Another Past Popcorn Kernal here. Also Mom to the top selling Cub Scout 2 years running. There were 3 ways to sell - Show and Sell, Take Order Method, and the other way I can't remember, because we didn't participate in it, but you went door to door with product and sold that way.
Show and Sell - the Pack ordered, say $10,000 worth of popcorn. We asked the Town Selectman for exclusive rights to sell on a certain day (in other words - if the Girl Scouts set up a table in town on your sale date, they could be shut down because you had exclusive rights to sell that day). Since we had this permission, we gave everyone courtesy calls, that we had the right to sell in the town, we were setting up tables, etc. One supermarket had us sign paperwork. The only one that caused a problem was Bank of America, we had copies of the letter that we gave the manager. We set up tables - Post Office, Banks, Dunkin'Donuts, Grocery Stores, Liqueur Stores. Split up the $10,000 worth of popcorn amongst the locations and let the boys sell. The first year we did this, TrailEnd didn't have the Military Option - but - we had a box set up that people - "I don't like Popcorn" Well would you like to purchase a box and we will send it to the troops?? I brought 2 carloads of popcorn to Hanscom Air Force Base to send to Iraq. People that wanted to donate money - we put popcorn aside for the food pantry in town.
Take Order Method - the boys would take an order sheet and sell. My DH would take my DS, all dressed in uniform, clipboard, pens, envelope full of change, and they would go door to door. My son sold $2000 worth of popcorn going door to door. It took him and DH about 3 hours.
The above 2 are the two methods that our pack used. We did not encourage internet sales, since the pack did not get any funds this way - just the council.
By our second year selling, we learned from our mistakes of the previous year. If at all possible during the Take Order method - get cash or check up front, it makes it a lot easier to deliver the popcorn. I also made little thank yous up that my DS signed that he taped to the popcorn on delivery. People remember that, and bought more the next year.
If people realize how much the boys love selling the popcorn, or should I say the competition involved, the prizes, it was a huge self esteem booster for my DS. I had one parent tell me - My DS will not need Salesman Skills, that is beneath him, I can afford to pay for anything you do, just tell me how much money you need and I will write you a check. Ahmmmm, missing the point of scouting?? So his poor son sat at the Pack Meeting, while all his fellow scouts were called up onstage to receive their prizes, and recognition, and that poor little boy just sat there with tears streaming down his face, because his parents were ******!!!
So your DS's have a goal in mind - Disney - imagine how they will feel if they were able to pay their own way??!!
Personally I think Trails End popcorn is the best popcorn I have ever tasted. I'm ready to buy and not one Cub Scout has come to my door. Oh and have them point out - the popcorn that they are selling right now, was just harvested this summer. I was selling the year that there were the ??? about the chemicals in certain popcorn products - TrailsEnd never used the chemicals, but all the other popcorn companies did.
Sorry about the length about the post - but I'm passionate about popcorn. I just remembered one more thing - during the Show and Sell segment - there was a small box of microwave popcorn for $5, that sold well. This was not available for the Take Order method
Janis
just stating my opinion of course.
I can not believe how many people actually sell door to door 
