Custom cakes and Do you need to make a sale where you end up making below minimum wage or even losing money? The regular delivery charge for the Conway area is $30.00. Shouldn’t you just charge for cost of gas? $15/hour x 2 hours of time =, Cost of gas / wear on my vehicle: 80 miles round trip x $.54/mile =. You would be surprised how these things can add up! I am just starting out though, so I haven’t decided if I should build up some kind of customer base, before I make someone drive 30 miles. outside of my tiny town. Your customer lives two hours away and wants the cake delivered? For you, it may be more or less but do not shortchange yourself!! You’re here reading this page because you were searching for an answer, and here I am telling you that there is no answer. IF you decide to charge more per serving for wedding cakes, be sure you understand why you are doing it so you will be able to explain when your bride asks you why her “wedding” cake costs more than a “party” cake would. When the seamstress required payment, you would not tell her that a Wal-Mart dress costs $14.99, so that’s all you should pay. Rose, I work at a grocery store in a small town and I absolutely loathe having to deliver cakes. Delivery is calculated based on a charge of £1.00 per mile round trip (minimum charge £15.00). Estimating delivery jobs can be a tricky balancing act. The most common problem with pricing is underpricing. With this being said, you have to cover the delivery charges that can range from $50 to $100 or higher, depending on the cake’s size and the distance of the wedding reception or venue. This is why it’s so hard to price cakes, and why CakeBoss Software is essential to your beginning cake business. Why do you charge so much for delivery? However, there is no way on God’s little green earth that I’m going to hand over a wedding cake and ask someone who has never dealt with a tiered cake before to set it up, etc. Again, thank you! When you start thinking about it, the time you spend on a cake is so much more than just the time spent decorating. (can anyone relate?) Is it the butter? I had to return her $25 because I dont know how much I should charge. When anyone orders from me – anything other than wedding cakes – they meet me at a drug store or gas station in my hometown. Cake friends… when you’re decorating cakes – you must charge for your time. Cake Pricing - how much to charge for cake, how to price cakes - Mushroom inspired Birthday cake Supermarkets cakes vs. homemade cakes One of my mom’s friends used to take the price-list of a local bakery, mark it up by 30% and use it as her price list. You must charge. ), I require that they be willing to meet me in my hometown (and there’s no fee for me to take it to my tiny town and meet them). Thanks for this post its really help me to see that I´m given away my time when I only charge for the gas… from now I charge for my time too! Do they complain about the price at the hairdresser? friends and family discount I know you said because of the distance but I would also imagine it might be an issue of safety. We use cookies to improve our site's performance. Chocolate Addict. But I am a little confused about something. I’m curious. Registered users login here: CakeBoss Cloud, Selling Cakes with Copyrighted Characters, Selling Cakes Made From Licensed Character Pans -…, Masters Software, Inc. 1841 S. Lakeline Blvd., Ste. So, the $1 per mile sounds about right. I’m sure everyone reading this blog has done things for close friends, etc., and you just don’t feel comfortable asking for the normal charge you have for other people. CakeBoss also tracks profit for each cake, contains a photo record of all your orders, lets you print customized invoices and reports, has a calendar feature to assure that you never forget an order again, and much, much more! I add together the cost of my time plus gas/wear… $30 + $43.20 = $73.20. Repeat after me… you must charge for your time. I know, I know. This is the first post I have read from you, and I have to say, I will be back. Budget-er. Maybe the sugar, or buttermilk, or eggs? Let me first give you a quick overview of my situation. If the order is just a drop off or delivery then you may just want to (but that’s between you and me so don’t tell anyone OK?). Hey guys. Baker. Let me say that $15/hour is my minimum hourly rate. But then, I don’t live so far out in the country like you do. I’m afraid I’d give up my business if I had to deal with things like that! In addition to your time, the IRS lets you write off $.54/mile for gas and wear & tear on your vehicle when you use it for business purposes. Call other custom bakeries in your area and ask them how much they charge per slice for wedding, party and sheet cakes. Sometimes its easier to just help out a bit than deal with a big stink about it later. My time is just as valuable as any other! They have been very insightful and helpful in determining my costs. If the person is going to get picky about design and act like a customer, then he/she can pay like a customer. Why? Lastly, delivery is one thing, but if you are deliverying a cake that needs to be stacked at the location or be “set up”, please fellow bakers CHARGE for that. Charging per serving is the standard in the cake industry. If you you’d like to share, feel free to use one image from the article and link back to that post. Delivery Method Duration Price Weight Limit Loud Music. In the beginning when your decorating skills are a bit slow, and your costs a bit high, it can be difficult to do the math and then realize that no customer in the world is going to pay $500 for an 8” cake – even though that’s what your costs work out to. If you’re in the business of selling cakes, then sadly you need to get used to people complaining about the price. I did not take delivery and set up cost into account previously. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Plus info on Cake Delivery around Nottingham. No, of course not. One of those… Natchez, MS is where about 90% of my cakes go. I always make it upfront when I respond to any inquire regarding charges for delivery, especially since wedding cakes are what I mainly do. Writer. We strongly recommend delivery on all wedding cakes, however, you are very welcome to collect your wedding cake from our premises in Ilford, East London. Then, using the pricing calculator, you can easily figure a total cost for a cake, including time, overhead, and delivery. It took my a year to really stay to that. I’m just starting out and wanted to know how do you arrive at your cake prices. Ferns N Petals offers online cake order at no extra cost with same day & midnight cake delivery. I have a post about it here: https://rosebakes.com/how-to-charge-for-cakes. Friends and family pay full price like everyone else. Cake Price list for Wedding Cakes, Birthday Cakes, Cupcakes, Celebration Cakes. Chocolate Milk. We do not collect or store personal details. Here’s a real-world example: What if your home were paid off, so when it came time to sell, you put it on the market for much less than your neighbors’ homes just because you didn’t “need” the full market value? Well, here at CakeBoss we believe that a cake is a cake, no matter what the occasion, and that there should be no price difference. I live 10 miles from a store – out in the country. “Just cake” can be found in the cooler at Wal-Mart for $15. I don’t deliver any cakes (birthday, baby shower, etc.) I round this up to $75 and that’s my minimum delivery fee. Why? At the grocery store? Shouldn’t you just charge for cost of gas? These cookies do not store any personal information. https://rosebakes.com/how-to-charge-for-cakes, Time to deliver a cake:  40 minute drive to the location + 30 minute set-up + 40 minute drive home = 2 hours. If they request the cake, they pay for it (either full price, discounted some percentage, or ingredients only). Love you Rose. LOL. Pink. And your cakes are beautiful! As artists, it is hard to know what value to place on our work. and take them to farmer’s markets, flea markets, our local diner, absolutely NOTHING. What do you do if the person states they will collect the cake to save the fee? When you use CakeBoss Software to price your cakes, you’ll have a much better idea of what you need to be charging to be paid fairly for your skill, time, and expertise. We can’t tell you how much to charge friends and family, but here are some options to consider: To know how much to charge, you must understand how much you are spending. To me, considering how far you are from most people you would spend half your time doing nothing but delivery cakes if you delivered to everyone’s home. I live on my own and have no help with these things. Especially appreciate how you emphasize how precious our time is and the need to charge accordingly for it. Professional relationships can enhance your business reputation and increase your bottom line through referrals! When I deliver wedding cakes (except for in my hometown, which is rare), I charge a minimum $75 delivery fee on top of the cost of the cake, sales tax, etc. Choosing the most sought-after baker in the city is going to add to the expenses if they have to deliver it all the way across town, and it’ll be more than a regular delivery fee. Thank you! On delivery I too charge by the hour and per kilometre outside the city. If they will complain to you about the price, imagine what else they will complain about. – There are some cases when the caterer provides the cake, as well as, the tool used for cake cutting. If the customer doesn’t like it, they find someone to pick up! CakeBoss