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AIBU?

What would YOU have done?

124 replies

Eliza22 · 29/11/2012 10:07

Am I being unreasonable...?

It was my son's 12th birthday on Tuesday. He doesn't "do" parties (last one was aged 9 and the only kid not featuring in the photos, was him). He has high functioning autism and OCD. He has been really, really ill for the past 18 months+ and so, because we couldnt do a party at home, we decided to ask his school if we could take a birthday cake in, so he'd have the experience of his peers singing Happy Birthday and blowing out candles. Nice surprise!

Instead of getting it from a supermarket and to celebrate that he WANTED to celebrate this year, we ordered a special cake from a local professional cake maker. It cost £50 which I thought very reasonable. This lady has a business and a website and came highly recommended.

I collected the cake. It was in a tatty sort of "tray" ... One of those you'd see yogurts stacked on at a supermarket, with a load of cling film around it. She apologised for the lack of a cake box, she didn't have any "in stock".

So, I take the cake to school and inform them to be careful, the packaging was flimsy; I'd almost dropped the bloody thing, getting it out of the car.

Twenty minutes later, the teacher rings... "Erm, do you know it says "Happy Birthday JAMES" on it? My son is not called James. The only thing we could do was take the James off and hope he didn't notice. Either that, or no cake, no surprise. Just another "day at school".

I contacted the cake maker. She was mortified. Said "I have no idea why I put JAMES on it when the order clearly says XXXXXXXX". I said "well never mind but, perhaps some sort of refund might be in order?" She agreed and we parted with her jokingly saying "good job he didn't notice!"

Yesterday, I came home to a card posted through my door with £5 in it.

My DH was fuming. I laughed it off and said "we'll, that's an insult and we won't go there again!" I think, in view of our ordering a personalised cake and it having the wrong person's name on it, that at least 25% of the cost should have been returned.

AIBU? What would you have done/expect?

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BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 29/11/2012 10:09

I would have expected a total refund to be honest. Seriusly, a card with £5 is a joke......£50 for a cake with the wrong bloody name on it......come on, get some balls (meant in the nicest possible way) and ask her for a full refund.

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Oldladypillow · 29/11/2012 10:09

Yanbu. About the box and the name. Stand your ground and ask for more back and if she says no threaten trading standards

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WandaDoff · 29/11/2012 10:10

She's taking the piss.

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decktheballs · 29/11/2012 10:10

I would have expected 50% of the cost at least. Is there anything you can do?

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KenLeeeeeee · 29/11/2012 10:10

That is terrible. I too would have insisted on a full refund. £5 in a card shoved through the door is a joke.

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IceNoSlice · 29/11/2012 10:13

YANBU that's dreadful!

But did your DS enjoy the surprise?

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pictish · 29/11/2012 10:15

Full refund yup.

It's the wrong name, so it's null and void.
What a chancey twit she is!!

Money back now thank you.

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Blueschool · 29/11/2012 10:18

Ask for a full refund as not fit for purpose.

Keep the card as its evidence she has admitted to fault.

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Nancy66 · 29/11/2012 10:18

nowhere near good enough.

She didn't deliver the service she agreed to and has admitted this.

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ellargh · 29/11/2012 10:20

I would have expected at least a 50% refund. £5 is a joke, like the cake.

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SugaricePlumFairy · 29/11/2012 10:20

Well Shock she is one cheeky cake maker, what is it with cake makers [peppa pig cake anyone Wink].

Call her and say you were surprised by the shite refund and expected at least 50% back.


If she's arsey say you'll name and shame on here Grin

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mrskeithrichards · 29/11/2012 10:21

At least 50% refund. What an arsehole. Is she one of these Muppets with a mixer and a Facebook page who calls herself a cupcake business?

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tallwivglasses · 29/11/2012 10:22

Hmm. Cake makers often have a Facebook page...

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BertieBotts · 29/11/2012 10:25

That's awful! Yes I would expect a bigger refund and for her to have been way more apologetic.

Threaten to post your story on //www.cakewrecks.com (and have a read anyway to cheer yourself up and reassure yourself that it could have been worse! Grin)

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ArtfulAardvark · 29/11/2012 10:29

That is shocking, seriously she thought £5 was an acceptable refund, I would have expected a minimum of £25 back.

If it were my business I would probably give you a full refund appreciating how upsetting this was for you and your child.

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Dead69Girl · 29/11/2012 10:32

name and shame, :)

thats awful op did your son notice? hope he had a nice b-day anyway :)

i would ask for it all back! will make sure she doesnt make stupid mistakes again

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DameEnidsOrange · 29/11/2012 10:35

£5 refund is an insult - should have been at least half if not all

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Cherylkerl · 29/11/2012 10:46

Full refund definitely! An error like that renders the cake not entirely fit for purpose. Yes it's still a cake and can be eaten but not enjoyed in the way you expected to.

That's really really bad business to drop a clanger like that and to then not hold your hands up and say 'my mistake' and fully refund you a) to go some way to making it up and b) minimise the negative impact for her. ('She cocked up the cake and I still had to pay' vs 'She cocked up the cake but I did get a refund'...)

Hope he had a lovely day in the end and I'm happy for you that your boy wanted to celebrate. I think you deserve a lovely cake to celebrate that Smile

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RedToothbrush · 29/11/2012 10:51

Bespoke product that was unsuitable for occasion and unfit for purpose. She admitted mistake. You couldn't return goods and she would not have been able to reuse cake.

She should give a full refund.

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Eliza22 · 29/11/2012 10:54

God... Didn't expect such a unanimous response!

Thing is, as you'd expect, the kids snaffled the cake. Job done.

My DH photoshopped the pic of him so, DS has a pic on his iPad and you cannot see the word JAMES in the fondant icing outline where the icing HAD been.

Oh God, I'm going to have to DO something and I HATE confrontation.

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Eliza22 · 29/11/2012 10:58

Oh DS had a lovely day, thanks!

Thing is, the other kids noticed. I feel embarrassed for him.

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valiumredhead · 29/11/2012 10:59

I would want a full refund.

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imogengladhart · 29/11/2012 10:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LaQueen · 29/11/2012 11:03

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Eliza22 · 29/11/2012 11:10

To be honest, I posted on here for an opinion because I know that if I spoke to anyone else, they'd KNOW who'd made it. I don't want to ruin the woman's livelihood and she does have testimonials on her site, glowing with praise so, I'm sure it was a one-off mistake but I do feel insulted by her £5 in a card. Perhaps I should have said "I'd like a refund, please". I just assumed under the circumstances, that would happen.

Christ, I hope one of those kids in his class doesn't say anything. DS would be really hurt! Sad

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