.blogspot.com/
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post #27 of 67
1/29/07 at 8:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by soccermom17

Maybe I'm off my rocker with my charging $20, but I'm in a REALLY small town, and am trying to grow my client base, and I really enjoy decorating the cakes and cookies too!



I would be very careful with your pricing. If you keep charging that sort of money for that amount of work, you won't be enjoying decorating for very long! You will be inundated with orders because people will know you as 'cheap', and resentment will start to creep in eventually - it'll be very hard to increase your prices when that happens. Value your worth from the start, and other people will to. jmo!
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post #28 of 67
1/29/07 at 9:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bonjovibabe

Quote:
Originally Posted by soccermom17

Maybe I'm off my rocker with my charging $20, but I'm in a REALLY small town, and am trying to grow my client base, and I really enjoy decorating the cakes and cookies too!



I would be very careful with your pricing. If you keep charging that sort of money for that amount of work, you won't be enjoying decorating for very long! You will be inundated with orders because people will know you as 'cheap', and resentment will start to creep in eventually - it'll be very hard to increase your prices when that happens. Value your worth from the start, and other people will to. jmo!



AMEN! I'm glad to see most of you charge about what I do for cookies. When I first had people asking about my snowflakes I had to try really hard to contain myself when they said "how much would you charge per cookie? 25 or 50 cents?" WHAT!?! It costs me 24 cents per cookie just to bake them- ingredient cost only!
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post #29 of 67
1/29/07 at 10:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MomLittr

PS, if you check out my pics and look at mine, was just a white cross with shell border and a small cross (dusted with gold lusterdust) in the center. I would say no less than $2 each as the border takes a bit of time. Truthfully I am doing them again for this weekend for my grandson's christening. Oh yeah, welcome to NJ.....where are you?

deb



We are in Howell (monmouth county). We moved here this past summer and love it. I guess we are no longer "new" - I should probably update me profile. icon_wink.gif I took a look at your cross cookies earlier, they are very cute! thumbs_up.gif I was leaning towards $2/cookie minimum depending on what design I end up going with. I actually have a little extra cookie dough and icing left over so I might play with the designs and size (I just got 2 new cutters) and let her pick on Thursday. Thanks for the welcome.
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post #30 of 67
1/29/07 at 10:17am
i charge $3 per cookie. sometimes i get people who think that's too much, but i have enough people who think i'm giving them a deal and i should charge more. that lady does have a lot of nerve to ask to borrow your equip. i'm glad you told her no.
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