Some days, there's a ton of stuff going on and it's nonstop juggling from the time I arrive until the time I leave. Those are fun days.
Other days, it quiets down a little and a sample of something delicious shows up on my desk. Those are really fun days, and today is one of them. I sent out a few of our Stollen to friends, including Phil Bruno at Supercookie, back at Christmastime. Phil loved it so much that he asked me if we had any left, and could I send him another. I was more than happy to do that, and in return, a large box of cookies arrived on my desk today, including--to my delight--two tubs of Spring Mini Cookies.
Since I spent well over an hour snowblowing the driveway yesterday, the sight of colorful flowers, bumblebees, and ladybugs was a welcome reminder that winter will soon come to an end. Spring training starts this weekend--here's to hoping that the Red Sox battered starting pitchers have healed in the offseason--and if you're a gardener, it's almost time to break out the grow lites and get those seedlings started.
So for those who can't wait for warmer temperatures and leaves on the trees, I've added the Spring Minis to the site. They'll bring a little warmth to the winter landscape. Of course, if you like the winter landscape (which probably means you don't have to shovel the stuff), our Winter Mini Cookies are still available as well.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Monday, February 13, 2006
After the Storm
After much shoveling, salting, and snowblowing, things are "winter normal" here in the Northeast. That means the sidewalks are icy, parking spaces are being saved with chairs, orange cones, trash barrels, and other garage items, and commerce is again on the move.
If you placed an order with us for Valentine's Day delivery, rest assured that it's on its way on time. Thanks to everyone who made this a very happy Valentines Day for us. Orders have been closed since noon, and we had a very good couple of weeks.
Things quiet down now until Easter, unless you folks decide to keep us busy by ordering lots and lots of King Cakes. With all the beads and doubloons these cakes come with, it's like getting Mardi Gras in a box, and the cakes themselves are terrific. You could also comfort your Olympic sorrows with some Olympic Mini Cookies. It's been a tough couple of days for the Americans. First Michelle Kwan drops out, then Bode Miller finishes fourth in Men's Downhill and Apollo Ahno fails to make the finals in the 1500-meter Short Track. Word today is that Women's Luge was plagued by crashes. I'm hoping that everyone's fortunes improve as the Games progress.
Whenever we hit a slow time over here, we take a look at the site and see what's working and what's not. We also review the customer requests we receive to see what else we should be offering. One year ago, when we were one of a handful of sites dedicated to bakery products, it was a matter of keeping up with the Joneses. Now, with more companies jumping into the space, setting ourselves apart from the competition becomes more important each day.
To that end, we've got some exciting developments planned in the coming weeks, based around one of my guiding philosophies of customer service, namely, "Never say 'No' to a customer." That, of course, is an impossible goal, but by the 20th request for a particular product or service, it's time to start finding a solution.
I've found two that should make you very happy. Look for details later this week.
And if you're not of a mind to wish that February 14th was just another day, have a Happy Valentine's Day. For those who dread the day, take comfort in knowing that the clutter of hearts and pink will be swept from the stores for another year on Wednesday.
If you placed an order with us for Valentine's Day delivery, rest assured that it's on its way on time. Thanks to everyone who made this a very happy Valentines Day for us. Orders have been closed since noon, and we had a very good couple of weeks.
Things quiet down now until Easter, unless you folks decide to keep us busy by ordering lots and lots of King Cakes. With all the beads and doubloons these cakes come with, it's like getting Mardi Gras in a box, and the cakes themselves are terrific. You could also comfort your Olympic sorrows with some Olympic Mini Cookies. It's been a tough couple of days for the Americans. First Michelle Kwan drops out, then Bode Miller finishes fourth in Men's Downhill and Apollo Ahno fails to make the finals in the 1500-meter Short Track. Word today is that Women's Luge was plagued by crashes. I'm hoping that everyone's fortunes improve as the Games progress.
Whenever we hit a slow time over here, we take a look at the site and see what's working and what's not. We also review the customer requests we receive to see what else we should be offering. One year ago, when we were one of a handful of sites dedicated to bakery products, it was a matter of keeping up with the Joneses. Now, with more companies jumping into the space, setting ourselves apart from the competition becomes more important each day.
To that end, we've got some exciting developments planned in the coming weeks, based around one of my guiding philosophies of customer service, namely, "Never say 'No' to a customer." That, of course, is an impossible goal, but by the 20th request for a particular product or service, it's time to start finding a solution.
I've found two that should make you very happy. Look for details later this week.
And if you're not of a mind to wish that February 14th was just another day, have a Happy Valentine's Day. For those who dread the day, take comfort in knowing that the clutter of hearts and pink will be swept from the stores for another year on Wednesday.
Friday, February 10, 2006
Winter Wonderland
You may have heard that there's a big storm heading for the East Coast this weekend. You may be concerned that this will affect our Valentine's Day deliveries. Fortunately, the storm is coming on Saturday and Sunday, which aren't shipping days for us, so there shouldn't be any disruptions, and your sweets will get to your Valentine on time.
Meanwhile, we'll be up here waiting out the inevitable shortages of bread, water, and batteries that accompany every snow forecast of a dusting or more.
Meanwhile, we'll be up here waiting out the inevitable shortages of bread, water, and batteries that accompany every snow forecast of a dusting or more.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
And Then There Was Express...
I know this isn't very cake-rageous of me, but if you want something to arrive in time for Valentine's Day, it's got to be sent via Express shipping. Your Valentine is worth it, and remember that the "Oh, wow!" you hear from your Valentine will translate into extra hugs later in the evening.
Don't have a Valentine? Then you've probably got plans to watch lots and lots of Olympic coverage starting on Friday. Sure, some of the folks in Torino might not be happy about the games, but that's no reason to deny yourself a single second of colorful, high-speed human competition.
During the wee hours as you tune in to the latest Curling highlights, you're going to need some snacks to keep awake. It just so happens that we've got Olympic Mini Cookies to chase those late-night TV munchies. Every tub comes with a torch, a set of medals, and lots of little Olympic rings. Be sure to stock up early, as I find that disorientation sets in around Hour 100 of continuous Olympic viewing.
Don't have a Valentine? Then you've probably got plans to watch lots and lots of Olympic coverage starting on Friday. Sure, some of the folks in Torino might not be happy about the games, but that's no reason to deny yourself a single second of colorful, high-speed human competition.
During the wee hours as you tune in to the latest Curling highlights, you're going to need some snacks to keep awake. It just so happens that we've got Olympic Mini Cookies to chase those late-night TV munchies. Every tub comes with a torch, a set of medals, and lots of little Olympic rings. Be sure to stock up early, as I find that disorientation sets in around Hour 100 of continuous Olympic viewing.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
You Heart Cheap Shipping
Today's the deadline for Second-Day Air delivery by Valentines day, except for cookies and petits fours. We can take those orders until 2PM Eastern on Thursday. After that, it's Express shipping or a disappointed Valentine. You don't want a disappointed Valentine. Trust me on this.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
King of Cakes
There's a little round cake on the site today.
It's a different cake than yesterday.
There's little doubt in my mind that Gordon Sumner would write these words after a bite of the fantastic King Cake we now offer from Randazzo's Camellia City Bakery in Slidell, Louisiana. This is an essential for your Mardi Gras parties and a New Orleans tradition that was brought by the French in the 1870s.
The King Cake is round, sweet cake, with a dough similar to what you'd find in a Danish. The cake is decorated in three shades of icing--Purple for Justice, Green for Faith, and Gold for Power. The shape and colors represent the crowns worn by the Three Wise Men when they visited the Baby Jesus on the Epiphany. Each King Cake has a plastic baby baked inside, and tradition dictates that whoever gets the slice with the toy has to provide the King Cake for next year's celebration.
We're lucky to be able to offer these cakes. We'd been talking about adding King Cakes to the site last summer, and we loved the cake that Randazzo's sent us. Everything was set to go, then Hurricane Katrina hit. Randazzo's was flooded out, with four feet of water in the bakery. After 40 years serving New Orleans, it looked like the end.
