She runs a small business and was seeking advice from the Reddit community on whether she was wrong for charging her friend more than usual for cupcakes. Here is the full story.
A Small Baking Business
The Original Poster (OP) is a 26-year-old who runs a small business baking cakes and cupcakes. Although it’s not her primary job, she enjoys doing it and most of her customers are her family and friends.
Due to the business size and limitations of her operation, OP requires a two-week notice period for orders.
Plus, the prices charged are based on the type and size of the order.
A Friend’s Request
Recently, one of OP’s friends, Liv aged 29, reached out to her and requested cupcakes for her daughter’s third birthday.
Liv gave an outline of what she wanted and asked for the cupcakes to be delivered within a week.
Although OP agreed to the order, she decided to charge a higher price due to the short notice.
She Asked for a Discount
However, Liv objected to the price and asked if the OP could bring it down. But, the OP refused, explaining that the increased cost was due to the late order.
Liv still wasn’t satisfied, saying that she could understand the increased price but not “this much.” This led to OP telling Liv that they were not running a charity and that if she couldn’t afford it, she didn’t have to order from her.
Liv was unhappy with her response and finally didn’t place an order.
She Canceled the Order
Things turned sour when OP later discovered that Liv had made some snarky comments on Instagram stories, which irked her further.
OP wonders whether she was wrong as she is running a business and has the right to set prices that reflect the cost of the ingredients.
Plus the time and effort involved, and the additional costs incurred due to a late order were correct for the price changes.
OP also had spare time that week and was willing to take on the order, which suggests she was not trying to exploit Liv.
She’s Running a Business, Not a Charity!
Many Redditors commented saying what OP did was correct. One Redditor mentioned that charging for rush jobs is perfectly standard and it’s OP’s call on whether to accept it or decline and it’s not okay for Liv to badmouth her for not dropping prices to what she wants to pay.
On the other hand, some Redditors commented saying that Liv may have felt that the increased price was too high, especially if she was used to paying a lower rate for cupcakes and Liv may have felt offended by OP’s remark that they were not running a charity, which could be seen as a dismissive or insensitive response.
So, what could the baker have done differently?
Her Comments Were Offensive
One option would have been to explain the reason for the increased price more clearly, such as stating that it was due to the short notice and the extra time and effort required in meeting the deadline.
OP could also have offered Liv a discount or a compromise, such as a smaller order or a longer delivery time that would have allowed her to charge her regular rate.
Plus, OP could have avoided using the phrase “not running a charity” as it can be interpreted as a blunt response.
Instead, OP could have explained that she runs a small business and needs to charge fair prices to cover her costs and make a profit.
Ultimately, a clear and respectful communication style, coupled with the willingness to compromise, could have helped the OP with this situation.
Find a Compromise
The question is was OP in the wrong for charging more and telling Liv that they were not running a charity, or is she justified for her actions?
This situation between OP and Liv highlights the challenges of running a small business and dealing with customers who are mostly friends and family and their expectations and demands.
While OP had a valid reason for charging more due to the short notice, the situation could’ve been tackled more tactfully.
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The post She Charges Higher Prices for Rush Jobs, but Her Friend Expected the “Friend’s Discount” and Was Offended by the Price first appeared on Wealthy Living
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / AlenD. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit