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.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
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.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
No Cakes 'til Tuesday
Due to production issues, I've had to take all of our products from Bittersweet Pastries offline until Monday. This is the first time we've had this kind of a situation, and I apologize for the inconvenience.
All of the cakes and tarts from Bittersweet will be available next week, and you can continue to place orders for their products so long as the delivery date is Tuesday, November 15, or later. If you've got any questions, please e-mail me at derek@1-800-bakery.com.
All of the cakes and tarts from Bittersweet will be available next week, and you can continue to place orders for their products so long as the delivery date is Tuesday, November 15, or later. If you've got any questions, please e-mail me at derek@1-800-bakery.com.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
And We're Live
It's here, the new and improved 1-800-Bakery.com. After four months of researching, rebuilding, rewriting, and redesigning, our site has been relaunched to reward our customers.
That's the real Chef Steve gazing out from the top navigation. Now I get to look at my boss every time I'm on the site. Joy. All that's missing is a little word balloon that says, "Work harder."
I'm very proud of the new site and all the hard work from Chef Steve, the nice folks at b2services who helped with the redesign and upgrades, the customers who offered their suggestions, and, of course, the family and friends who helped us cope during this project.
There's a ton of new information and new features available on the site that I encourage you to explore. We've moved to a faster server, so you'll be seeing it all much faster than before. And there's more to come in the next few weeks, including improved product descriptions and an online glossary. Not to mention new cookies and petits fours for the holidays.
I'd love to know what you think of our new site. We designed it to be easier to use and more comprehensive than before, and I hope we succeeded. If you've got any comments or suggestions, please send them to me at derek@1-800-Bakery.com.
Addendum: It's possible that a few of your bookmarks may have broken during the redesign. To accomodate the new font size and page layout, I had to shorten the names of Hurley's Boston Soda Breads and the New English Muffin Company, as well as the product names for our Sugar Free Low Carb Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake and Sugar Free Low Carb Flourless Marble Truffle Cake. The products are all still there, but they've got shortened names, and our site uses the product name to generate the URL. There won't be any changes like this in the future, and I apologize for the inconvenience.
That's the real Chef Steve gazing out from the top navigation. Now I get to look at my boss every time I'm on the site. Joy. All that's missing is a little word balloon that says, "Work harder."
I'm very proud of the new site and all the hard work from Chef Steve, the nice folks at b2services who helped with the redesign and upgrades, the customers who offered their suggestions, and, of course, the family and friends who helped us cope during this project.
There's a ton of new information and new features available on the site that I encourage you to explore. We've moved to a faster server, so you'll be seeing it all much faster than before. And there's more to come in the next few weeks, including improved product descriptions and an online glossary. Not to mention new cookies and petits fours for the holidays.
I'd love to know what you think of our new site. We designed it to be easier to use and more comprehensive than before, and I hope we succeeded. If you've got any comments or suggestions, please send them to me at derek@1-800-Bakery.com.
Addendum: It's possible that a few of your bookmarks may have broken during the redesign. To accomodate the new font size and page layout, I had to shorten the names of Hurley's Boston Soda Breads and the New English Muffin Company, as well as the product names for our Sugar Free Low Carb Flourless Chocolate Truffle Cake and Sugar Free Low Carb Flourless Marble Truffle Cake. The products are all still there, but they've got shortened names, and our site uses the product name to generate the URL. There won't be any changes like this in the future, and I apologize for the inconvenience.
Technical difficulties?
You might see some strange things happening today as we install the new site.
Wait, did I just say "install the new site"? Yes I did. And as with all things new, there's the odd technical hiccup to sort out.
So please pardon our appearance during renovation, and if the site does start acting wonky, give it a few minutes.
Wait, did I just say "install the new site"? Yes I did. And as with all things new, there's the odd technical hiccup to sort out.
So please pardon our appearance during renovation, and if the site does start acting wonky, give it a few minutes.
Monday, October 31, 2005
Florida Shipping and Holiday Schedule
We're once again delivering to all ZIP Codes in Florida, and I hope the arrival of November will put this hurricane season to bed. In case you're wondering, the list of affected ZIP Codes is compiled primarily from the U.S. Postal service. These delivery outages are a result of blocked roads or power outages in the affected areas.
I always err on the side of caution when it comes to shipping our products. Some of our perishable products simply can't take an extra day or two in shipping. But as the recovery moves forward in Mississippi and Louisiana, I'm increasingly looking at a patchwork of service offered by UPS, the U.S. Postal Service, and Federal Express.
So if you'd like to send something to someone on our shrinking list of affected ZIP Codes, please e-mail me at Derek@1-800-Bakery.com or call us at 1-800-287-9870. We'll do everything we can to get your gift delivered.
And now an ineloquent segue: Thanksgiving is coming. One of my first jobs in the bakery business was to help with customer pickups on Thanksgiving. It's the single biggest holiday for bakers, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that you need to order ahead if you want to avoid disappointment. Our Jack-O-Lantern cookie sold out within minutes of last week's e-mail going out, and I'm expecting the same to happen with our Harvest Petits Fours and Cornucopia Cookie.
