Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They mostly have their mom post a go fund me type message on social media for them. The girls don’t seem to do any work.

I won’t buy from links because that’s the mom selling, not the girl. The one time I did, it was because the Girl Scout had a couple of very effective video sales pitches.

I have a Brownie and I don't like online sales either. The organization encourages online sales by offering badges specifically for that (making a video, emailing, social media) but of course most are too young to have email and social media. Mine writes her own video script; I distribute the link because she can't but I assure my friends they don't need to buy.

I love Girl Scouts, and fundraising is necessary to make it happen. We definitely appreciate those who buy cookies, regardless of how or where.

The way around that is to just enter all the in-person sales from your spreadsheet onto the website as a single order to yourself. We do online sales for out of town friends and relatives but door to door for everything else and DD still gets the personalized electronic sales badge most every year.

A girl scout just came to our door this weekend.

Anonymous wrote:I just wish they (and all the other groups) weren’t outside the grocery stores. I hate being accosted as I’m going in and out of the store.

So being asked “would you like to buy some cookies?” by a 10 year old is being accosted? Lady you need to unclench and get out more. A quick no thank you is the response you need to learn.

Or call the police since you were accosted

Anonymous wrote:I just wish they (and all the other groups) weren’t outside the grocery stores. I hate being accosted as I’m going in and out of the store.

Former GS mom and troop leader here, and I'd respectfully ask that you reconsider how you think of this.

As others have said, this is what allows them to do activities. When my daughter's troop did the grocery store booths, we were very careful about having the girls ask people on the way in OR out only, and to respond politely to people who weren't interested. It is a really good way for them to learn money management, and for shy kids (like my own) to learn how to speak with adults.

My own daughter also sold door-to-door in our immediate neighborhood, with me or dad staying on the sidewalk. It was hugely beneficial for practicing social skills and getting to know neighbors. I personally refused to do online sales, because I wanted my daughter to have those in-person interactions.

That said, I was relieved when she quit GS and don't miss it! But I will happily support cookie sales and buy directly from the girls who sell, because they really do get something out of it beyond the money they raise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They mostly have their mom post a go fund me type message on social media for them. The girls don’t seem to do any work.

I won’t buy from links because that’s the mom selling, not the girl. The one time I did, it was because the Girl Scout had a couple of very effective video sales pitches.

I have a Brownie and I don't like online sales either. The organization encourages online sales by offering badges specifically for that (making a video, emailing, social media) but of course most are too young to have email and social media. Mine writes her own video script; I distribute the link because she can't but I assure my friends they don't need to buy.

I love Girl Scouts, and fundraising is necessary to make it happen. We definitely appreciate those who buy cookies, regardless of how or where.

This. The last two years they actually specifically issued guidance strongly encouraging online only due to Covid. Yes, it becomes kind of a sham since most young kids don't have a social media presence. Even before Covid, most girls I know got the majority of their sales from family or the parent taking the form to work for co-workers to purchase. My daughter doesn't go door-to-door but I do have her deliver the cookies and thank the person who purchased. She has an email account so I also have her email thank you's to family and friends who purchase online. It's not quite the same as face to face sales, but it does put some work on her.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just wish they (and all the other groups) weren’t outside the grocery stores. I hate being accosted as I’m going in and out of the store.

If it helps put it in context, cookie sales are how our Girl Scout troop raises money for the entire year. We have a quarter of our girls on financial aid (I know because I’m a leader), and without cookies we wouldn’t be able to afford badges, supplies, take our girls camping, do service projects, or go on field trips. Our troop also donates about a quarter of our annual sales to a local food bank every year.

Same for our troop but it’s more like half on financial aid.

Anonymous wrote:It’s a shame for the girls to lose out on the opportunity to step out of their comfort zone, put themselves out there, practice their communication and etiquette skills, learn some sales skills, and have the responsibility for completing paperwork and handling money. It’s empowering for them to do those things.

However, the world has changed. In addition to a pandemic having limited contact with others in the recent past and technological advances, society is more risk averse with children, there are no longer a ton of SAHMs who can accompany their daughters on two rounds to houses (to make sales and then deliver the cookies), people aren’t as likely to answer their doors for strangers anymore, and consumers don’t want to deal with cash.

And no one wants to deal with creepy men.

Anonymous wrote:My kid went door to door. Definitely went to people she didn’t know. The last few years she did door hangers because of Covid and that was much less successful.

Same here. We were out selling on Sunday.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just wish they (and all the other groups) weren’t outside the grocery stores. I hate being accosted as I’m going in and out of the store.

Troop leader here. They are not supposed to accost you. If they are, report it to the store manager.

+1

And their booths have to be XX feet away from the entrances/exits.

Anonymous wrote:I just wish they (and all the other groups) weren’t outside the grocery stores. I hate being accosted as I’m going in and out of the store.

Troop leader here. They are not supposed to accost you. If they are, report it to the store manager.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:they have rules like they have to have an adult present and they can only go to people they know

Why only who they know? Adult present makes sense. One came to my door this week so it happens still. I knew her though.

Among other issues, GS needs to be able to secure liability insurance and insurance against abuse and molestation for all sponsored activities.

It’s a shame for the girls to lose out on the opportunity to step out of their comfort zone, put themselves out there, practice their communication and etiquette skills, learn some sales skills, and have the responsibility for completing paperwork and handling money. It’s empowering for them to do those things.

However, the world has changed. In addition to a pandemic having limited contact with others in the recent past and technological advances, society is more risk averse with children, there are no longer a ton of SAHMs who can accompany their daughters on two rounds to houses (to make sales and then deliver the cookies), people aren’t as likely to answer their doors for strangers anymore, and consumers don’t want to deal with cash.

We have bought 4 boxes each from two different young ladies who came to our door.

My DS knows the rules for Cub Scouts popcorn is that I don’t post online or ask at work until he has sold at a store front and made a plan for neighborhood sales.

So yes, kids still sell door to door but some parents and kids are more comfortable with it then others.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They mostly have their mom post a go fund me type message on social media for them. The girls don’t seem to do any work.

I won’t buy from links because that’s the mom selling, not the girl. The one time I did, it was because the Girl Scout had a couple of very effective video sales pitches.

I have a Brownie and I don't like online sales either. The organization encourages online sales by offering badges specifically for that (making a video, emailing, social media) but of course most are too young to have email and social media. Mine writes her own video script; I distribute the link because she can't but I assure my friends they don't need to buy.

I love Girl Scouts, and fundraising is necessary to make it happen. We definitely appreciate those who buy cookies, regardless of how or where.

Anonymous wrote:They mostly have their mom post a go fund me type message on social media for them. The girls don’t seem to do any work.

I won’t buy from links because that’s the mom selling, not the girl. The one time I did, it was because the Girl Scout had a couple of very effective video sales pitches.