Tricia Zornes, who took over the bakery from her father, decided to make a stand. She was determined to rebuild, hoping that she would set an example for other businesses in the area. On January 10, after cleaning up and replacing her damaged equipment, Zornes began baking King Cakes once again.
When you order a King Cake from us, you'll be helping Zornes rebuild her business. You'll also get a delicious cake that comes with Mardi Gras accessories, including beads, doubloons, and a history of Mardi Gras. We're proud to be able to make a difference for a local bakery in a time of need, and we hope that you'll support us by making one of Randazzo's King Cakes part of your Mardi Gras celebration, wherever you happen to be.
Monday, February 06, 2006
Our Long National Nightmare Ends
I know I'd promised to tell you the King Cake story today, but I'm overcome with woe. After weeks of patient waiting and countless prayers, Gocakego has responded to a nation's pleas for the Raspberry Buttercreme by removing it from their site. This has to be the saddest, least cake-rageous day I can remember.
What does it say about us, as a nation, that we're unable to bring a second variety of cake to hungry celebrants?
What will our children think when they click on a button that says, "Show me the cakes!" and see only one kind of cake? Will they think that life's promise is an empty lie? Will they understand why the Japanese are gaining ground while we struggle? Will tears pour from their eyes as they struggle to close them and sleep, imagining a day when America's bakeries are nothing but distributors for Pocky?
I should have stayed in bed today. It's all too much to bear. So too, is the arrival of SecretSpoon.com, the latest venture from the folks at ProFlowers. I like these guys in general, they run a decent enough site with the appropriate information and assurances.
But they're not bakers. They sell some cakes and cookies, and flowers, and steaks, and fruit baskets. So let me ask you this: You've got a special occasion coming up for someone you love. Who would you rather order from--a site run by bakers or a site run by a holding company? Which customer service department do you think knows more about baked goods--the one at the bakery that's been in business for 20 years or the one that just started because someone saw cakes as a new profit center for those days when meat sales are down?
At 1-800-Bakery.com, baked goods are all we sell. Okay, there's some candy and gift baskets, too, but candy's a close cousin and the gift baskets have baked goods in them. We're all bakers over here, using this site to extend our reach beyond our neighborhoods so we can share products that we believe in with people all over America.
That last thought plays into the King Cakes story, which I promise to share tomorrow. I'm sure I'll be over my Raspberry Buttercreme-induced heartache by then.
And on an unrelated note, congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers for their Super Bowl win, and to the Steeler's owners and managers for sticking with Bill Cowher during the tough years. You set an example that the rest of the NFL would be wise to follow.
What does it say about us, as a nation, that we're unable to bring a second variety of cake to hungry celebrants?
What will our children think when they click on a button that says, "Show me the cakes!" and see only one kind of cake? Will they think that life's promise is an empty lie? Will they understand why the Japanese are gaining ground while we struggle? Will tears pour from their eyes as they struggle to close them and sleep, imagining a day when America's bakeries are nothing but distributors for Pocky?
I should have stayed in bed today. It's all too much to bear. So too, is the arrival of SecretSpoon.com, the latest venture from the folks at ProFlowers. I like these guys in general, they run a decent enough site with the appropriate information and assurances.
But they're not bakers. They sell some cakes and cookies, and flowers, and steaks, and fruit baskets. So let me ask you this: You've got a special occasion coming up for someone you love. Who would you rather order from--a site run by bakers or a site run by a holding company? Which customer service department do you think knows more about baked goods--the one at the bakery that's been in business for 20 years or the one that just started because someone saw cakes as a new profit center for those days when meat sales are down?
At 1-800-Bakery.com, baked goods are all we sell. Okay, there's some candy and gift baskets, too, but candy's a close cousin and the gift baskets have baked goods in them. We're all bakers over here, using this site to extend our reach beyond our neighborhoods so we can share products that we believe in with people all over America.
That last thought plays into the King Cakes story, which I promise to share tomorrow. I'm sure I'll be over my Raspberry Buttercreme-induced heartache by then.
And on an unrelated note, congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers for their Super Bowl win, and to the Steeler's owners and managers for sticking with Bill Cowher during the tough years. You set an example that the rest of the NFL would be wise to follow.
Friday, February 03, 2006
More Sweets for Your Sweet
Straight up, I'm going to tell you about more stuff you can buy on our site. But before I get to that, today I was thinking about how romantic a Raspberry Buttercreme cake would be. Too bad it's still stuck in development. It's hard to get just the right balance of raspberry and buttercreme, apparently. Really, really hard. I hope the overtime spent on cake development doesn't cost the workers their sanity.
Now on to the sales pitch. We've got three new bakery partners this week, all of whom are worthy and welcome additions to our product line. I personally taste everything that we sell (and that we decide not to sell), and I can tell you that all three of these bakeries have wowed me. That's not an easy thing to do.
I told you about Solomon's Gourmet Cookies in my last post. For Valentine's Day, we've just added a Valentine Gift Basket that includes a dozen Silver Label cookies without nuts, three Black Label cookies, and three fondant-covered hearts expressing the warm sentiments of "Happy Valentines Day" and "I Love You." It's only available until the 13th, and it's sure to be a coveted gift of Valentines everywhere.
We've also got two new items from The Nutty Cookie of California, with more to come next week. These folks have perfected big, soft-baked cookies, and they use a lot of California-grown ingredients. Much to the dismay of the Wheat Council and the USDA, I ate these cookies for lunch a couple of times this week. I have a weakness for chocolate chips and skipping meals. I'm working on it, I swear.
The Nutty Cookie has supplied the biggest cookie we've ever carried, the "Bee Mine" Heart Cookie. Four pounds of cookie goodness stuffed with Guittard chocolate chips. It says "Bee Mine," and there's sugar bees on it, because nothing says, "I love you" quite like an edible pun. It's fun and cute and you know someone who'd love to get it, so stop snickering.
Finally, for you Mardi Gras afficionados out there, how about a genuine New Orleans King Cake from Randazzo's Camellia City Bakery? It's like getting Carnival in a box, because you'll get the cake along with Mardi Gras beads, plastic doubloons, and a history of Mardi Gras. There's more to the story of this partnership to be told, but it's Friday, and you should be out enjoying the weekend. I'll have the full story on Monday.
Now on to the sales pitch. We've got three new bakery partners this week, all of whom are worthy and welcome additions to our product line. I personally taste everything that we sell (and that we decide not to sell), and I can tell you that all three of these bakeries have wowed me. That's not an easy thing to do.
I told you about Solomon's Gourmet Cookies in my last post. For Valentine's Day, we've just added a Valentine Gift Basket that includes a dozen Silver Label cookies without nuts, three Black Label cookies, and three fondant-covered hearts expressing the warm sentiments of "Happy Valentines Day" and "I Love You." It's only available until the 13th, and it's sure to be a coveted gift of Valentines everywhere.
We've also got two new items from The Nutty Cookie of California, with more to come next week. These folks have perfected big, soft-baked cookies, and they use a lot of California-grown ingredients. Much to the dismay of the Wheat Council and the USDA, I ate these cookies for lunch a couple of times this week. I have a weakness for chocolate chips and skipping meals. I'm working on it, I swear.
The Nutty Cookie has supplied the biggest cookie we've ever carried, the "Bee Mine" Heart Cookie. Four pounds of cookie goodness stuffed with Guittard chocolate chips. It says "Bee Mine," and there's sugar bees on it, because nothing says, "I love you" quite like an edible pun. It's fun and cute and you know someone who'd love to get it, so stop snickering.
Finally, for you Mardi Gras afficionados out there, how about a genuine New Orleans King Cake from Randazzo's Camellia City Bakery? It's like getting Carnival in a box, because you'll get the cake along with Mardi Gras beads, plastic doubloons, and a history of Mardi Gras. There's more to the story of this partnership to be told, but it's Friday, and you should be out enjoying the weekend. I'll have the full story on Monday.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
America Held Hostage--Day 10
Still no sign of that Raspberry Buttercreme at Gocakego.com. When will our long national nightmare be over? How can a people who have feasted on the variety of 300 beverage choices at 7-Eleven reconcile a business that offers only one choice of cake, just because they want it in a green box with "FREE" shipping?
Since I'd rather you didn't starve to death waiting for the green box to show with a Raspberry Buttercreme, might I suggest some Silver Label Cookies from Solomon's? They're a new addition to our site, and they're gooooood. Really, really gooooood. A lot of cookies cross my desk over the course of a year, and these truly wowed me. I can't use competitors names or superlatives on the site, but if you asked me in person for my opinion of these cookies, I'd tell you that they're the "Well-known gourmet chocolates that come in a gold ballotin of cookies." God, I've a hankering for some of those cookies right now.
Did you get your Valentine a present yet? Me either, but that's not an example you should follow. With 12 days to go, you should try to get your order in soon. Most retailers don't complain about it, but Valentine's is one of our busier seasons.
Just don't give your Valentine flowers. I mean, come on, flowers? You're getting raked over the coals for those roses, and she would much rather be surprised with roses on a random Tuesday than get the obligatory Valentine's dozen. I could never understand why we express our undying love with something that wilts in a few days. Must be a guy thing.
Give a single rose, if you must invoke the floral tradition, then think outside the box. Go over to our Seasonal Treats page and pick out some cookies or petits fours. Your Valentine will be surprised, and you'll get a cookie or petits four as a reward for being so thoughtful. Just try taking one of those roses home and see what happens.
"But Derek," you're saying, "How can you expect me to pay those overnight shipping charges to get the stuff there on Tuesday?" Hey, if you really loved your Valentine, cost would be no object, but since you're probably down a few bucks from feeding Exxon's record profits, here's some money-saving advice:
Order the gifts for delivery on February 10. Pop the petits fours or the cake in the fridge, and they'll be nice and fresh for Valentine's Day. Order by 2PM Eastern on February 8, and you can get Second-Day Air shipping.
Or, if you'd like to get some of the nice mini cookies from Supercookie, order by 2PM on Thursday, February 9, and we'll have them there on Valentine's Day. They ship in sealed tubs, so they'll survive the weekend without losing a bit of their freshness.
Then get your Valentine some jewelry or tickets to a game. Please stop buying the novelty boxers with hearts on them. They're disturbing.
Since I'd rather you didn't starve to death waiting for the green box to show with a Raspberry Buttercreme, might I suggest some Silver Label Cookies from Solomon's? They're a new addition to our site, and they're gooooood. Really, really gooooood. A lot of cookies cross my desk over the course of a year, and these truly wowed me. I can't use competitors names or superlatives on the site, but if you asked me in person for my opinion of these cookies, I'd tell you that they're the "Well-known gourmet chocolates that come in a gold ballotin of cookies." God, I've a hankering for some of those cookies right now.
Did you get your Valentine a present yet? Me either, but that's not an example you should follow. With 12 days to go, you should try to get your order in soon. Most retailers don't complain about it, but Valentine's is one of our busier seasons.
Just don't give your Valentine flowers. I mean, come on, flowers? You're getting raked over the coals for those roses, and she would much rather be surprised with roses on a random Tuesday than get the obligatory Valentine's dozen. I could never understand why we express our undying love with something that wilts in a few days. Must be a guy thing.
Give a single rose, if you must invoke the floral tradition, then think outside the box. Go over to our Seasonal Treats page and pick out some cookies or petits fours. Your Valentine will be surprised, and you'll get a cookie or petits four as a reward for being so thoughtful. Just try taking one of those roses home and see what happens.
"But Derek," you're saying, "How can you expect me to pay those overnight shipping charges to get the stuff there on Tuesday?" Hey, if you really loved your Valentine, cost would be no object, but since you're probably down a few bucks from feeding Exxon's record profits, here's some money-saving advice:
Order the gifts for delivery on February 10. Pop the petits fours or the cake in the fridge, and they'll be nice and fresh for Valentine's Day. Order by 2PM Eastern on February 8, and you can get Second-Day Air shipping.
Or, if you'd like to get some of the nice mini cookies from Supercookie, order by 2PM on Thursday, February 9, and we'll have them there on Valentine's Day. They ship in sealed tubs, so they'll survive the weekend without losing a bit of their freshness.
Then get your Valentine some jewelry or tickets to a game. Please stop buying the novelty boxers with hearts on them. They're disturbing.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Suggestions for All
I really shouldn't dispense free advice to the competition, and I doubt I would if I thought they would seriously take it, but that seems to be the case at Gocakego.com. They've added an actual address and--gasp--phone number to the bottom of most of their pages. They're still, however, only guaranteeing a "cake-rageous" experience, and I've got no idea what that means. I'm thinking it's one of those things that means something different to everyone. I prefer to order from places that offer a simple money-back guarantee, like the one we offer. And there's still the odd lie about FREE shipping.
Don't forget to use the BLOG discount to get $5 off our Chocolate or Vanilla birthday cakes. Type it into the Coupons field at checkout, and remember, we've got two flavors, they've got one. Really, if you're going to launch a site and offer two flavors of cake, shouldn't you have both flavors available at launch? It's not like you're tackling the Herculean task of offering three kinds of cake.
Maybe they're just waiting for raspberry preserves to come back in season.
Speaking of competitors, I get the odd call for someone looking for larger cakes than the ones we sell, specifically half-sheet and full-sheet cakes. Los Angeles-based Cake2go.com has you covered. They use a network of bakeries to fill their orders. I don't think that's the best way to do it, but I will concede that there's no practical way to ship a half-sheet or full-sheet cake, which is a very fragile thing. If you need something that size, visit their site.
Don't forget to use the BLOG discount to get $5 off our Chocolate or Vanilla birthday cakes. Type it into the Coupons field at checkout, and remember, we've got two flavors, they've got one. Really, if you're going to launch a site and offer two flavors of cake, shouldn't you have both flavors available at launch? It's not like you're tackling the Herculean task of offering three kinds of cake.
Maybe they're just waiting for raspberry preserves to come back in season.
Speaking of competitors, I get the odd call for someone looking for larger cakes than the ones we sell, specifically half-sheet and full-sheet cakes. Los Angeles-based Cake2go.com has you covered. They use a network of bakeries to fill their orders. I don't think that's the best way to do it, but I will concede that there's no practical way to ship a half-sheet or full-sheet cake, which is a very fragile thing. If you need something that size, visit their site.
Monday, January 30, 2006
Fix cake fix?
I'd like to say things are looking better at Gocakego. I'd like to say we won the war in Iraq, too, but like so many abandoned roadside cars, the problems with our cake-selling friends offer convenient places to hide customer service problems.
They fixed the broken logo on the inside pages, and they added a Contact Us link at the bottom of the page. Too bad that link goes to an e-mail address labeled "info." I bet everyone's tripping over themselves to answer those e-mails. When you send us an e-mail, it either goes to me or to Chef Steve. If we're here, we answer them within an hour. If we're not here, those e-mails are the top priority when we arrive back at work.
Still no sign of the vaunted Raspberry Buttercreme cake--rumored to be at least partially responsible for the Denver Broncos lackluster perfomance in the AFC Championship game--but a visit to the Double Fudge page (which still lies about FREE shipping) reveals a new link, called The Guarantee.
It seems that if your experience is anything less than "cake-rageous," they'll "...fix it. Pronto." I find that the truly "cake-rageous" experiences in life are too few and far between. And nowhere in this do they actually say what they'll do. Do they offer a free replacement? Is this a money-back guarantee like the one we offer? Will sending an e-mail to an address labeledn "guarantee" result in the kind of high-speed, life-affirming customer service that you, a wage-earning productive citizen, should claim as your birthright? I'm guessing that the answer to all of those questions is, "Well, maybe, sorta," especially since I don't see a phone number anywhere on the site where I can call and yell.
As you determine whether your experience was insufficiently "cake-rageous" enough to warrant the dangers of sending that e-mail, be sure to note Gocake's claim that, "Birthdays are not to be taken lightly." Neither are Web sites. Do it right, with all the links and information that customers need, or go away. That would be "cake-rageous."
