We often hear stories of small business owners that behave in ways that could be detrimental to their companies’ success and end up backpedaling and begging their customers (and usually people on social media) for forgiveness. Sometimes they own up to the problem and cite poor decision-making in the heat of the moment, and other times they believe that we’re all morons and they claim they were hacked. On the rarest of occasions, though, such owners take pride in their offensive behavior and actually use it to attract more customers.
That’s what Emma McDonald seems to be doing for her bakery, Oh Cakes, in New Zealand, after it was revealed that she sent a customer a very special custom cake when they didn’t see eye-to-eye on a design. When the customer vaguely told McDonald that she wanted chocolate and provided no other details, the baker went ahead and made her a poop cake, complete with a note that read: “Eat sh*t.”
But while Micaela Harris and her guests at her engagement party were shocked and disgusted by this blatant insult, McDonald has apparently been boasting of her cake on her Facebook page and to a number of media outlets.
Ms McDonald refused to comment yesterday. But on Saturday she said on Facebook the story had gone “viral” and had brought business opportunities her way.
“What a day phone calls emails texts from all over the world today . . . Really gotten (sic) out of hand. Nothing really negative that I’ve seen apart from a few who didn’t read and understand it properly.
“Seems to be popping up everywhere . . . business opportunities have been thrown my way as well . . . viral much? seems to be everywhere”.
After The Southland Times ran the story on Saturday, she was quoted in the Herald on Sunday saying she had no regrets.
“I feel she got what she deserved,” she said. (Via the Southland Times)
You know who disagrees with that? Harris, who can’t believe that McDonald is using this to promote her bakery.
“I think it was taken too far. As a business owner you come across customers you don’t like but you have got to take the highs and the lows, got to suck it up.”
She was confused why Ms McDonald had continued to repost the media stories on her Facebook page. “You would think she would want it to go away,” Ms Harris said.
So here’s the question – did they eat the poop cake? Because I’m betting they ate the poop cake. There were 100 guests at the engagement party, and I have to believe that 1 out of 100 people thought this was hilarious and ate the poop cake, while shouting, “Hey everyone! I’m eating poop!” Trust me, I know my own kind.