It has come to this: Black market Girl Scout Cookies

[tvguy]

Here in Canada they have. I just heard it on the radio last week. The troops are actually complaining a lot, as going to the odd-number price will undoubtedly cause reduced door-to-door sales and little stands set up in various places as they have no way to take electronic payments, only cash. People who happen to have a $10 or $20 bill will now buy one box less than they would have before. FTR, we don't have to agonize over the Raspberry Rally crisis. The only cookies sold here by the Girl Guides (not sure why they're not called Scouts) are chocolate, vanilla and the mint ones.

While I paid cash, the booth I went to yesterday took credit cards. The parent at the booth said they have some sort of App that allows them to take credit cards, and the credit card companies waive the merchant fee.

 

[bcla]

I buy the knock-offs year-round from Walmart or Aldi's (not sure on the raspberry ones). Much cheaper. Then I donate to the troop selling ABC cookies--100% of the money goes to the troop, versus a small percentage when they sell the overpriced cookies. We do this with the Boy Scouts, as well.

Dollar Tree has a few, and they're labelled as made by Weston Foods and/or Interbake - sold as "Oven Baked". Weston owns ABC Bakers. Their version of Thin Mints has a yellow cookie though. Their chocolate peanut butter cookers are similar to

Keebler has Coconut Dreams. They were part of Kellogg's until they got sold to Ferrero. But that's been around since the Kellogg's days.

 

[QueenIsabella]

Our council doesn’t let us keep the donations either. We have to put the money towards operation cookie or hometown heroes. Now, if a person donates money outside of cookie season, then the troop can keep it.

The girls work hard every season to sell the cookies. It’s the largest fundraiser. Troops do get a cut of the money, and girls earn decent rewards. My daughter sold 1000 boxes this season, so we’ll get a big discount off her week at camp which is nice. She worked 3-5 booths every weekend for 6 weeks. I worked those booths with her. It’s exhausting, but I supported her in reaching her goal.

My DS17 has been working hard to earn money to go to the World Scout Jamboree in South Korea this summer. They did some fundraisers--not popcorn--and he has a part-time job, so he's all set. He's gotten donations to him, personally, for this endeavor. Here's what he decided to do:

It's a big thing in Scouts (at least, what was Boy Scouts--not sure on Girl Scouts) to collect and trade patches. My sons each have blankets with patches from all their years in Scouting. DS17 will use the donations to buy a couple hundred local patches, then trade for as many other country patches as he can, while he's in South Korea. They expect thousands of Scouts from hundreds of countries (all but 5 countries have Scouts in some form). When he returns, I'll sew his collected patches on a new blanket for him, and he'll have a priceless memory from his big adventure!

 

[ronandannette]

While I paid cash, the booth I went to yesterday took credit cards. The parent at the booth said they have some sort of App that allows them to take credit cards, and the credit card companies waive the merchant fee.

Not happening here, that I know of. At least they didn't mention it in the radio piece I was listening to, and it included two guests directly in Girl Guide leadership. I don't think the extra dollar in itself will stop people from buying, but it does mess things up from a cash-in-pocket perspective.

 

[petrola]

I ordered my usual boxes of Thin Mints. I can't miss a year! raspberry? meh...

 

[John VN]

There are 2 different bakeries that make the GS cookies. Each of the 2 use different names for each cookie, but are essentially the same cookie.

That’s right, the two bakeries used by GSUSA are Little Brownie and ABC. Different areas of the country use one or the other. And yes, most are essentially the same cookies with different names, but there are a few varieties exclusive to the each of the two bakeries. For example, Little Brownie, sold here in my area, has S’mores and Toffee-tastic, not available from ABC bakers (the order sheet posted above). And apparently each local council sets the prices.


LOL, me too. When they went up to $1 a box, (sometime in the mid 70’s, IIRC), people were outraged.

Each bakery has their own recipe.

 

[tvguy]

Not happening here, that I know of. At least they didn't mention it in the radio piece I was listening to, and it included two guests directly in Girl Guide leadership. I don't think the extra dollar in itself will stop people from buying, but it does mess things up from a cash-in-pocket perspective.

Which seems odd to me because it seems Canada is ahead of the U.S. in going cashless. Or at least some here claim that is the case.

 

[ronandannette]

Which seems odd to me because it seems Canada is ahead of the U.S. in going cashless. Or at least some here claim that is the case.

Not sure about the US but we definitely are largely cashless, compared to a generation ago. I'm not aware though that there are any easily accessible platforms for digital payment in the kind of scenario we're talking about - kids going door-to-door selling cookies. It's tough for a lot of charities with traditional cash-collection models, including ones like the Salvation Army Kettle Campaign and the Poppy Fund (support for veterans around Remembrance Day).

 

[tvguy]

Not sure about the US but we definitely are largely cashless, compared to a generation ago. I'm not aware though that there are any easily accessible platforms for digital payment in the kind of scenario we're talking about - kids going door-to-door selling cookies. It's tough for a lot of charities with traditional cash-collection models, including ones like the Salvation Army Kettle Campaign and the Poppy Fund (support for veterans around Remembrance Day).

