Girl Scout cookie selling not going well

[Anonymous]

My dd is a first time Brownie Girl Scout. We are supposed to go door to door and at parent workplaces to take “pre orders”. This isn’t working at all. No one wants to pay without orders in hand and fronting 100+ cookie order is expensive. Neighbors told us to come around with a wagon when we have our cookies in stock and they’d love to buy. Grandparents said the same.

I went to the troop leader and it seems the girls are never going to get actual cookies in hand. They only sell through “pre orders”. Is this true? Maybe this is why I couldn’t ever find cookies to buy in years past…

Dd has only sold 3 boxes. I’m also not thrilled because without cookies in hand she’s not learning any sales pitches. I really wanted to make a booth with her to sell. I’m prohibited by ethics to sell at work.

How does everyone else sell 200 boxes? I’m missing something.

[Anonymous]

My neighbor took our order but didn’t collect money. Are you SURE you need payment upfront and not just the orders?

[Anonymous]

Sorry OP. I just pre-ordered 8 boxes from a door to door pitch. It was ~ the 10th person on her address list.
But I have always bought GS cookies. My 2 girls were very in GS so something we do every year. I will likely buy some more and pass them out to others before the season ends.

[Anonymous]

That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard and if true my kid wouldn’t be in Girl Scouts long cause the leaders are idiots.

[Anonymous]

Most orders are sold through the digital cookie site. People pay via credit card there and then you deliver the cookies.

Paper orders - you collect the money after you deliver the cookies. Not while taking the order. You should have some time, like a week or so, when you’re given the cookies and can deliver and collect the money from the door to door paper sales before the money is due to your troop. You don’t need to front the money.

That said, my daughter barely sells any door to door. Just hasn’t had much luck. And is nowhere near 200 boxes sold.

You can’t set up a cookie booth on your own either. Only the sanctioned booths through your service unit are permitted. Your troop leader would sign up for booth slots. So if your troop isn’t doing booths, then yes it’s correct that you won’t have any cookies in hand to sell. The troop orders cookies to sell at the booth. Otherwise the only cookies ordered would be those ‘pre ordered’ cookies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor took our order but didn’t collect money. Are you SURE you need payment upfront and not just the orders?

Op here. Yes. I need to write a check or give the cash prior to the order going in.

I was a Girl Scout for like 6 years. We got an assortment of 150 cookies and then could sell them. What was wrong with that way? Im debating doing this so my dd could sell but I am afraid of getting stuck with unsold cookies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor took our order but didn’t collect money. Are you SURE you need payment upfront and not just the orders?

Op here. Yes. I need to write a check or give the cash prior to the order going in.

I was a Girl Scout for like 6 years. We got an assortment of 150 cookies and then could sell them. What was wrong with that way? Im debating doing this so my dd could sell but I am afraid of getting stuck with unsold cookies.

It hasn't been done that way in over 10 years.

[Anonymous]

OP, do you live in DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most orders are sold through the digital cookie site. People pay via credit card there and then you deliver the cookies.

Paper orders - you collect the money after you deliver the cookies. Not while taking the order. You should have some time, like a week or so, when you’re given the cookies and can deliver and collect the money from the door to door paper sales before the money is due to your troop. You don’t need to front the money.

That said, my daughter barely sells any door to door. Just hasn’t had much luck. And is nowhere near 200 boxes sold.

You can’t set up a cookie booth on your own either. Only the sanctioned booths through your service unit are permitted. Your troop leader would sign up for booth slots. So if your troop isn’t doing booths, then yes it’s correct that you won’t have any cookies in hand to sell. The troop orders cookies to sell at the booth. Otherwise the only cookies ordered would be those ‘pre ordered’ cookies.

Op here. I’d like to sell at a sanctioned booth too.

The booth I was thinking would be in front of my house. We’re in a very walkable neighborhood and our neighbors love our kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, do you live in DC?

Northern VA. But yes- national capital region.

Is there a standard assortment I could just buy to sell?

[Anonymous]

You are actually not supposed to accept payment up front. People order and pay when the cookies are delivered. As for the wagon situation, you can order cookies "for yourself" now and then sell them to your neighbors when you receive them.

But yes, the ordering period for GSCNC SUCKS, it's stupid to have it completely over the holidays. I hate it.

[Anonymous]

You should ask your troop leader if you can be cookie manager. I was cookie manager for dd’s troop for a couple years and was anywhere as enthusiastic about it as you seem to be - the leader should be thrilled to have you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My neighbor took our order but didn’t collect money. Are you SURE you need payment upfront and not just the orders?

Op here. Yes. I need to write a check or give the cash prior to the order going in.

I was a Girl Scout for like 6 years. We got an assortment of 150 cookies and then could sell them. What was wrong with that way? Im debating doing this so my dd could sell but I am afraid of getting stuck with unsold cookies.

Nope, if you're in the nation's capital region, your troop leaders are doing it wrong. Money doesn't get taken out of the troop checking account until after the cookies are delivered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are actually not supposed to accept payment up front. People order and pay when the cookies are delivered. As for the wagon situation, you can order cookies "for yourself" now and then sell them to your neighbors when you receive them.

But yes, the ordering period for GSCNC SUCKS, it's stupid to have it completely over the holidays. I hate it.

+1

We buy the cookies we expect to sell ourselves and then "get our money back" via door to door/booths.

I only ask family/close friends to pre-order.

[Anonymous]

No one wants your cookies. If they do want to eat sugar and fat they will buy the cheap girl scout knock offs at aldi or giant.

We get so many of these dumped at the food bank.