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Vox Humana
 
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Default Shipping Frosted Cakes


"D.Currie" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Tapper" > wrote in message
> news:FmCuf.5700$tJ1.2214@trndny01...
> >> D.Currie makes some good points. You might want to approach your
> >> favorite restaurant or bakery and see if they would buy them from you.
> >>Or, donate them to a homeless shelter, orphanage, school, or some other
> >>charitable organization and take a write-off.

> >
> > I already donate food and other goods. I don't throw out leftover
> > materials or extra items, they go to the local Boy's and Girl's Club or
> > shelters etc. However, I am down about $400 on this batch. If I want

to
> > give a $400 donation to a local charity I'll just do it, regardless of
> > having extra cakes in storage. In December I provided free pastries for

3
> > charity events, and that's plenty for now. I need to recoup some dough
> > and
> > I don't need another write-off.
> >
> > I'd really like to figure out a way sell them (and if they go then I'll
> > have
> > system to sell them online). I am not concerned about having it arrive
> > frozen. I have a good source for cheap ($2-3) insulated shippers, but I
> > am
> > interested in knowing if anyone has shipped iced cakes. My shipping

cost
> > can be around $10, but that depends on the method I have to use to

protect
> > them.
> >
> > A couple of local restaurants use our carrot cakes, but they don't buy
> > them
> > in this size. I have 6" and 8" rounds, not what these folks want.

Also,
> > one of the restaurants buys crappy cakes at BJs (wholesale club) for

maybe
> > $1 a slice and sells them as desserts for $5.95; they buy our cakes for
> > themselves and for catered events.
> >
> > And, yes, they are world-class! All natural, no preservatives or

fillers,
> > dense and rich and heavy. But still can go Priority mail for $7.70, so
> > shipping won't be bad at all. Freezing and thawing don't impact the
> > quality (too much oil in there to be ruined). My only problem is

mailing
> > them once they're iced. Even if they're frozen there would be some thaw
> > during transport, so I have to keep the walls away from the surface.
> >
> > Thanks for the suggestions, though.
> > --Pat

>
>
> If you want to start selling online, it might be worth looking into some
> specialized packaging for frosted cakes, but you're starting with the hard
> way as far as shipping is concerned. Unfrosted would be easier, but
> unfortunately, that's not what you've got now.
>
> If you really want to protect that frosting, the only way that's going to
> happen is if the cakes stay frozen. Otherwise, the frosting is going to
> stick to whatever it touches and by the time it gets to its destination,
> especially with something like priority mail, it's going to look like
> roadkill. Not to mention that the cake itself is going to take some

bouncing
> and could get destroyed in the process. Another reason why fully frozen is

a
> better method.
>
> The other option is to have the whole thing wrapped in plastic and explain
> to customers that they're going to have to scrape some of the frosting off
> of the plastic and refrost the cake. Then you just need to package the

cake
> so that it will withstand being dropped and bounced and juggled while it

is
> being shipped. I guess you're better off with a denser cake than if it was
> something fluffy or crumbly.
>
> A third option would be to experiment a bit with different plastic wraps

or
> whatever, and see if you can come up with something so that the customer

can
> re-freeze the cake and then peel the plastic off of the frozen frosting.

And
> explain to them that if they peel it off while it's thawed, it's their
> problem.
>
> As far as your cakes being world-class, I wasn't suggesting that they
> weren't, just that online customers who don't know your products

first-hand
> will have to believe that in order to be willing to pay the price for the
> cake and shipping. Me, personally, I'd have to be really convinced that a
> cake was unbelievable to pay for the cake plus the maybe $10 shipping on

top
> of it. And after paying that money, I'd expect that the cake arrive in
> pristine condition. I'd be darned skeptical of the quality if I thought it
> was in shipping for 3 days, in the hands of the post office. While it may

be
> true that multiple freezes and thaws won't ruin the cake, a customer may

not
> find that acceptable.
>
> And I'd suggest you look into FedEx for shipping. From my experience,
> they're much gentler with handling than either the mail service or UPS.

And
> consider next-day shipping. While next-day shipping may not be necessary

in
> your mind, a customer might think otherwise. They may be willing to pay a
> little more to get the cake right away, frozen, and in good condition,
> rather than pay a little less and get a cake that's been bounced around in
> the mail system for three or four days.


In light of what you have said, I would also add that you can count on some
people wanting their money back. I don't know how many, but sure as hell if
the cake doesn't arrive in perfect condition, someone will want a refund of
the total price. Assuming that they will be paying by credit card, there is
a good chance that they will dispute the charges and tie-up the money.

If we were talking about thousands of cakes, it would be one thing. But for
85 small cakes it might be worth offing a discount to the restaurants who
are already customers. I would approach them and say "I have 85 carrot
cakes. They are smaller than what you normally order. I will give you a
nice discount for being a good customer and to compensate you for the
inconvenience of buying the smaller cakes." That would be a win-win
situation. You would unload the cakes without having to do any advertising,
research packaging, or taking any risks. The customer would get your
"world-class" cakes at a discount. If you make the discount equal to the
deposit that you kept from the original customer you are out nothing.