Every home baker gets the text: 'Something came up, can we cancel?' Without a policy, you eat the ingredient cost and the lost weekend.
Non-refundable deposits
A 50% non-refundable deposit due at booking is industry standard for custom work. State it on your quote, order form, and invoice.
The deposit covers your time and reserved calendar slot — not just ingredients. Don't apologize for protecting your business.
Tiered cancellation terms
Many bakers use: 14+ days out = deposit refunded minus fee; 7–14 days = deposit forfeited; under 7 days = full balance due.
Put tiers in writing before the customer pays. Verbal agreements are hard to enforce and awkward to revisit.
Note
Bakekick invoices let you mark orders cancelled and keep payment records — useful if a dispute ever escalates.