You can order at any time and specify your delivery date by typing it into the Comments field on our Checkout page. The deadlines for Thanksgiving delivery are November 21 for Second Day Air and November 22 for Overnight Express. But again, you could find a very limited selection available by then, so if you see something you like, order it soon.
After looking over the planned closures for the shipping companies we use, I've put together our November Holiday Schedule:
We will be shipping on our regular schedule for Veteran's Day.
For Thanksgiving, we will be closed from November 22 until November 28. This means that any orders placed after 2PM on November 22 will not ship until November 28. Our shipping companies are suspending Friday and Saturday deliveries that weekend, and if this year is like past Thanksgivings, we'll need the days off to recharge.
I always err on the side of caution when it comes to shipping our products. Some of our perishable products simply can't take an extra day or two in shipping. But as the recovery moves forward in Mississippi and Louisiana, I'm increasingly looking at a patchwork of service offered by UPS, the U.S. Postal Service, and Federal Express.
So if you'd like to send something to someone on our shrinking list of affected ZIP Codes, please e-mail me at Derek@1-800-Bakery.com or call us at 1-800-287-9870. We'll do everything we can to get your gift delivered.
And now an ineloquent segue: Thanksgiving is coming. One of my first jobs in the bakery business was to help with customer pickups on Thanksgiving. It's the single biggest holiday for bakers, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that you need to order ahead if you want to avoid disappointment. Our Jack-O-Lantern cookie sold out within minutes of last week's e-mail going out, and I'm expecting the same to happen with our Harvest Petits Fours and Cornucopia Cookie.
You can order at any time and specify your delivery date by typing it into the Comments field on our Checkout page. The deadlines for Thanksgiving delivery are November 21 for Second Day Air and November 22 for Overnight Express. But again, you could find a very limited selection available by then, so if you see something you like, order it soon.
After looking over the planned closures for the shipping companies we use, I've put together our November Holiday Schedule:
We will be shipping on our regular schedule for Veteran's Day.
For Thanksgiving, we will be closed from November 22 until November 28. This means that any orders placed after 2PM on November 22 will not ship until November 28. Our shipping companies are suspending Friday and Saturday deliveries that weekend, and if this year is like past Thanksgivings, we'll need the days off to recharge.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Shipping Resumes to Texas
We're once again able to ship throughout the state of Texas. It's good to see the number of affected ZIP Codes dwindling as services return to the areas hit by hurricanes this season.
Meanwhile, there's snow in the forecast for Boston tonight. I've got to go plan a costume that includes mittens and a knitted cap.
Meanwhile, there's snow in the forecast for Boston tonight. I've got to go plan a costume that includes mittens and a knitted cap.
Monday, October 24, 2005
And now Wilma...
I'll be glad when this hurricane season is over. For those who follow these sorts of things, Wilma is the last named hurricane we can have this season. Seems they've run out of names, so if another tropical storm develops, it will be called Hurricane Alpha, unless the marketing folks step in and buy the naming rights. Hurricane Disney, perhaps?
The US Postal Service has suspended shipments across parts of Southern Florida for today. As always, I'll be monitoring the situation and keeping you up to date on our Hurricane Information Page.
The US Postal Service has suspended shipments across parts of Southern Florida for today. As always, I'll be monitoring the situation and keeping you up to date on our Hurricane Information Page.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Making a Friend of Monday
I'd promised a big announcement today, and here it is: We can deliver products on Monday.
That's the big announcement? Yes, and let me explain why it's so important.
We're not a network of bakeries. All of our products are bakery-direct, which means you get them from the same bakery--the bakery that created the original recipe--every time. We don't farm out your order to the bakery down the street because we know it's hard to maintain consistent quality when you do things that way. Besides, the bakery down the street doesn't have our products.
It's been a standard practice in bakery-direct e-commerce that Monday delivery was a no-no. Because we, and other bakery sites, want our products to arrive fresh, we don't want them sitting at a shipping depot over the weekend. We don't pack our products with preservatives, so it's important to protect them while they travel.
The down side to all of this is having to say "No" to customers when they ask if something can arrive on a Monday. I don't like saying "No" to customers, and I'm sure it seemed odd to you that in a seven-day week, there were really only five days when we could deliver.
After talking to our partner bakeries, I was able to find some products that can be shipped over the weekend and arrive fresh. Some of them are durable, others are packaged in airtight containers. As with everything we sell, we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee along with our pledge that we'd never sell you anything we wouldn't proudly serve in our own homes.
I'm working with our partner bakeries to expand our Monday offerings. I hope you'll find the added flexibility valuable.
That's the big announcement? Yes, and let me explain why it's so important.
We're not a network of bakeries. All of our products are bakery-direct, which means you get them from the same bakery--the bakery that created the original recipe--every time. We don't farm out your order to the bakery down the street because we know it's hard to maintain consistent quality when you do things that way. Besides, the bakery down the street doesn't have our products.