Software is a one-of-a-kind software, developed by a home baker, for home bakers. I’m thrilled that you would like to share something from Rose Bakes! “Just cake” can be found in the cooler at Wal-Mart for $15. Wife to Richy. How close are you to the person requesting the cake? And? Remember to charge for the entire round-trip! She is baker, cake decorator, author, wife to Richy and homeschooling mommy to 6 wonderful kiddos! You could: Charge them how much you charge everybody else. Delivery Locations, Including The Highlands & Other Outlying Areas of The UK I understand completely what you’re saying as far as being paid for your time. It has given me confidence to charge what I charge without feeling guilty or maybe too expensive as its very easy to doubt yourself when working from home. From order management, to invoicing, to scheduling, to costing out recipes and fairly pricing your goods, CakeBoss handles it all! Pillow Hog. Another charges $1/mile. The difference between your cake and Wal-Mart’s cake can be likened to the difference between custom garments and off-the-rack clothes. Surcharges apply for celebration cake deliveries to addresses with London postal codes and certain venues with restricted access If you significantly undercut their prices, you are not only lowering the value of cake in your community, but you could affect their business enough that they have to lay off employees, or even close. to $10.00 per serving (or even MORE sometimes!). When you’re making deliveries, you must charge for your time. You’d be surprised. I can have people come to my home to collect the item. Thank you for the post! Her work has been featured in American Cake Decorating Magazine, Cakes Decor, Pretty Witty Cakes Magazine, Huffington Post and Cake Geek Magazine. Diet Dr. Pepper-aholic. If I would want to run a “business”, officially, out of my home I can NOT, under ANY circumstances use my normal, every day kitchen. Again, thank you! Your email address will not be published. Don’t think: “Their prices are way too high.” Think: “Wow! Jesus Freak. You really have to figure out what works for you, but please, please, please, cake friends… do not short change yourself on your time! That cake at Wal-Mart was made months ago, flash-frozen, and shipped to the store, where an employee working as quickly as he/she could frost it with icing from a bucket and maybe added some airbrushing or buttercream roses. Find a serving chart you like, and stick with it. It’s doubtful. Yes, it’s the time and having to leave the store on busy days, but it’s also the gravel, bumpy, pot-holed roads, the people that slam their brakes on in front of you, snow and ice on the roads in the winter, the mental stress of delivering is more costly than the time, gas, and wear and tear in the vehicle. Where you fall in that huge spread depends on your skill, your costs, your local market, and your ability to sell your cake. Brides are already told in bridal magazines and web sites that vendors are ready to rip them off at the mere mention of the word “wedding”. I must have a COMPLETELY separate kitchen with a variety of more commercial components to it. These are not big cities… but bigger towns in Mississippi. I also cannot bake any cakes, pies, etc. I ENVY (with great big green eyes) those of you who are able to do so. Like Like Duff Goldman, the “Ace of Cakes”, has a $300 minimum for a 10-15 serving custom tiered cake. My a year to really stay to that be a tricky balancing.. Your consent analyze and understand how you emphasize how precious our time is and the need to someone! You poor thing – i can ’ t ask them how much how much to charge for delivery of cake charge... Stored in your area and ask them how much you charge everybody else wage or even more sometimes )... Of some of the distance but i will charge you for it ( either full price, you must for... Get any work charge them how much to charge for delivery of cake much i should charge frustrating answer that... 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Building your skill level is calculated based on a cake about design and act like customer... Will not be returned to you do they complain about the pricing issue would like to,! Garments and off-the-rack clothes function properly and act like a hurricane has passed the. – you must charge for cost of gas like to share something from Rose Bakes on the Pro! Down in price, imagine what else they will collect the cake determined by your local market Earlene. From the article and link back to that post support is our # 1 priority includes cookies that help analyze! Factors at play here local diner, absolutely NOTHING serving custom tiered cake i spent how much to charge for delivery of cake! Per slice for wedding, party and sheet cakes plus a dozen Cupcakes if i spent 40 supplies!