In other news, someone called twice on Sunday to complain about our shipping rates. We're not here on Sunday. We say that very clearly on the site. The caller claimed that our shipping rates are too high. I might agree with that point, but I don't set the rates. The shipping companies set them. If you'd like to call UPS, FedEx, and the Postal Service and ask them why they charge so much, I'd love to hear the answer, particularly where the concept of "dimensional weight" is concerned.
As I've explained in the past, we don't make money on shipping. In some cases, shipping costs eat into the margins we're supposed to make on our products, because shipping is a complex voodoo science when you're selling nationally. Here's some information you can use to help understand the problems:
1. We ship stuff in oversized boxes. Cakes and pastries can't be crammed into standard boxes. When we use our own packaging, which we need to do for many of our products, we're billed for what's called "dimensional weight," becuase our boxes are larger than the standard UPS, FedEx, or USPS boxes. In other words, we're billed for the additional space our packaging takes up on the airplane on a per-pound basis. Dimensional Weight can add as much as two pounds to our packages, resulting in a higher shipping cost.
2. Cakes are heavy. Three DVDs may weigh less than two pounds, but one cake weighs about five pounds. Throw in some dry ice or an ice pack to keep the cake cool in transit, and we're up to a seven-pound package. Since shipping is priced by the pound, it adds up.
3. We can't use ground shipping. You don't want to wait five days for your cake to arrive. Especially if it's going to Texas. Trust me on this.
So I'm left with these very real expenses (and we take advantage of every discount we can get). That leaves me with two choices: Charge $35 for a dozen cookies or $65 for a cake and claim FREE shipping (it's not FREE if it's not in all caps, ask any marketer), or break down the price so you know exactly where your dollars are going.
If you find that level of honesty unsettling, there are folks online who'll lie to you and offer all the "FREE" shipping you can handle. You're welcome to do business with them, just don't call and complain to us first, please.
And if you want to know how much that "FREE" shipping cost you, here's some fun you can have at home. When the package arrives, go to Intershipper.com. Type in the originating ZIP Code (where the package came from), your ZIP code, and the package weight, and you'll find out how much they paid for shipping. If they do a ton of volume, you can subtract 20% of the shipping cost. Subtract the shipping cost from the purchase price of the product, and you'll know what you really paid for that "FREE" shipping.
They fixed the broken logo on the inside pages, and they added a Contact Us link at the bottom of the page. Too bad that link goes to an e-mail address labeled "info." I bet everyone's tripping over themselves to answer those e-mails. When you send us an e-mail, it either goes to me or to Chef Steve. If we're here, we answer them within an hour. If we're not here, those e-mails are the top priority when we arrive back at work.
Still no sign of the vaunted Raspberry Buttercreme cake--rumored to be at least partially responsible for the Denver Broncos lackluster perfomance in the AFC Championship game--but a visit to the Double Fudge page (which still lies about FREE shipping) reveals a new link, called The Guarantee.
It seems that if your experience is anything less than "cake-rageous," they'll "...fix it. Pronto." I find that the truly "cake-rageous" experiences in life are too few and far between. And nowhere in this do they actually say what they'll do. Do they offer a free replacement? Is this a money-back guarantee like the one we offer? Will sending an e-mail to an address labeledn "guarantee" result in the kind of high-speed, life-affirming customer service that you, a wage-earning productive citizen, should claim as your birthright? I'm guessing that the answer to all of those questions is, "Well, maybe, sorta," especially since I don't see a phone number anywhere on the site where I can call and yell.
As you determine whether your experience was insufficiently "cake-rageous" enough to warrant the dangers of sending that e-mail, be sure to note Gocake's claim that, "Birthdays are not to be taken lightly." Neither are Web sites. Do it right, with all the links and information that customers need, or go away. That would be "cake-rageous."
In other news, someone called twice on Sunday to complain about our shipping rates. We're not here on Sunday. We say that very clearly on the site. The caller claimed that our shipping rates are too high. I might agree with that point, but I don't set the rates. The shipping companies set them. If you'd like to call UPS, FedEx, and the Postal Service and ask them why they charge so much, I'd love to hear the answer, particularly where the concept of "dimensional weight" is concerned.
As I've explained in the past, we don't make money on shipping. In some cases, shipping costs eat into the margins we're supposed to make on our products, because shipping is a complex voodoo science when you're selling nationally. Here's some information you can use to help understand the problems:
1. We ship stuff in oversized boxes. Cakes and pastries can't be crammed into standard boxes. When we use our own packaging, which we need to do for many of our products, we're billed for what's called "dimensional weight," becuase our boxes are larger than the standard UPS, FedEx, or USPS boxes. In other words, we're billed for the additional space our packaging takes up on the airplane on a per-pound basis. Dimensional Weight can add as much as two pounds to our packages, resulting in a higher shipping cost.
2. Cakes are heavy. Three DVDs may weigh less than two pounds, but one cake weighs about five pounds. Throw in some dry ice or an ice pack to keep the cake cool in transit, and we're up to a seven-pound package. Since shipping is priced by the pound, it adds up.
3. We can't use ground shipping. You don't want to wait five days for your cake to arrive. Especially if it's going to Texas. Trust me on this.
So I'm left with these very real expenses (and we take advantage of every discount we can get). That leaves me with two choices: Charge $35 for a dozen cookies or $65 for a cake and claim FREE shipping (it's not FREE if it's not in all caps, ask any marketer), or break down the price so you know exactly where your dollars are going.
If you find that level of honesty unsettling, there are folks online who'll lie to you and offer all the "FREE" shipping you can handle. You're welcome to do business with them, just don't call and complain to us first, please.
And if you want to know how much that "FREE" shipping cost you, here's some fun you can have at home. When the package arrives, go to Intershipper.com. Type in the originating ZIP Code (where the package came from), your ZIP code, and the package weight, and you'll find out how much they paid for shipping. If they do a ton of volume, you can subtract 20% of the shipping cost. Subtract the shipping cost from the purchase price of the product, and you'll know what you really paid for that "FREE" shipping.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Just Go, gocakego
Here's another one of my snide posts wherein, through sarcastic commentary, you might learn a thing or two about how not to run a Web site.
As a veteran of the dotcom bust, I like to think that the days of style over substance are gone. That Web entrepreneurs have learned that it takes more than pretty pictures and a little Flash to be successful. Then I see gocakego.com, and I'm reminded why phishing scams still work. In short, just because you spend years telling people not to do things via every available avenue, it doesn't mean they'll listen.
Go take a look at the site. The link's right up there. These are the same folks that had a teaser page online for so long that I began to wonder if someone had (wisely) pulled the plug before this venture got off the ground. Imagine my surprise at seeing actual content, albeit in short supply.
These folks sell cakes. Well, cake, since clicking on the "Show me the cakes!" button reveals that their much-anticipated Raspberry Buttercreme is still in development. In this high-speed day and age, when Presidents can't wait for a court order to start wiretapping, you can't have a cake in R&D for so long. The new Duke Nukem game may be on the market before this cake materializes.
In gocakego's defense, the site seems to be all about simplicity. Nothing's simpler than having only one cake, even if half the people who come to your site don't like it. Those customers, we'll assume, just go away, leaving only those who approve of Double Fudge cakes. And the pictures are pretty. Very, very pretty. Too bad the end of the gocakego.com logo gets cut off once you're off the home page, or that would look pretty too.
The green box also looks pretty, if you like green. Did I mention that the cake comes in a green box? That's a big part of the strategy over there, so much so that they've carried the green motif, with ample blue highlights, into their site design. Are there any two less appetizing colors than green and blue? I've done the research, and the answer is no. But the cake comes in a green box, and I'm sure they were careful to ensure that none of the gocakego.com logo was cut off on the box.
Assuming you get past the green and blue (blue, by the way, is nature's chromatic equivalent of the skull and crossbones, which is why sensible food marketers avoid it), you can order your choice of a Double Fudge or a Double Fudge cake for a mere $59.95--"Includes FREE shipping." As I've said many times before, there's no free shipping.
Let me repeat that: There's NO free shipping. Free lunch may actually exist, expecially if you're good at sneaking into marketing conferences without credentials, but there's no free shipping. The shipping is priced into the cost of the cake, which, incidentally, serves 6 fewer people than our Chocolate Birthday Cake, which, incidentally, comes with all the same stuff (minus the green box), and only costs $5 more with second-day air shipping.
