Help me respond to this message!

[Froznheart]

I've name changed for this as it will out me.

I'm a cake maker by trade, I'm fairly successful but recently did a cake that was extremely popular in my area and was shared lots of times which meant mynpage has become really popular.

I've just had a message from someone asking for a quote on that particular cake. I went on to their profile to check what area they were from and it clearly says on the profile that she is a professional cake maker with her own cake business - so basically a rival of mine.

I responded to the message and said what date did she need the cake for as I'm virtually fully booked over the next couple of months and she replied saying "I'm not fussed about the date, I will fit around you can you just provide me with a price please" I replied with "I will check the diary when I get home and let you know when I'm free" and she replied saying "ok but can you give me a price now?"

How do I respond to this? Part of me wants to say fuck off you just want to pinch my ideas and pricing but I know that it's not professional 😂

So mumsnetters - what would you say? And AIBU to tell her to bugger off

Tell her that your pricing varies depending on the dates required.

As in, when you are quieter you are happy to charge a little less but when you're already busy you have to charge a little more as work is often done at unsociable hours etc....

Costs vary due to supply & demand basically.

And yes, we need to see the cake .

It's obviously some sort of celebration cake. How can she possibly not be too fussed when you're free to make it??

I don't believe her. She said she doesn't care when the cake is made, she just wants the price. I've never ordered a cake for an event that I hadn't scheduled.

say what secret says. That leaves the ball firmly in her court but you haven't suggested anything untoward and if she cools off then you know she was looking to steal your prices or something.

What Nap said. Don't give her the price. Ever.

also, tell us what her response is! I'm dying to know.

Dear Mrs Cakemaker,

I am slightly surprised you say your genuine and would like a price for the cake, will you actually be placing an order for this cake or is this just an enquire, as at this moment I am confused why you need the price .

Can you please make yourself clearer as to requirements. As I don't give out prices until all the details of a cake are sorted

Watermark your photos, OP. Should reduce the chances of people taking your photos and passing them off as their own.

I'd go back and suggest the client is given your details for the cake, paying you direct. You can always offer to pay a finder's fee to the other cake make. But this way it might mean your pricing stays out of her hands?.

I would say that the most likely explanation is that she has been asked to make a cake exactly the same and wants to know how much to charge. Copying designs is all part of cake designing - especially when you come up with something new and original people will want to copy it but I'm just pissed off that she wants pricing - she must know how much cakes cost to make? I can always roughly estimate how much time a cake will take me if someone asks me to recreate something without asking the original cake maker how much they charged!

The pricing enquiry is a non-issue, but 'owning' your original designs (as far as you can own a cake design) is. Say you'd be happy for her to direct any enquires to you but you only accept direct commissions.

OP give a price FAR higher than yours! Then when she undercuts it by say £10/£15, you are already undercutting her! X

Sounds like BS to me. She is completely busy at work so can't make a cake herself but wants you to make a cake for her on any date of your choosing? So it's not for a specific occasion?! What is she planning on doing with this cake when you provide it?

If you don't want to do it then:

Sorry I prefer to deal directly with the customer so I can ensure I meet their needs exactly. If you forward their details to me I'd be happy to help them directly.

If you do want to do it:

If you wish to act as an agent for our products then I'm more than happy to discuss. Obviously we'd have to put into place a supplier agreement to protect copyright, pricing and so on. Happy to discuss further.

Oh, just ignore her, she's fibbing and wants to copy your cake/pricing

This was her reply:

"It's his mum that asked us to do it but like I said we're choca and she asked if I knew anyone eles I know your good and got 2 others that I've asked if they can fit me in I know everyone's busy around this time so this is why I am enquiring now cause if no one can it will be a asda cake for him x"

Froznheart I would tell her you're not happy about your cake being passed along the line like that and tell her to pass your contact details on to the customer.

I would tell her you're not happy about your cake being passed along the line like that and tell her to pass your contact details on to the customer.*

Yup. Then stop replying really - she's not being fair in what she expects of you.

That first bit was supposed to be bold, sorry squidgey!

Its a difficult one because to be honest it will be easy enough for her to get a price by asking a friend to ask, but on the other hand I would be very reluctant to give a competitor my prices so she can potentially undercut you and pinch your ideas.

also wanting to see your cake, and now wants to eat cake

mmm..how strange sounds to me she's wanting to make the same cake and undercut you...I would say

"Hi thanks for the enquiry but unfortunately due to our current schedule being incredibly busy I am unable to quote unless you have a specific date and requirements...as you are a fellow cake maker I hope you understand" best wishes...

Then block her...she's obviously trying to find out your prices to undercut you. There's always a chance she could get someone else to enquire though...if you don't want to block etc or if if she persists say £1.00 plus VAT and then don't respond

I know sometimes competitors do collaborate, but as you don't know her I'd worry that she is planning to reverse engineer your cake so she can make it herself and undercut you.

Definitely ask to contact the customer directly. If you think it would be useful to have a friendly rival for large jobs ask if you can meet up to check out each other's work and form a strategic alliance for future projects.

Lord has good advice about watermarking your photos.

I would say... "OK, fair enough. Please feel free to pass them my details and get them to contact me direct" and leave it at that.

So she still hasn't given you a date??? I call bullshit!