Chocolate Covered Strawberry Order Form: 9 Fields, Deposit

On this page

1. The 9 fields to put on the form
2. How much deposit to ask for
3. Confirm the order in writing
4. A worked example for one dozen box
5. Mistakes that cost you money
6. What to check before you commit to a date

You do not need a printed pad. A form you can send from your phone works, as long as it asks the same questions every time and shows the deposit before you buy anything. A chocolate covered strawberry order form is the difference between a real order and a maybe.

The 9 fields to put on the form

Keep the list short enough that she can finish it in a minute on her phone. Nine fields sounds like a lot, but it saves you the back and forth that eats an evening. If you already use a baking order form for cakes and bread, copy that shape and swap the product lines.

1. 1

   Name and phone

   Two fields, and the phone number matters more than the email. Ask for a number you can text, because that is how you will confirm the pickup window.

2. 2

   Box size and count

   Half dozen, dozen, or a number you both agree on. Write the count in digits so there is nothing to argue about at pickup.

3. 3

   Chocolate and finish

   Milk, dark, or white, plus any drizzle or topping. This is the field that changes what you buy at the store.

4. 4

   Pickup date and time

   A date and a window, not Friday sometime. Add the place, whether that is your porch, a market table, or a parking lot.

5. 5

   Deposit paid and balance due

   Write the deposit amount, the date it landed, and the balance still owed at pickup. Two fields that end most payment confusion.

6. 6

   Allergies and a gift note

   Ask about allergies and write the answer down. Leave one line for a gift message or a special request so it does not arrive by text later.

How much deposit to ask for

The deposit has one job. It covers what you spend before pickup, which is the berries, the chocolate, and the box. When the deposit covers those three, a change of plans does not come out of your pocket.

Half up front is the easiest rule to explain and the easiest to remember. For a large order, or a date you could sell twice, ask for the full ingredient cost up front and take the rest at pickup. Collect it the way your customers already pay you, whether that is Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, cash, or a card through your own Stripe or Square account.

Confirm the order in writing

When the deposit lands, send one message back with the same details she gave you. Box size, chocolate, pickup date and time, deposit received, balance due. If anything is wrong, she will catch it then, not at pickup.

Keep that message. It is your record of what you agreed to, and it takes ten seconds to find when she texts you a week later.

A worked example for one dozen box

Here is the shape of the math. Fill in your own numbers from your own receipts, because berry and chocolate prices move with the season and with the store you shop at.

Say you sell 10 boxes in a month. Brevl costs $20 a month flat and takes no cut of your sales, so your share of that is $2 a box. Write your berries and chocolate for one box on the first line. Write your hours times the rate you pay yourself on the second line. Add the $2. That total is your floor. Your price minus the floor is your margin.

If the margin is thin, raise the price or shrink the box before you cut your own pay. The full walk through, including cost per dozen, is in how to price chocolate covered strawberries.

Mistakes that cost you money

The first mistake is buying berries before the deposit lands. The second is quoting a price before you know the box size, because a dozen and a half dozen are not the same order. The third is leaving the pickup date vague, which turns into a second trip and a second box.

The fourth is taking an order you cannot make in the week you promised. Check your calendar before you say yes, not after. The fifth is forgetting to write down what she asked for, so the box arrives with the wrong chocolate and you eat the cost.

What to check before you commit to a date

Before you confirm, check three things. Do you have the boxes and the chocolate in the house. Do you have the hours free that day. Is the pickup window one you can actually keep if the day goes sideways.

Then check the price against the last time you made the same box. If berries went up and your price did not, you are working for less. More on pricing, deposits, and repeat orders is in the selling guides, and how to sell chocolate bars covers the same math for a chocolate product.

• Cake order form: 9 fields, deposit, and pickup date
• Brownie order form: 9 fields, deposit, and pickup date

Common questions

What should the deposit be on a strawberry order?

Enough to cover the berries, the chocolate, and the box for that order. Half the total is the easiest rule to explain, and it works for most orders. For a large order or a holiday date, ask for the full ingredient cost up front and the rest at pickup.

Can I take orders by text instead of a form?

You can, but a text thread loses the details. A form keeps the box size, the chocolate choice, the pickup date, and the deposit in one place you can find again. Send the same form link every time so nothing depends on your memory.

How far ahead should I take strawberry orders?

Choose a cutoff and put it on the form. Two days ahead works for a small box because you buy the berries fresh. Around holidays, move the cutoff earlier so you are not buying berries you cannot use. Write the cutoff date on the form so she sees it before she asks.

Do I need a printed form?

No. A form you send as a link works on her phone and keeps every answer in one place. Print a few copies only if you sell at a market table and want to write orders down by hand. Either way, ask the same questions in the same order.

What if she cancels after paying the deposit?

Say on the form what the deposit covers before she pays it. If you have already bought berries and chocolate for her date, the deposit covers that spend. If you have not bought anything yet, you can refund it and keep the relationship.

General information for home bakers, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Deposit and refund terms are yours to set and to write down.