This sort of goes on from the post I made ‘So You Want a Cheap Designer Cake‘ This story has been around for a while but its worth repeating as it illustrates exactly the problem that all bespoke cake makers have. Its about finding the right price that makes the work profitable but without scaring off a client.
From my point of view I can tell you I am really competitive. I accept that location makes a difference. I make handmade cakes in Manchester, the price in London is going to differ…slightly you think? Some prices I have seen quoted for three dimensional cakes, virtually identical to one of mine, frankly beggar belief. I don’t wish to get into the semantics of one cake supplier against another but how about £425 for a simple cake design I charge £60.00 for. Now that would certainly scare of my customers!
So to the story….. A lady wanted to purchase a beautiful handmade cake and spotted a cake maker who did absolutely amazing work, but she charged a good price too. The lady thought that the price was much too high but still wanted that cake so she approached the cake maker and in quite a brusk fashion stated “I want to buy a cake from you, but I think you charge too much.” (Imagine Mrs Richards in Fawlty Towers!)
The cake maker was a little taken aback but replied “Okay, how much do you think I should charge?” The lady replied “I think you should charge, well not that much because the flour will cost this much, the eggs this much, and fondant this much. You should charge ‘X’. I even factored in the price of a tin.”
The final price the lady had calculated was clearly a lot cheaper than the cake makers original price, but she pondered for a minute then said calmly “Okay lady you have a deal. You will receive it in a week.” The customer was so very pleased with herself and couldn’t resist telling all her friends what a fabulous deal she has negotiated and how clever she was, and that in a week she would have a gorgeous cake at a fraction of the proper cost .
A week later the cake arrives. She excitedly opens the box and inside are flour, eggs, milk, butter, sugar, fondant and even a tin. Angrily she contacts the cake maker asking “How could you do this to me? I asked for a cake and you sent me a box of flour, eggs, milk, butter, sugar, fondant and a tin?!”
The cake maker quietly replies “My dear, you got exactly what you paid for, if you think there is something missing then you need to pay for it.”
Moral of this little tale? When you buy a bespoke cake you are not just buying material, you are also buying the time, experience, effort, skill, love and dedication that goes into making your cake.
Now what sort of cake did you say you need?………