Cross some names off the guest list, honey. We're getting FREE shipping. No you're not. You're being lied to on a green and blue background. Please do me, and the rest of the decent online retailers out there, a favor this year and stop buying things from people who lie to you.
If you insist on buying from people who lie to you, go ahead, use the Shopping Cart. As they say, "Ordering from our store is quick & easy." So quick & easy that they don't even bother spelling out the word "and."
First, give them the Shipping address. Be sure to notice the "Shipping and Handling" charge of $0.00 at the bottom of the page. It must really be free! You also get the choice of creating a customer account or buying as a Guest. Clicking the "What's a Guest?" link tells you that if you don't register, you won't be able to track your order. Now that's simple!
I also need to assign some bonus points for the error message that keeps popping up on the checkout pages, informing customers that "This page contains both secure and nonsecure items." That always makes me feel safe when I'm shopping online. Usually it's an image that's the source of the problem, but I've looked at the pages with nonsecure items turned off, and I can't tell the difference, so if it is an image, it's an invisible image that's probably being used for some search engine optimization purposes. Cheaters.
Once you tell them where to ship and who to bill, the next page tells you to "Select Your Shipping Method." You get as much choice here as you do with the cakes, as there's a single radio button next to the words "Free Shipping." These folks lie like Scooter Libby in front of a grand jury.
You'll be asked for a Discount Code and to choose a Delivery Date. It doesn't say anything about delivery restrictions, but there's an asterisk next to the field. The asterisk doesn't point to anything or link to anything, which must make it feel like less of an asterisk. That sort of abuse of one of the most useful and reliable symbols in language has always bothered me. For fun, I suggest trying to place an order for same-day or Sunday delivery. You won't get any error messages. You also won't get a cake, but you might get a fun phone call from someone in customer service. If you do, be sure to ask them why you can't get your Double Fudge cake the same day or on Sunday, then ask them why it didn't say that on their site. Then cancel your order.
This, of course, assumes that they have customer service. If they do, it's nowhere to be found on the site. Nor is any kind of shipping information, physical address, security information, or a privacy statement. They're all about simplicity over at gocakego, and those boring bits of information just complicate things, don't they? Maybe all that information is coming once the Raspberry Buttercreme cake is ready for the world.
Of course, why would you want the basic staples of online customer service when you've got a Party Online feature? Not only will they send you your choice of a Double Fudge or a Double Fudge cake with FREE shipping on a Sunday, but they'll also fill your e-mail box with birthday wishes. All you have to do is send them the e-mails of everyone you know. Which makes no sense, because you're not sending a birthday cake to yourself, and you probably don't know all the e-mails of the cake recipient's friends and family, unless you're hacking into his or her Hotmail when nobody's looking. With no Privacy Statement on the site, this is probably what gocakego recommends. And what happens with all those e-mails, anyway?
When you violate as many basic e-commerce requirements as gocakego does, it's understandable that you wouldn't put a customer service number anywhere. Personally, I wouldn't order from these folks if they were the only cake site online and my only other birtday gift option was a box of last year's Limburger, so long as I knew the Limburger was coming from a secure site with a clear path to customer service.
If you want to save the five bucks and take a gamble, go right ahead. Actually, I don't want you to do that, because I care about customers and I don't want shoddy sites like this wrecking the reputation of e-commerce. So try this instead: Order a birthday cake from us and use the Discount Code BLOG at checkout to save five bucks. I'll even give you a choice of chocolate or vanilla. You'll only match their price if you choose Second-Day Air shipping, because Express Overnight and Saturday cost more. And no, we can't deliver it on Sunday or Monday.
You won't get a green box and you'll have to send your own Happy Birthday e-mails, but you will be ordering from a safe, secure site with customer service a toll-free call away. The choice is yours.
As a veteran of the dotcom bust, I like to think that the days of style over substance are gone. That Web entrepreneurs have learned that it takes more than pretty pictures and a little Flash to be successful. Then I see gocakego.com, and I'm reminded why phishing scams still work. In short, just because you spend years telling people not to do things via every available avenue, it doesn't mean they'll listen.
Go take a look at the site. The link's right up there. These are the same folks that had a teaser page online for so long that I began to wonder if someone had (wisely) pulled the plug before this venture got off the ground. Imagine my surprise at seeing actual content, albeit in short supply.
These folks sell cakes. Well, cake, since clicking on the "Show me the cakes!" button reveals that their much-anticipated Raspberry Buttercreme is still in development. In this high-speed day and age, when Presidents can't wait for a court order to start wiretapping, you can't have a cake in R&D for so long. The new Duke Nukem game may be on the market before this cake materializes.
In gocakego's defense, the site seems to be all about simplicity. Nothing's simpler than having only one cake, even if half the people who come to your site don't like it. Those customers, we'll assume, just go away, leaving only those who approve of Double Fudge cakes. And the pictures are pretty. Very, very pretty. Too bad the end of the gocakego.com logo gets cut off once you're off the home page, or that would look pretty too.
The green box also looks pretty, if you like green. Did I mention that the cake comes in a green box? That's a big part of the strategy over there, so much so that they've carried the green motif, with ample blue highlights, into their site design. Are there any two less appetizing colors than green and blue? I've done the research, and the answer is no. But the cake comes in a green box, and I'm sure they were careful to ensure that none of the gocakego.com logo was cut off on the box.
Assuming you get past the green and blue (blue, by the way, is nature's chromatic equivalent of the skull and crossbones, which is why sensible food marketers avoid it), you can order your choice of a Double Fudge or a Double Fudge cake for a mere $59.95--"Includes FREE shipping." As I've said many times before, there's no free shipping.
Let me repeat that: There's NO free shipping. Free lunch may actually exist, expecially if you're good at sneaking into marketing conferences without credentials, but there's no free shipping. The shipping is priced into the cost of the cake, which, incidentally, serves 6 fewer people than our Chocolate Birthday Cake, which, incidentally, comes with all the same stuff (minus the green box), and only costs $5 more with second-day air shipping.
Cross some names off the guest list, honey. We're getting FREE shipping. No you're not. You're being lied to on a green and blue background. Please do me, and the rest of the decent online retailers out there, a favor this year and stop buying things from people who lie to you.
If you insist on buying from people who lie to you, go ahead, use the Shopping Cart. As they say, "Ordering from our store is quick & easy." So quick & easy that they don't even bother spelling out the word "and."
First, give them the Shipping address. Be sure to notice the "Shipping and Handling" charge of $0.00 at the bottom of the page. It must really be free! You also get the choice of creating a customer account or buying as a Guest. Clicking the "What's a Guest?" link tells you that if you don't register, you won't be able to track your order. Now that's simple!
I also need to assign some bonus points for the error message that keeps popping up on the checkout pages, informing customers that "This page contains both secure and nonsecure items." That always makes me feel safe when I'm shopping online. Usually it's an image that's the source of the problem, but I've looked at the pages with nonsecure items turned off, and I can't tell the difference, so if it is an image, it's an invisible image that's probably being used for some search engine optimization purposes. Cheaters.
Once you tell them where to ship and who to bill, the next page tells you to "Select Your Shipping Method." You get as much choice here as you do with the cakes, as there's a single radio button next to the words "Free Shipping." These folks lie like Scooter Libby in front of a grand jury.
You'll be asked for a Discount Code and to choose a Delivery Date. It doesn't say anything about delivery restrictions, but there's an asterisk next to the field. The asterisk doesn't point to anything or link to anything, which must make it feel like less of an asterisk. That sort of abuse of one of the most useful and reliable symbols in language has always bothered me. For fun, I suggest trying to place an order for same-day or Sunday delivery. You won't get any error messages. You also won't get a cake, but you might get a fun phone call from someone in customer service. If you do, be sure to ask them why you can't get your Double Fudge cake the same day or on Sunday, then ask them why it didn't say that on their site. Then cancel your order.
