How to deal with Unhappy customers...

I’ve looked at both cakes and I don’t see what she hated about the one you made. It’s a small version of what she wanted.

I think your offer of 50% off was very generous and a more than fair compensation. I think she had buyers remorse and now she wants some cash back. What I mean is that, custom cakes aren’t cheap and maybe she felt she spent too much and wishes she hadn’t. So make a complaint and get some cash back. There is nothing wrong with the cake, I’m not sure I would have given her back 50% but I would have asked what exactly she hated about it. If it’s nothing specific, then she is full of crap and making up excuses. I would have asked for the cake back in order to get a refund.

Sorry this happened to you, I think the cake you made was exactly what she wanted and it looks fine.

MzCuteCupcakes
Firstly, sorry this happened to you. I think you got taken. As MsGF posted above…“buyers remorse”. She is the one who provided the flowers to you. So she couldn’t complain about that. Your cake looked fine, a mini version of what she asked for. I wouldn’t have refunded her anything. No payment….no cake. I hope you had a signed contract via paper copy or email. Once everything is spelled out, accepted and signed for…there can be no argument about what was expected. If you had no contract, lesson learned. And you should have also received a small deposit to secure making of the cake and pick up.
I had an experience where there was a discrepancy about the look of the cake….but I had several emails with clients A-Ok on everything. So she had no re-course. She actually cowardly complained to my sis-in-lw, who she works with, about the cake…which, of course, got back to me. I emailed client feigning feedback on my cake. She then mentioned her disappointment. I know she was fishing for money back. No go. I forwarded cake discussion emails back to her, proved she had approved of exactly what I made her. Case closed. I’ve never made a cake for her again.

I love your version more than the original one! I have yet to have an unhappy customer but I would not offer 50% back if I did! Sorry this happened to you, the cake is cute!

The flowers on the 2nd cake are different in quality and far less realistic. They are the main visual difference to me… except for sizing of course.
She requested the difference in size and provided the flowers…. so I agree with MsMF, maybe you could of asked what else made her unhappy? It might have given you a clue as to whether she was genuinely disappointed or fishing for a refund.
There may be a subtle difference in the shine of the gold… but this could be a difference in lighting and photography. You cannot know exactly what product the original caker used to get the gold finish, and products vary greatly.

This is such a tricky and sensitive one and so far, I’ve been lucky with happy clients. From what I can see and have read, you have done exactly what she wanted… She provided you with roses larger than she should have for a small cake, but it looks fine to me.
I agree with what suggestions have been stated already …if the client didn’t like it, I would want to know what the specific reasons were for her discontent.. if there is no foundation to her complaint, I’d ask her if she’d like me to take the cake away (which means she does not have to pay – except the non refundable deposit) but if she keeps it, then she would still have to pay full whack…. After all your time, energy and costs towards baking, ingredients etc need to be covered.
I also feel if you let her have it for free, it’s condoning what she says and making her right, when in fact she’s not.
Some people just can’t be pleased and in this case, she doesn’t have a leg to stand on and feel she has been unkind and unfair

Thank you all for the compliments on the cake and the feedback. Here is what she said via text:

“I dont care for the cake…thank you for working with me but I would’ve bought smaller glowers or paid you to do it larger or just went with a solid color if I knew it would’ve came out like this. If I look at the picture of what I wanted and what I received it’s totally different. Def unhappy with it”

I took it as her being unhappy with the proportion of the cake with the large flowers. But it really wasnt my fault because she insisted on buying the flowers. If I was in charge of buying the flowers no way would I buy them so big. And in her email request she insisted that she wanted a small two tier cake. So thats what I made for her, and I really felt like the cake turned out pretty good even with the large flowers.

I just think I reacted to fast in giving her a 50% refund. But I’ve already added her to my “dont make this person a cake” list. Her attitude was not necessary, and after much thought I didnt like how it was said or handled. And she didnt even say thank you after I refunded her the money. Hmph

Well MzCuteCupcakes…… Chalk it up to a lesson learned …

yes… draw a line under it…. we are all going to come across people like this.. it does not reflect on you in any way. … its all a big learning curve x chin up and hugs xx

Ive had a few bad past experiences with customers and I only used to make cakes at cost as favours for people, yet they still wanted their cake and eat it! ;-)
So I have quite a list of people I wont make cake for anymore, but, on the other hand I had some very appreciative people too. I say had, cos ive given up making for people anymore. Ive decided to keep it as a hobby so I can concentrate on designs I want to do! My love of cake decorating hasnt faded!
Your cake looks perfect for what she requested, so lesson learned, stand firm ♡