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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To demand a full refund?

49 replies

CantankerousCamel · 22/07/2018 13:31

DD’s first birthday on Tuesday, we celebrated on Saturday as then the whole family could be together. Friday night I travelled 9 miles and collected a giant cupcake that had been made for her. In the car on the way home (I drove as carefully as possible) it collapsed on one side. No huge drama, , we pushed the top back on and shifted it round so we could do photos. Obviously DD doesnt care at this age so I didn’t worry.

However when we cut into the cake, it was so dry it was almost inedible. Even the older dc’s (6 and 8) didn’t want to eat it.

So today (Sunday) I took the cake back and asked the cake maker to taste it. She attempted to suggest I was responsible for the cake breaking in the car (but this was obviously down to the cake being so dry) I again informed her that the cake being inedible was the issue, not the collapse and said it tasted like it had been baked a week ago. She defended herself and I just left. Frankly I don’t want to argue with her, I just wanted her to try it, see how dry it was and refund me. Which she did. HALF of the £30 I had paid because I had ‘returned half the cake’

AIBU to say this is totally unreasonable? That for a product I could not use and for the inconvenience of having to drive the cake back and forth but not enjoy it, I should receive a full refund?

I honestly can’t believe the gall of someone admitting the product isn’t up to scratch but refusing to issue a full refund.

OP posts:
MNHQ
LornaMumsnet · 22/07/2018 14:13

OP, we've just edited your post to remove RL names and protect your privacy. Flowers

Original poster
CantankerousCamel · 22/07/2018 14:14

Darling, yes I saw but not too bothered

OP posts:
CornishMaid1 · 22/07/2018 18:11

I can see what she is saying though. If you buy a cake from a supermarket it will have preservers and additives to keep it soft and fresher for longer. A homemade cake never keeps for that long as you don't put that sort of thing in so it is common for it to go dry after a day or two.

Original poster
CantankerousCamel · 22/07/2018 18:13

cornish if it was a little dry, that would be fine but it was cut within 18 hours of collection and was literally not edible.

I would get it if it was 5 + days later but less than 24 hours after baking is no time.

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Original poster
CantankerousCamel · 22/07/2018 18:14

Thanks MNHQ.

I am definitely sticking to home decorating a Waitrose Fiona Cairns cake in future. Always tasty and always fun

OP posts:
woodwaj · 22/07/2018 18:41

I don't think it's unreasonable to return half a cake.. at a party you usually cut it then hand it out all at once..Im not sure if I'd notice it was dry just from slicing it! Some guests might have ate it being polite or taken them home in party bags without even trying it!

Original poster
CantankerousCamel · 22/07/2018 19:16

wood

Fortunately for a first birthday we just had close friends and family round for a pot of tea and a slice of cake, rather than a party. I would have been mortified to have given that cake to people.

OP posts:
Lilacwine1 · 22/07/2018 19:55

I used to have the same problem with Christmas cakes, they were always so dry and tasteless. How do people get away with making, and selling such inedible, overpriced cakes. You should have had a full refund. I make my own cakes, and have occasionally, made some for friends, instead of Christmas or Birthday presents. I would be so ashamed if I thought my cakes were inedible.

What has happened to taking a pride in your product. Shame on the person who produced such a load of shite, and wouldn't give you a full refund. What's the betting they won't be in business in a few months time. Word of mouth can make or break a business. Spread the word, so others aren't paying good money, for a product that should miss out the middleman, and go straight down the bog.

Kaykay06 · 22/07/2018 20:09

That’s such a shame, I love cake and my boys have had a few made by cake makers and been really lovely and on a little bit dense but still really good. The best was the Christening cake I had made for my sisters little ones, it was the most amazing cake I’ve ever tasted and smelt amazing. But if it had been dry I’d have done the same. I told everyone about that cake, was a big christening as the congregation are all invited to the hall for cake etc afterwards so lots of people were asking who made the cake and asking for details so to make something inedible is a shame as she is doing herself out of return and new business her loss I guess and sad for you to go out of your way twice for a crap cake

Cheby · 22/07/2018 20:31

Has she got an FB page? I’d leave an honest, factual review.

44PumpLane · 22/07/2018 20:31

I’m a half decent baker (but I would never consider selling my baking), but I have “done” three friends weddings as a gift (cupcakes and cake pops and single layer cakes- nothing massive).

For Parentcraft class first birthday photo shoot we got a pal to do some pictures and three of us home baked a giant cupcake.

I don’t know if there is a knack to them but mine turned out dry as sticks and had a giant air pocket in (fine as it was just for the babies to have a little taste of).

One of the girls was totally undercooked and smushed, and the third (which was the best attempt) was still quite dry!