This, of course, assumes that they have customer service. If they do, it's nowhere to be found on the site. Nor is any kind of shipping information, physical address, security information, or a privacy statement. They're all about simplicity over at gocakego, and those boring bits of information just complicate things, don't they? Maybe all that information is coming once the Raspberry Buttercreme cake is ready for the world.
Of course, why would you want the basic staples of online customer service when you've got a Party Online feature? Not only will they send you your choice of a Double Fudge or a Double Fudge cake with FREE shipping on a Sunday, but they'll also fill your e-mail box with birthday wishes. All you have to do is send them the e-mails of everyone you know. Which makes no sense, because you're not sending a birthday cake to yourself, and you probably don't know all the e-mails of the cake recipient's friends and family, unless you're hacking into his or her Hotmail when nobody's looking. With no Privacy Statement on the site, this is probably what gocakego recommends. And what happens with all those e-mails, anyway?
When you violate as many basic e-commerce requirements as gocakego does, it's understandable that you wouldn't put a customer service number anywhere. Personally, I wouldn't order from these folks if they were the only cake site online and my only other birtday gift option was a box of last year's Limburger, so long as I knew the Limburger was coming from a secure site with a clear path to customer service.
If you want to save the five bucks and take a gamble, go right ahead. Actually, I don't want you to do that, because I care about customers and I don't want shoddy sites like this wrecking the reputation of e-commerce. So try this instead: Order a birthday cake from us and use the Discount Code BLOG at checkout to save five bucks. I'll even give you a choice of chocolate or vanilla. You'll only match their price if you choose Second-Day Air shipping, because Express Overnight and Saturday cost more. And no, we can't deliver it on Sunday or Monday.
You won't get a green box and you'll have to send your own Happy Birthday e-mails, but you will be ordering from a safe, secure site with customer service a toll-free call away. The choice is yours.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Why send a cake in the mail?
The competition's heating up in the world of pastrycommerce, as evidenced by this AdWords entry from the competition over at the usabirthdays site:
Good question there, usabirthdays, and a good thing that's not the only ad that you run, because I'm about to explain a few things.Birthday Cake Delivery
Why send a cake in the mail when
you can get a cake baked locally?
First, nobody's sending a cake "in the mail," at least not from our site. The implication here is that we're tossing our cakes in a box and shoving it into the closest mailbox. That's what most people think of when they think of mail. Cakes wouldn't survive too well in that environment, which is why we've spent years developing packaging and shipping methods, and working out relationships with UPS and FedEx to ensure that our products arrive on time and in one ready-to-enjoy piece.
So now that the editorial slur against our shipping practices has been addressed, let's get to the real question that's being posed, with the appropriate revisions:
Why send a cake when you can get a cake baked locally?
Why go to Vegas when there's a casino a few hours away? Why stay at the Ritz-Carlton (lose the Flash intro, people) when you can stay at Motel 6? (Maybe because they have a better Web site.) Why eat at Ruth's Chris when Chili's has the New Cajun Ribeye?
Awesome Blossom aside, there's a simple reason: quality. When you order a cake from us, it goes straight to an award-winning bakery. The same bakery, every time. Whether it's cheesecakes from JR Bakery of Chicago or one of the amazing cakes from Bittersweet Pastries, you'll get the same quality whenever you order.
What happens when you order from usabirthdays? Your order goes to a local bakery. They could be great. They could all be using the same recipe. They may have even won an award. But you won't know. And if you order again, and you're sending to a different state, you'll be dealing with another unknown bakery. You're taking a chance on quality. I think that's okay with floral arrangements, because they just have to look good. A cake has to taste good, too, and taste good consistently. That's what makes memories and traditions.
If you want to take a chance, there's sites out there that will let you. If you think the people you love deserve the commitment to quality and consistency that we provide, we're here for you.
And we won't send your cake through the mail.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Happy New Year
I'm impressed, not just with the volume of business we did on the site this season--a tenfold increase over December 2004--but with how smoothly everything went. For all of our deliveries, only a handful failed to reach their destinations on time.
In fact, for whatever reason, I got more calls for people upset with Wolferman's customer service than our own.
I also learned a couple of things this season. If you're ordering a gift for someone, enclose a gift card. We don't charge for them, and that's the only way the recipient will know where it came from. All of our shipping companies use the bakeries' return addresses, so the gift winds up being a mystery, and that can be unsettling for some people.
In addition, if you're expecting something delivered by a certain day and it doesn't get there, call us. I might tell you to wait a day, or I might ship a replacement immediately. I'd rather eat the cost of a replacement and know that you're satisfied than take a chance on something not reaching its destination in time. I scrambled to get some croissants out to a customer in the midwest on Christmas Eve because she called and told me she hadn't recieved her order on December 23. Everyone here shares a commitment to providing the best customer service possible, but we can't do that if we don't know that something's wrong.
There's one last shipping disruption to close out the year. We're unable to ship on Monday, January 2, because the shipping companies are closed. We can deliver on Wednesday, January 4, only by Express Overnight delivery. After that, things get back to normal until November. Our ordering deadline will move back to 2PM Eastern, and we'll be bringing back Monday delivery on select products.
I'd like to thank all of our customers for their support and all of our partner bakeries for their hard work during this past year. We surpassed many of our expectations, and we're looking forward to greater success in 2006.
From all of us at 1-800-Bakery.com, best wishes for a healthy, happy, and sweet New Year.
In fact, for whatever reason, I got more calls for people upset with Wolferman's customer service than our own.
I also learned a couple of things this season. If you're ordering a gift for someone, enclose a gift card. We don't charge for them, and that's the only way the recipient will know where it came from. All of our shipping companies use the bakeries' return addresses, so the gift winds up being a mystery, and that can be unsettling for some people.
In addition, if you're expecting something delivered by a certain day and it doesn't get there, call us. I might tell you to wait a day, or I might ship a replacement immediately. I'd rather eat the cost of a replacement and know that you're satisfied than take a chance on something not reaching its destination in time. I scrambled to get some croissants out to a customer in the midwest on Christmas Eve because she called and told me she hadn't recieved her order on December 23. Everyone here shares a commitment to providing the best customer service possible, but we can't do that if we don't know that something's wrong.
There's one last shipping disruption to close out the year. We're unable to ship on Monday, January 2, because the shipping companies are closed. We can deliver on Wednesday, January 4, only by Express Overnight delivery. After that, things get back to normal until November. Our ordering deadline will move back to 2PM Eastern, and we'll be bringing back Monday delivery on select products.
I'd like to thank all of our customers for their support and all of our partner bakeries for their hard work during this past year. We surpassed many of our expectations, and we're looking forward to greater success in 2006.
From all of us at 1-800-Bakery.com, best wishes for a healthy, happy, and sweet New Year.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Send Someone a Stollen
I've been hoping that with the holidays here, our Stollen, which is quite good, would retake the lead as our top-selling product. As of this writing, we only need to sell seven more of them to get that top spot back. I know you're all up to the challenge--if you need a gift for a teacher, a delivery person, a faraway friend, our Stollen is a sweet, delicious way to say thank you or I'm thinking of you.
It's getting down to the line for Christmas orders. Here are our ordering deadlines:
For Boston Coffee Cakes, all orders must be in by today, Friday, at 5PM.
For petits fours, all orders must be in by Noon Eastern on Monday.
For cakes and tarts (except cheesecakes), all orders must be in by Noon Eastern on Monday.
For all of our other products, we will be taking orders for second-day air delivery until 5PM Eastern on Monday, and orders for Express Overnight delivery until Noon Eastern on Wednesday.
We're also expanding our live customer service hours. In other words, no weekend for me. I'll be here from 10AM until 2PM on Saturday, and from at least Noon until 2PM on Sunday. Call and order some Stollen, if you need some, and we'll have it to you, or anyone you choose, in time for Christmas.
This will be my last post before the holiday barring any unexpected developments. So I'd like to take this chance to thank you for reading and to thank you for helping us grow beyond our expectations this year. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukah.
Cheers,
Derek
It's getting down to the line for Christmas orders. Here are our ordering deadlines:
For Boston Coffee Cakes, all orders must be in by today, Friday, at 5PM.
For petits fours, all orders must be in by Noon Eastern on Monday.
