Hello all!

I had a client cancel an order for 85 carrot cakes (thank goodness for
deposits$$$!), so they are now sitting in freezer storage looking for a
home. I'd like to offer them online but I've never shipped cakes, I always
deliver. Does anyone have experience shipping frosted cakes? I'd like
suggestions for packaging etc. I can ship them frozen but do mail carriers
actually pay attention to "This End Up"?

Thanks in advance
--Pat

"Tapper" > wrote in message
news:rUxuf.35227$az4.23917@trndny03...
> Hello all!
>
> I had a client cancel an order for 85 carrot cakes (thank goodness for
> deposits$$$!), so they are now sitting in freezer storage looking for a
> home. I'd like to offer them online but I've never shipped cakes, I
> always
> deliver. Does anyone have experience shipping frosted cakes? I'd like
> suggestions for packaging etc. I can ship them frozen but do mail
> carriers
> actually pay attention to "This End Up"?
>
> Thanks in advance
> --Pat
>

If you want to ship it frozen and have it arrive frozen, it's going to be
pretty costly. Shipping will probably have to be next day air. Then you need
packaging that will stand up to shipment and be insulated enough to hold in
the cold and handle the dry ice you're probably going to want to use.
Styrofoam coolers work well for that sort of thing. Even with all of that,
there's a good chance the frosting will thaw, so you're going to need to
figure out some way to package it so that the frosting will still be okay
when it's unwrapped, no matter which way the box is tipped.

As far as "this side up," I wouldn't bet on it.

Unless your cakes are world-class famous, you may have some problems getting
people to pay enough to cover shipping. The other alternative would be to
design some sort of packaging that would protect the frosting so that even
when it's thawed, it will look good on arrival.

But if you don't go with the insulated packaging and next-day shipping, are
these cakes going to be able to withstand whatever temperature fluctuations
they endure? There could be a couple cycles of freezing and thawing and
warmer temps in warehouses, trucks, etc. on the delivery route. If they
weren't frosted, it wouldn't be as much of a problem, but if customers get
cakes with the frosting all mushed up and they've paid a lot for the cake
and shipping, they aren't going to be all that happy.

You might want to consider a local sale or maybe a donation to some good
cause and just reap the good publicity you get from that.

Tapper wrote:

> Hello all!
>
> I had a client cancel an order for 85 carrot cakes (thank goodness for
> deposits$$$!), so they are now sitting in freezer storage looking for a
> home. I'd like to offer them online but I've never shipped cakes, I always
> deliver. Does anyone have experience shipping frosted cakes? I'd like
> suggestions for packaging etc. I can ship them frozen but do mail carriers
> actually pay attention to "This End Up"?
>
> Thanks in advance
> --Pat
>
>

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.

"deepeddygirl" > wrote in message
...
> Tapper wrote:
>
> > Hello all!
> >
> > I had a client cancel an order for 85 carrot cakes (thank goodness for
> > deposits$$$!), so they are now sitting in freezer storage looking for a
> > home. I'd like to offer them online but I've never shipped cakes, I
always
> > deliver. Does anyone have experience shipping frosted cakes? I'd like
> > suggestions for packaging etc. I can ship them frozen but do mail
carriers
> > actually pay attention to "This End Up"?
> >
> > Thanks in advance
> > --Pat
> >
> >
>
> 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.

> 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

"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.

"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.