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

I really want to c this cake

Tell her it's WAY more than it actually is so she over charges and people come to you instead!

Just a suggestion but reply with what you actually want to say. I think too many times in life some of us pussy foot around and worry too much what others think.

I don't think you want to tell her the price so just ignore her or tell her that

Unless you have copyrighted your design, anyone can copy any Cake design.

Em308 - I'm well aware of that. Does that make it right? Does that entitle her to know how much I charge?

She's lying. If it's actually for a real birthday then surely it is for a specific date? If she has been asked to make it for a birthday on say June 15th and youre not available until July 15th how does she suggest she will "work around you" as she originally suggested?

Tell her that if the customer would like to contact you herself with the date she needs it for you can give her a quote if you have availability. Or if there is a date and she knows it surely she can tell you it and you can provide her with the quote...but you might be fully booked for that date so no point quoting

I would reply saying thank you very much for the referral, and say that you would be happy to discuss with client directly re dates etc. If it is all legit you could maybe offer a finders fee for her for referring the client, but obviously this wouldnt be needed.

Oh fgs she's annoying! Op this is what someone trying be fly looks like. You've spotted her and she's shit at it. Her woe is me asda carry on is meant to make you feel guilty. She wants your pricing structure, not your work. Sack her off. Tbh I'm surprised how many people are selling cakes with apparently zero understanding of basic costing. How do you all turn a profit?!

My reply was as a fellow cake maker I'm sure she can understand it would be foolish of me to pass on my pricing information to a competitor, therefore if her friend's mum would like to contact me directly I will quote her"

She replied saying "what's your phone number as she doesn't have Facebook" so what's your betting she will just ring me pretending to be her friend's mum 😂

Yeah, absolutely say that the client should talk to you directly and that you would happily pay a referral fee.

To be fair - it just seems abit of a coincidence to me that 4 days after posting a cake of a McDonald's chicken nugget meal on Facebook this woman suggests a friends mum has requested her to make a chicken nugget cake! I don't think chicken nugget cakes are that common?!?!

Hmm mmm... just disengage...

She might be genuine but not worth the risk

So she does op! Your design isn't protected unless you have copy right. Pass on your phone number and you might get a job out of it. If she pretends to be the 'mum' or whatever then she knows how much your cake costs. It isn't unusual to publish pictures and prices of your products.

I wouldn't engage with her again, cheeky mare that she is.

Just stop replying.

She obviously doesnt want the cake, so leave her dangling.

Or if you need to reply "Yeah right.....do you think I came down in the last shower?!"

Given that there probably isnt an actual person wanting a cake, I would just give a really high quote , and let her smuggly 'undercut' you. And then if there is actually a client, then you get a really good price for your cake!

Or you could just stick to pushing for a date, prices vary based on dates (weekends higher, wedding seasons etc)

indubious all the local cake makers in the area never disclose their prices on their Facebook pages - I'm quite surprised that you think it's so common. I can't think of anyone in my area that I know their prices

Indubious the OP has already said that she is booked up so even if the woman was genuine, the OP cant help her anyway.

If she doesn't have facebook how did she see the cake?

privatepike it's an incredibly bitchy business!