The Policies You Need Before Your First Order

Policies are not rude. They are what every real business has. If you don’t set them, customers will set them for you — and you won’t like what they decide.

Here are the four policies to write in your binder today:

• Deposit: 50% at time of order, non-refundable. This protects your time and materials from last-minute cancellations.
• Lead time: Minimum 2 weeks notice to start. Adjust as your volume grows.
• Cancellation: Deposit is forfeited if cancelled within [X] days of order date. You decide X — 7 days is common.
• Order changes: Changes accepted up to [X] days before pickup. No changes after that. This protects you from scope creep on a finished product.

The Two Scripts That Handle 90% of Difficult Situations

Script A — The customer who says you’re too expensive:
“I totally understand — custom baked goods are an investment and it’s not for everyone. My pricing reflects the time, quality ingredients, and the care that go into each order. I’d love to work with you if the budget lines up.”

You don’t apologize. You don’t negotiate. You acknowledge, hold your ground, and leave the door open.

Script B — The customer who wants a last-minute order you can’t accommodate:
“I’m fully booked through [date] — I book out [X weeks] in advance. I’d love to add you to my waitlist for [next available date]. Would that work?”

A waitlist signals demand. Use it even when your waitlist is two people.

Orders That Usually Cost More Than They Make

Learn to recognize these early:

• Rush orders with no markup for the time pressure
• Orders with extreme discounts “for exposure”
• Anything requiring ingredients or equipment you don’t have
• Customers who are already difficult before you’ve agreed to anything

The rule: If you feel uneasy about an order at inquiry — trust that. Your gut is processing information your logic hasn’t caught up to yet.