I caveat that the owner was generally nice and responsive from the get-go, and from their website…read moreand social media, I can see that there is a lot of heart that goes into their cakes. I also understand that there can be pressures being a small business owner and having to deal with something like an international transaction, and the trust factor that goes into ensuring you get paid. So, that's why this is two stars versus just one.
That being said, I arranged a cake order for my visit to Lisbon a few weeks back, and today, she recanted on the order. There was some back and forth because FX fees hit the payment transfer. I made a suggestion that she should bake in some contingent room for FX fees because I didn't like the fact that she continually asked me to check with my bank because it "was not their fault". I wasn't even going to argue the FX fees anymore, and agreed to pay them on ground (she had agreed to let me pay the balance in person as they normally want everything upfront), but I wanted to provide her with the feedback because I didn't feel good in my position as a client/customer to have to be told repeatedly to go check with my bank, because it was not something on their end. So, even though the fees are just a by-product of this type of transaction, I just didn't feel good with the communication and general language. And, neither did she with my feedback obviously since she refused the order.
So, I think that if you are not within the Lisbon area, I would advise making the order on ground, or just finding someone else. If a small business doesn't want you as a client, that says something already about them. And now, I am down a bunch of FX fees and with no cake, which is frustrating for someone who is travelling and trying to plan a surprise.