I think it’s quite difficult to get those giant cupcakes right, as to get a decent bake all the way through you have to have it in the oven a long time.

Clearly if you know what you’re doing you’re probably okay but she sounds like she tried and failed and should have just refunded.

Original poster
CantankerousCamel · 22/07/2018 20:49

I was totally happy to have her admit she’d cocked it up and give me a refund. I sent her a message asking her if she’d made the cake a few days before because that would be in keeping with how inedible it was. I then told her that I would be returning it the next day as I was passing and that she could taste it and let me know if she thought it was an acceptable product to sell.

I honestly think she would have simply said ‘oh my goodness I’m so sorry, this was your child’s first birthday and not only did the cake fall apart in the car, I can see that it was not suitable to eat’. Instead she tried to justify it by saying it had been ‘2 days’ since the cake had been made, though how you get 2 days from a late evening pick up on the Friday and a drop off at 10am on a Sunday is beyond me. She was completely un-aplogetic. She has now ‘issued a starment’ saying that refunds will only be issued if the entire cake is returned within 24 hours and will be at her discretion.

I think she’s an absolute cowboy.

OP posts:
DarlingNikita · 23/07/2018 11:04

I think she’s an absolute cowboy.

I can't disagree. 'refunds will only be issued if the entire cake is returned within 24 hours and will be at her discretion.' Shock

Leave her a bad (but factual) review.

Original poster
CantankerousCamel · 23/07/2018 12:51

She’s blocked me from leaving a review

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DarlingNikita · 23/07/2018 13:20

Christ.

Word of mouth instead?

Hopefully her business won't last as the product will continue to speak for itself.

Original poster
CantankerousCamel · 23/07/2018 15:45

If everyone with a bad experience is blocked, she’s not going to do very well is she?

OP posts:
aaaaargghhhhelpme · 23/07/2018 16:02

Are you on any local Facebook groups? When someone asks for a recommendation for a cake baker id put a little something there. Then say you would leave a review but you’ve been blocked. All factually correct of course

And spread the news as much as possible! She sounds awful

Original poster
CantankerousCamel · 23/07/2018 22:20

I placed a review on my Facebook page. Was read by a local business owner/friend who does bouncy castle parties and was just about to begin working with the cake maker in question. Her first job with him was Actuslly a cake for me, this weekend coming for my sons joint birthday party.

He’s cancelled that and all future cake partnerships with her.

What goes around comes around. I’m so glad I’ve saved him from having to work with that woman. She’s also lots shedloads of business. I hope he tells her why

OP posts:
Original poster
CantankerousCamel · 25/07/2018 11:00

This is still ongoing. We’d all but forgotten about it but now her friends are harassing me on Facebook for various things.

Apparently I’m lying about having a degree(?) and various other attacks on my character. I’m not sure what exactly she is trying to do with this but it’s making her look worse and worse

OP posts:
DarlingNikita · 25/07/2018 12:15

Fuck.

One obvious and simple response is to block the lot of them.

Or get some advice about a cease and desist order/slander/libel, if you're feeling more bloody-minded? That's probably what I'd do Grin

Sorry you're having to deal with all this.

RB68 · 25/07/2018 12:25

Good cake does not go dry in 2 days. BUT it has to be stored properly and it is common practice to bake and freeze cake for decorating which if a cake is slightly over baked anyway causes it to dry out even more.

I say it was baked earlier then decorated. Either way whether or not it was down to the cake drying over 2 days or not her handling of the complaint was wrong - but also having said that there are many CF who would return a half eaten cake complaining when actually there is little or no issue they just want their money back! She does sound like she hasn't sorted her processes yet in terms of recipe, cooking time and storage

Original poster
CantankerousCamel · 25/07/2018 13:00

I returned the cake for her to try some of it that had not been susceptible to air etc and she agreed it was not up to standard. She doesn’t seem to realise that she is not the aggrieved party here.

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aaaaargghhhhelpme · 25/07/2018 20:07

Are they posting to you privately or publically? She sounds insane to think this is a good move. She has a reputation to uphold and this is bordering into crazy territory.

Sorry you’re dealing with this shit. All for a cake. Can you ask Facebook to intervene? But yeah I like the cease and desist stuff too as they sound thick as shit and I’m sure it would scare the crap out of them

Original poster
CantankerousCamel · 25/07/2018 20:23

On my wall (yes I made my post about her service public)

My friend then copied my review and put it on her page (which I can totally understand)

She just doesn’t seem to understand how badly she is coming across. She’s now had 3 1* reviews from people directly off the back of this. Hopefully it will put people off using her in future. Awful woman

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