For cakes and tarts (except cheesecakes), all orders must be in by Noon Eastern on Monday.
For all of our other products, we will be taking orders for second-day air delivery until 5PM Eastern on Monday, and orders for Express Overnight delivery until Noon Eastern on Wednesday.
We're also expanding our live customer service hours. In other words, no weekend for me. I'll be here from 10AM until 2PM on Saturday, and from at least Noon until 2PM on Sunday. Call and order some Stollen, if you need some, and we'll have it to you, or anyone you choose, in time for Christmas.
This will be my last post before the holiday barring any unexpected developments. So I'd like to take this chance to thank you for reading and to thank you for helping us grow beyond our expectations this year. Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukah.
Cheers,
Derek
Friday, December 09, 2005
Ye Olde Nor'Easter
Thanks to the snow blowing around the Northeast today, our friends at Bittersweet Pastries are unable to accept any orders for Saturday delivery. I'm not linking to them because if I do you'll click on the link, then you'll see the delicious cakes, then you'll want one for tomorrow. But we can't ship it for tomorrow. Ok, fine, here's the link to our cakes. Just don't order any for tomorrow. Please.
This seems like a good time to bring up the always-popular topic of shipping disruptions. Snow is a fact of life for a lot of places in this country, and snow does affect our ability to deliver our products on time. The shipping companies suspend their delivery guarantees during a major storm, and depending on accumulation, sometimes for a day or two after a storm. What's a "major" storm? It varies, but anything over three inches is usually enough to snarl traffic and keep airplanes on the ground.
If you're planning on ordering something, be sure to check our Shipping Disruptions page, where I'll post updates on storm-related delays as they happen. If you're ordering ahead, please try and allow an extra day for us to get things where they're going, particularly if the shipment is going to New England, New York State, and the northern midwest and plains states.
For Christmas deliveries, the best advice I can offer is to schedule deliveries for December 22. That way, should a storm arrive, we'll have an extra day to get the gifts to your loved ones in time.
This seems like a good time to bring up the always-popular topic of shipping disruptions. Snow is a fact of life for a lot of places in this country, and snow does affect our ability to deliver our products on time. The shipping companies suspend their delivery guarantees during a major storm, and depending on accumulation, sometimes for a day or two after a storm. What's a "major" storm? It varies, but anything over three inches is usually enough to snarl traffic and keep airplanes on the ground.
If you're planning on ordering something, be sure to check our Shipping Disruptions page, where I'll post updates on storm-related delays as they happen. If you're ordering ahead, please try and allow an extra day for us to get things where they're going, particularly if the shipment is going to New England, New York State, and the northern midwest and plains states.
For Christmas deliveries, the best advice I can offer is to schedule deliveries for December 22. That way, should a storm arrive, we'll have an extra day to get the gifts to your loved ones in time.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Whiskers on Kittens
We've seen a big spike in sales of our croissants ever since Oprah's Favorite Things show ran just before Thanksgiving. I didn't see the show, but I do know that the Individual Chocolate Lava Cakes from our friends at Galaxy Desserts made that list a couple of years back.
If you're thinking of getting some croissants, I hope you'll get them from us. We've got one major advantage over Williams Sonoma--ours are baked and ready to eat. Theirs need to be proofed and baked when they arrive. Many of our customers have told us that they like our croissants better than Williams Sonoma's--that's a matter of taste, as I think they're both good, but then again, I don't eat a Williams Sonoma croissant for lunch every day. I do eat one of ours, as they're one of my favorite things in this bakery.
For what it's worth, I thought I'd share a few of my other favorites from our site, just in case you're looking for a gift for a thirtysomething marketing director/web producer with a deep love for fine food.
Mini Cookies from Supercookie--Steve ordered a case of the Halloween cookies for the store. As soon as it arrived, I stole a tub of them and ate most of it the same day. Steve mumbled something about, "There go my profits," and walked away.
Vegan Blondies--I'll confess that I'm not a fan of most things that are good for you. I like steak, and I consider fruit punishment rather than a snack. But when we got the samples of these, the rest of the staff here had to fight me off to get some. They're so moist and dense, and completely free of animal products. If you've got a vegetarian or a vegan on your gift list, look no further. This is the perfect gift.
Chocolate Petits Fours--Dark chocolate for me, please, the more bitterswet the better. Divine Delights uses delicious chocolate to dip these petits fours, and their chocolate and mocha fillings are my favorites. I adore Godiva chocolate, but I'd be just as happy to get a box of these.
Chocolate Satin Cake--Someday I'm going to be left alone with a big bowl of chocolate ganache. Someday. Until then, I'll settle for this heavenly bittersweet chocolate cake that's filled, iced, and bordered with the stuff. It's like a hot fudge sundae without all that ice cream melting and messing up the fudge.
Stollen--It's NOT a fruitcake. Nobody likes fruitcake. Well somebody somewhere must, because they keep making the stuff, but I'll gladly take one of these Stollen instead. It's a sweet German bread filled with candied fruits (which is why some people make the mistake) and raisins soaked in Myers Rum. It's sweet and light, and we make it with a genuine German recipe. Pop it in the oven to warm it for a few minutes and you'll have a lovely Christmas breakfast.
Grand Sequoia Mousse--The only thing better than bittersweet chocolate in ganache form is bittersweet chocolate in mousse form. When our freezer died back in April, I was "forced" to eat all the samples before they spoiled. I love everything that Galaxy Desserts makes, but a half dozen of these would be my gift of choice.
New English Muffins--These were recently featured in The Boston Globe's Food section. All the varieties are a treat, but the five-cheese is the best of the lot. Spread on some pizza or spaghetti sauce, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds, and you've got a fantastic English Muffin Pizza.
97% Fat-Free Yogurt Cake--Did I mention that I don't like healthy foods? Here's another exception. We make this pound cake with yogurt instead of dairy, which reduces the fat without ruining the taste. I was handing samples of these out at the New England Food Expo back in March, and the visiting chefs and food directors were amazed at how good this cake tastes. Unless you tell someone, they'll never know it's a reduced-fat food. I like it just for the taste and texture.
So there you have it--a few of my favorite things from our site. If you're ever looking for suggestions, please e-mail me at derek@1-800-bakery.com . And remember, you'll never need to worry about color or size with a gift from our site. And if they've already got one, they'll be very happy to have another.
If you're thinking of getting some croissants, I hope you'll get them from us. We've got one major advantage over Williams Sonoma--ours are baked and ready to eat. Theirs need to be proofed and baked when they arrive. Many of our customers have told us that they like our croissants better than Williams Sonoma's--that's a matter of taste, as I think they're both good, but then again, I don't eat a Williams Sonoma croissant for lunch every day. I do eat one of ours, as they're one of my favorite things in this bakery.
For what it's worth, I thought I'd share a few of my other favorites from our site, just in case you're looking for a gift for a thirtysomething marketing director/web producer with a deep love for fine food.
Mini Cookies from Supercookie--Steve ordered a case of the Halloween cookies for the store. As soon as it arrived, I stole a tub of them and ate most of it the same day. Steve mumbled something about, "There go my profits," and walked away.
Vegan Blondies--I'll confess that I'm not a fan of most things that are good for you. I like steak, and I consider fruit punishment rather than a snack. But when we got the samples of these, the rest of the staff here had to fight me off to get some. They're so moist and dense, and completely free of animal products. If you've got a vegetarian or a vegan on your gift list, look no further. This is the perfect gift.
Chocolate Petits Fours--Dark chocolate for me, please, the more bitterswet the better. Divine Delights uses delicious chocolate to dip these petits fours, and their chocolate and mocha fillings are my favorites. I adore Godiva chocolate, but I'd be just as happy to get a box of these.
Chocolate Satin Cake--Someday I'm going to be left alone with a big bowl of chocolate ganache. Someday. Until then, I'll settle for this heavenly bittersweet chocolate cake that's filled, iced, and bordered with the stuff. It's like a hot fudge sundae without all that ice cream melting and messing up the fudge.
