Custom cakes are a lot of small decisions. What date does the cake need to be ready? How many people is it for? Which flavour, is it eggless, what should the design look like and what should it say? Each answer usually comes in a separate message, and by the time everything is clear, a simple order has taken half a day.
A bakery website can collect most of those details before the first message, so you start the conversation with the facts you need. This guide shows how.
The details every cake order needs
Ask for these in your order request, in this order:
- The date and time the cake is needed, and whether it's for pickup or delivery.
- The delivery area, if you deliver. Say which areas you cover and whether there's a charge.
- The size, given as the number of people or the tiers and their diameter.
- The flavour and dietary needs, such as eggless, or any allergy the customer has mentioned.
- A design reference. A photo the customer likes is far quicker than a long description.
- The message on the cake, written exactly as it should appear. Ask the customer to check the spelling.
- Their name and a phone number that you can reach on the day.
You don't need a long form to collect these. A short list on the page, followed by a WhatsApp button, works well for most bakeries.
Set notice periods clearly
The most common dispute with a custom cake is timing. If a design needs a longer lead time, or a large order needs more notice, say so on the page. Give the notice period for each type of cake you make. Only write the numbers you can actually keep to.
A line that says "Custom orders need notice; we confirm the date when we reply" sets expectations without promising anything you can't deliver.
Show your catalogue by occasion
Visitors often arrive with an occasion in mind: a birthday, an anniversary, a farewell or a wedding. Group your cakes by occasion, and use photos of cakes you've actually made. If you're showing a design you can recreate, say that it can be made to order. If you can't make it, don't show it.
Use WhatsApp for the request
For most home and small bakeries, WhatsApp is where the conversation happens anyway. Put a button on the order page that opens a chat with your number, and give the customer a short template to start from, such as "Hi, I'd like a cake for [date], [size], [flavour]". The template saves the customer from guessing what to include.
Mistakes that cause problems
- Delivery areas or charges that are unclear until the cake is ready.
- No mention of eggless labelling, or eggless cakes baked in the same tins without a note.
- Photos on the website that aren't your own products.
- A "same-day" promise on a page, followed by a cancellation.
Be specific about what's included and what's extra. A customer who knows the rules before they order is far less likely to be upset at collection.
What to do next
The bakery websites page shows how the catalogue, the order steps and the notice information are usually arranged. A business website is the right base for your bakery, and the business websites page explains how one is laid out. If you're setting this up yourself, begin with the list of details, because the rest of the page follows from it.