It's been a standard practice in bakery-direct e-commerce that Monday delivery was a no-no. Because we, and other bakery sites, want our products to arrive fresh, we don't want them sitting at a shipping depot over the weekend. We don't pack our products with preservatives, so it's important to protect them while they travel.
The down side to all of this is having to say "No" to customers when they ask if something can arrive on a Monday. I don't like saying "No" to customers, and I'm sure it seemed odd to you that in a seven-day week, there were really only five days when we could deliver.
After talking to our partner bakeries, I was able to find some products that can be shipped over the weekend and arrive fresh. Some of them are durable, others are packaged in airtight containers. As with everything we sell, we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee along with our pledge that we'd never sell you anything we wouldn't proudly serve in our own homes.
I'm working with our partner bakeries to expand our Monday offerings. I hope you'll find the added flexibility valuable.
Monday, October 17, 2005
Second-Day Air Returns
Good news for you cost-conscious folks thanks to the cooler temperatures of autumn. I'm pleased to announce that second-day air shipping is back for all of our cakes from Bittersweet Pastries and all of our petits fours, with the single exception that we must continue to ship our petits fours overnight to Florida. It stays hot there all year, which must be nice.
With a little forethought, you can save up to 50% on shipping costs. Everything else seems to be getting more expensive these days, so it's nice to be able to offer our customers a chance to save.
High fuel prices are a concern for everyone these days, especially in the shipping business. We're working to find ways to maintain or possibly reduce our current shipping charges for many of our products. I'll keep you informed on all the developments.
And speaking of developments, we're getting ready to do something unique in bakery-direct e-commerce. It involves breaking our own rules (just a little), but it will give us the flexibility to provide you with even more memorable gifts.
Look for the announcement on Thursday.
With a little forethought, you can save up to 50% on shipping costs. Everything else seems to be getting more expensive these days, so it's nice to be able to offer our customers a chance to save.
High fuel prices are a concern for everyone these days, especially in the shipping business. We're working to find ways to maintain or possibly reduce our current shipping charges for many of our products. I'll keep you informed on all the developments.
And speaking of developments, we're getting ready to do something unique in bakery-direct e-commerce. It involves breaking our own rules (just a little), but it will give us the flexibility to provide you with even more memorable gifts.
Look for the announcement on Thursday.
Friday, October 07, 2005
Long Weekends and the Holiday Rush
Officially, we'll be closed on Monday to enjoy the long Columbus Day weekend. Our friends at Bittersweet Pastries tell me that they'll be around on Monday, so if you need an emergency Chocolate Birthday Cake or a tasty Cranberry Walnut Tart for Tuesday, they'll be able to ship them out.
This is a good time to start thinking ahead about holiday orders. Bakeries get very busy at this time of year. Thanksgiving is the biggest holiday of the year in terms of sales for most bakeries, followed by Christmas, Easter, and Valentine's Day. With so many orders coming in, products can sometimes be in short supply.
While we pride ourselves on being able to ship overnight anywhere in the continental United States (except on Sunday and Monday), at this time of year, it's far better to order ahead. By ordering in advance, you can be certain that you'll receive the special tart, cake, or cookies for your holiday gatherings. As colder weather moves across the country, you'll also save on shipping by taking advantage of Second Day Air delivery. Look for that option on our products as October comes to a close.
Ordering ahead is as simple as typing the delivery date in the Comments field on our One-Page Checkout form. For more information, you can check our Choose Your Delivery Date information page.
As a bakery insider, I can't tell you how important it is to order ahead during the holidays to avoid disappointment. We'll do our best at 1-800-Bakery to take last-minute orders, but product selection may be limited as specific holidays near.
Finally this week, the government has put together an informative and valuable site about protecting yourself online. Security continues to be an important issue for responsible online retailers, and I encourage you to visit the government's site and learn how to protect yourself while you're shopping online.
This is a good time to start thinking ahead about holiday orders. Bakeries get very busy at this time of year. Thanksgiving is the biggest holiday of the year in terms of sales for most bakeries, followed by Christmas, Easter, and Valentine's Day. With so many orders coming in, products can sometimes be in short supply.
While we pride ourselves on being able to ship overnight anywhere in the continental United States (except on Sunday and Monday), at this time of year, it's far better to order ahead. By ordering in advance, you can be certain that you'll receive the special tart, cake, or cookies for your holiday gatherings. As colder weather moves across the country, you'll also save on shipping by taking advantage of Second Day Air delivery. Look for that option on our products as October comes to a close.
Ordering ahead is as simple as typing the delivery date in the Comments field on our One-Page Checkout form. For more information, you can check our Choose Your Delivery Date information page.
As a bakery insider, I can't tell you how important it is to order ahead during the holidays to avoid disappointment. We'll do our best at 1-800-Bakery to take last-minute orders, but product selection may be limited as specific holidays near.
Finally this week, the government has put together an informative and valuable site about protecting yourself online. Security continues to be an important issue for responsible online retailers, and I encourage you to visit the government's site and learn how to protect yourself while you're shopping online.
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