Stollen--It's NOT a fruitcake. Nobody likes fruitcake. Well somebody somewhere must, because they keep making the stuff, but I'll gladly take one of these Stollen instead. It's a sweet German bread filled with candied fruits (which is why some people make the mistake) and raisins soaked in Myers Rum. It's sweet and light, and we make it with a genuine German recipe. Pop it in the oven to warm it for a few minutes and you'll have a lovely Christmas breakfast.
Grand Sequoia Mousse--The only thing better than bittersweet chocolate in ganache form is bittersweet chocolate in mousse form. When our freezer died back in April, I was "forced" to eat all the samples before they spoiled. I love everything that Galaxy Desserts makes, but a half dozen of these would be my gift of choice.
New English Muffins--These were recently featured in The Boston Globe's Food section. All the varieties are a treat, but the five-cheese is the best of the lot. Spread on some pizza or spaghetti sauce, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds, and you've got a fantastic English Muffin Pizza.
97% Fat-Free Yogurt Cake--Did I mention that I don't like healthy foods? Here's another exception. We make this pound cake with yogurt instead of dairy, which reduces the fat without ruining the taste. I was handing samples of these out at the New England Food Expo back in March, and the visiting chefs and food directors were amazed at how good this cake tastes. Unless you tell someone, they'll never know it's a reduced-fat food. I like it just for the taste and texture.
So there you have it--a few of my favorite things from our site. If you're ever looking for suggestions, please e-mail me at derek@1-800-bakery.com . And remember, you'll never need to worry about color or size with a gift from our site. And if they've already got one, they'll be very happy to have another.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
We're Not Scrooges (Really!)
I've heard that some folks are upset about my decision--yes, you can put the blame right here--to use the word "Holiday" to describe our petits fours. I've been accused of being Grinchlike and part of that PC crowd that's out to rob Christmas of its meaning.
Most of my friends will agree that I am Grinchlike most of the time, but they'll also tell you that I'm one of the biggest fans Christmas ever had. In August, they roll their eyes when they see me waving my "Christmas #1" foam finger around. The last thing I'd ever want to do is diminish the meaning of December 25, which I consider one of the best days of the year.
There's a technical reason, rather than a PC reason, why I chose the word "holiday." Some of our partner bakeries have their own Web sites and, like us, spend a lot of time and effort trying to get those sites noticed by search engines. If I use the same product names they use, we wind up competing with each other, and they get unhappy.
So whenever possible, I change the product names a little so that we're working with our own unique search terms. Our partner bakery uses the word "Christmas" for all their petits fours, so I went with "Holiday." That's all there is to it. If I was that PC, I wouldn't have Christmas Mini Cookies on the site. It was Phil Bruno's idea to call those other cookies Holiday Lites, not mine, and Phil's often annoyed at me for not changing his product names enough.
So now you know why I chose to use "holiday." I hope this makes sense, and I'll be happy to wish anyone who calls a Merry Christmas. Call in the afternoon, when I'm less Grinchlike.
Next week we'll debate my spelling of "Menorrah."
Most of my friends will agree that I am Grinchlike most of the time, but they'll also tell you that I'm one of the biggest fans Christmas ever had. In August, they roll their eyes when they see me waving my "Christmas #1" foam finger around. The last thing I'd ever want to do is diminish the meaning of December 25, which I consider one of the best days of the year.
There's a technical reason, rather than a PC reason, why I chose the word "holiday." Some of our partner bakeries have their own Web sites and, like us, spend a lot of time and effort trying to get those sites noticed by search engines. If I use the same product names they use, we wind up competing with each other, and they get unhappy.
So whenever possible, I change the product names a little so that we're working with our own unique search terms. Our partner bakery uses the word "Christmas" for all their petits fours, so I went with "Holiday." That's all there is to it. If I was that PC, I wouldn't have Christmas Mini Cookies on the site. It was Phil Bruno's idea to call those other cookies Holiday Lites, not mine, and Phil's often annoyed at me for not changing his product names enough.
So now you know why I chose to use "holiday." I hope this makes sense, and I'll be happy to wish anyone who calls a Merry Christmas. Call in the afternoon, when I'm less Grinchlike.
Next week we'll debate my spelling of "Menorrah."
Friday, November 25, 2005
What's This Noon Stuff?
As I mentioned in my last entry, the order deadline for next-day shipping has been pushed back to Noon Eastern until the end of December. There's a couple of reasons for the change. The bakeries are busy, but just as important, the shipping companies are busy, and that's only going to get worse throughout the month of December.
I realize that the noon deadline is a drag, particularly for those on the West Coast who are still trying to find their workstations and start the day. It's a necessary concession at this time of year, and we'll be moving the deadline back to 2PM in early January.
As I've said before, ordering ahead is the best way to make sure that we get your products to you in a timely manner.
Keep an eye on our Seasonal Treats page through the first week of December, as we'll be adding a few more tasty desserts to make your celebrations warm and merry.
I realize that the noon deadline is a drag, particularly for those on the West Coast who are still trying to find their workstations and start the day. It's a necessary concession at this time of year, and we'll be moving the deadline back to 2PM in early January.
As I've said before, ordering ahead is the best way to make sure that we get your products to you in a timely manner.
Keep an eye on our Seasonal Treats page through the first week of December, as we'll be adding a few more tasty desserts to make your celebrations warm and merry.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Happy Thanksgiving!
It's been a busy Thanksgiving, both at the bakery and on the site. I'd like to thank all of our customers on behalf of myself and Chef Steve for helping this business to grow faster than we ever expected. In case you're wondering where the blog updates have been, I've just had too much to do over the last two weeks. That, of course, leaves me with a couple of bits of administrata to clear.
First, we won't be shipping anything between November 24 and November 28. Our friends at FedEx and UPS are taking a weekend breather before the busy holiday shipping season kicks in. They've earned it. Any orders you place between now and November 27 will ship on November 28.
Second, our Thanksgiving products are no longer available, but a new collection of holiday desserts is now online, which you can find on our Seasonal Treats page. Remember that it's a good idea to order early--our Rum Pumpkin Tart sold out before Thanksgiving, and all of our holiday desserts are available in limited quantities.
Third, as the holiday shipping season begins, we've had to make some adjustments to our Overnight Express delivery. Beginning Monday, November 28, the order deadline for next-day deliveries is Noon Eastern. This will be in effect until January 2. All other shipping will be unchanged until December 19. I'll have more information on that in the coming weeks.
Finally, as the new site gets put to the test, we're discovering a few problems with the system. For the record, this happens at every site, and I'm being more honest about it than some folks are. We've experienced occasional outages due to traffic and some minor problems with our Checkout system.
If you ever encounter a problem with our site, I do hope you'll call us at 1-800-287-9870. If something isn't working and no one tells us, then we don't know that it's broken and we can't fix it. Those calls that report problems are essential to us. I'd particularly like to hear from any Firefox users out there who are having trouble.
That's all for now. I hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving.
First, we won't be shipping anything between November 24 and November 28. Our friends at FedEx and UPS are taking a weekend breather before the busy holiday shipping season kicks in. They've earned it. Any orders you place between now and November 27 will ship on November 28.
Second, our Thanksgiving products are no longer available, but a new collection of holiday desserts is now online, which you can find on our Seasonal Treats page. Remember that it's a good idea to order early--our Rum Pumpkin Tart sold out before Thanksgiving, and all of our holiday desserts are available in limited quantities.
Third, as the holiday shipping season begins, we've had to make some adjustments to our Overnight Express delivery. Beginning Monday, November 28, the order deadline for next-day deliveries is Noon Eastern. This will be in effect until January 2. All other shipping will be unchanged until December 19. I'll have more information on that in the coming weeks.
Finally, as the new site gets put to the test, we're discovering a few problems with the system. For the record, this happens at every site, and I'm being more honest about it than some folks are. We've experienced occasional outages due to traffic and some minor problems with our Checkout system.
If you ever encounter a problem with our site, I do hope you'll call us at 1-800-287-9870. If something isn't working and no one tells us, then we don't know that it's broken and we can't fix it. Those calls that report problems are essential to us. I'd particularly like to hear from any Firefox users out there who are having trouble.
That's all for now. I hope you have a very Happy Thanksgiving.
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