Salvation Army has had a cashless option for 4 years now here.
https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/news/the-salvation-army-introduces-kettle-pay/

 

[ronandannette]

Salvation Army has had a cashless option for 4 years now here.
https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/news/the-salvation-army-introduces-kettle-pay/

It if ever makes it's way north, I'll let you know. This article says it a tap-and-go system was being tested in Toronto pre-Covid, but I've never seen it here and I can't find any more recent articles on the topic.
https://www.cp24.com/news/canada-s-...ap-and-go-option-at-kettle-stations-1.4688944

 

[John VN]

While I paid cash, the booth I went to yesterday took credit cards. The parent at the booth said they have some sort of App that allows them to take credit cards, and the credit card companies waive the merchant fee.

Not happening here, that I know of. At least they didn't mention it in the radio piece I was listening to, and it included two guests directly in Girl Guide leadership. I don't think the extra dollar in itself will stop people from buying, but it does mess things up from a cash-in-pocket perspective.

How it's done for many out their to make things easier --

https://www.cheddarup.com/

 

[lanejudy]

I'm not aware though that there are any easily accessible platforms for digital payment in the kind of scenario we're talking about - kids going door-to-door selling cookies.

The kids here don't really go door-to-door anymore; maybe to a few close neighbors, but school groups, scouts, etc. strongly discourage it and have for several years. The booth I bought from this weekend accepted Venmo.

 

[tvguy]

It if ever makes it's way north, I'll let you know. This article says it a tap-and-go system was being tested in Toronto pre-Covid, but I've never seen it here and I can't find any more recent articles on the topic.
https://www.cp24.com/news/canada-s-...ap-and-go-option-at-kettle-stations-1.4688944

Wow. Tap and go is almost old school now.

 

[tvguy]

The kids here don't really go door-to-door anymore; maybe to a few close neighbors, but school groups, scouts, etc. strongly discourage it and have for several years. The booth I bought from this weekend accepted Venmo.

Some of the schools here just hand out flyers with a link to "their" page on the company providing the products. The company ships the products directly to the buyer, and takes credit cards and forwards the profit to the school. Last two years my wife has purchased wrapping paper from a former co-workers child that way. Totally contactless with anyone.

 

[amylevan]

We accept venmo, but it’s a bit of a tracking pain. So we mostly stick to the abc smart cookies app, which is what our Girl Scout unit uses to sell cookies online, it can be set up to accept credit cards at booths.

 

[JLTraveling]

I'm team Thin Mints all the way. They're still $5 a box, and we bought 4 boxes last weekend. Down from the case we used to buy, but it's just my dad and me in the house now, and he's diabetic. Long gone are the days when he would eat a sleeve of them for lunch lol. It's really upsetting, though not surprising, that people are profiting off the raspberry ones on Ebay. Anything to make a buck I guess.

 

[EACarlson]

I bought four boxes at the grocery store last week, my dealer came through the office with the seven I ordered from her and we got the eight coming from my niece in TX. All at $5/box.

It's not black market, it's secondary market.
Girl scouts are making it very hard on me to improve my blood sugar and get my weight down before summer.

 

[Disneyland1084]

Raspberry Rally Girl Scout Cookies are in such demand, people are trying to tell them for up to $29.99 a box on E-Bay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/394507628747?hash=item5bda7cb0cb:g:WeUAAOSwK7ZkCmyX&amdata=enc:AQAHAAAA4BPyDA+GLdfk5W0T6btz7YIS8YqWWaH778N/65zqz0yiBJctq2yD6YI+Ftf+bdjT6vAZIgLjHT+kT5PstGXWcLr+aASbmTKherCwg+zoTTT1+w2ZV0NjwTNa9R/jGBskEmYgxlMgGQDISrjO4KxYGScuq+kUW2mRFYE9+WuzHgG1V9niGiEhArWfKJ4I8BX2T4c0ScaRele+c4sD+xZLPUFH1r+MMKF06BdNLAB5vIJh1W6Etgo2WmGG6epCjAbwKaV2Jr7qqIe9oUkG8REPD+77kLc1b6vCuH2E7PY+PJwC|tkp:BFBMkJOQvdph

Oh good grief! They can't be that good. I'm sure stores will come up with knock off brands if they haven't already.

 

[Colleen27]

Only $4 a box in my area of VA! I just looked it up on the online ordering for my zip code.

Same here, though the online selection is really limited this year. No issues with in-person supply, though; I got some two weeks ago from my usual dealer, and more today outside the grocery store because I don't know how to say no (and besides, my young-adult kid snagged the last box of Thin Mints when he was over to do laundry).

 

[TipsyTraveler]

There are 2 different bakeries that make the GS cookies. Each of the 2 use different names for each cookie, but are essentially the same cookie.

That’s right, the two bakeries used by GSUSA are Little Brownie and ABC. Different areas of the country use one or the other. And yes, most are essentially the same cookies with different names, but there are a few varieties exclusive to the each of the two bakeries. For example, Little Brownie, sold here in my area, has S’mores and Toffee-tastic, not available from ABC bakers (the order sheet posted above). And apparently each local council sets the prices.


LOL, me too. When they went up to $1 a box, (sometime in the mid 70’s, IIRC), people were outraged.

Not the same when it comes to the ingredients though, so for people with allergies or other dietary restrictions, the cookies aren’t interchangeable between manufacturers. For example, ABC has 6 vegan options and Little Brownie Bakers only offers two. (Those two are an improvement, actually. They had zero last time I looked into this, which is why I haven’t bought Girl Scout cookies in over 10 years because LBB is who serviced my area.)