The Manager of a Bakery Orders Three "Cake-To-Go" Wedding Cakes

question 107

Essay

The manager of a bakery orders three "cake-to-go" wedding cakes every Saturday to accommodate last-minute purchases. Demand for the cakes can be described by a Poisson distribution that has a mean of 2. The cakes cost $10 each to prepare, and they sell for $26 each. Any cakes that haven't been sold by the end of the day are sold for half price the next day. Usually, half of those are sold and the rest are tossed. What stocking level would be appropriate?

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Definitions:

FOB Shipping Point

A term of sale indicating that the buyer assumes responsibility for shipping costs and risk of loss once the seller has delivered the goods to the shipping carrier.

Sales Discount

A reduction in the price of a product or service offered to customers, typically to prompt early payment or bulk purchases.

Cash Returns

Financial returns or profits that are received in the form of cash, as opposed to stock dividends or other non-liquid forms of return.

Inventory

Goods and materials held by a company for the ultimate goal of resale or production, including raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods.