It's Girl Scout Cookie time-here are some tips for Girl Scouts

[lovemygoofy]

Did you get your lemon cookies??

4 boxes and bought my husband his 4 boxes of tagalongs and peanut butter creame

 

[mumom95]

I agree the girls should be the ones selling cookies, not the parents...girl scouts pushes this as a "girl program" but they reward the top sellers with prizes and publicity. Invariably the top sellers have parents who can and do sell at work! The girls whose parents can't sell at work, don't work outside the home, or work in a small office, are at a huge disadvantage.
The GS recognition is based solely on the amount sold, not the amount of effort the girls put in.

I was a GS leader for (too many!) years and this is just based on my experience.

That said, I ordered ten boxes of cookies from each of my nieces who was selling this year!!

I am both the cookie mom for my dd's girl scout troop and I was the popcorn kernal for my ds's cub scout pack this fall. This topic came up, the fact that it was unfortunate that the extra prizes we got for the top sellers were given to boys who really didn't sell much, it was their parent's taking it to work that caused them to win.

Problem is, the GS troop or BS pack still needs the money. And if you do something to discourage parents selling at work, that's a lot of money you are going to lose for your organization. Our top seller sold over $1000 worth of popcorn at his father's work (he works for Ford). It isn't going to be easy for the father to deliver that to his coworkers. So, if next year we say we aren't giving out bonus prizes for popcorn not sold by the boy, there isn't much incentive for the father to go to the hassel of selling and delivering and our pack will lose over $300 dollars (that's what we made off of what he sold at Ford).

It isn't fair and really stinks for the kids that get out and work their rear ends off. But like so many other things in this world, it all comes down to the money.

 

[TimeforMe]

I don't know--I don't see the big deal either way. I would order from my 6-year old niece regardless of who called me. I also ordered from one of my co-workers daughter via the mom and so did DH. Does it honestly make that big of a difference. The bottom line is that the troop, GS of America and whomever else gets a cute, doesn't care if Jane sells 10 boxes and Mary sells 100--they still get profits from 110 boxes regardless.

 

[disneyfanforever]

I agree. I am much more like to buy from the little girl that comes to my door. At work, there is a cookie form in the break room for the daughter of someone I don't know. I also know another coworker has a daughter that is a girl scout.

However, I bought 5 boxes from the nice little girl that my youngest son knows that knocked on my door last weekend. She was so sweet and it was freezing outside. Her mom and her sister were with her, and I was happy to be able to purchase the cookies from her.

 

[Magic Mom]

Let me add that at 50+ I ain't ringing doorbells in North Philly either. I want to make it to 60

Sounds like a wise choice.

 

[PammyK]

I don't know...I understand what the OP is trying to encourage, but I think she is being a little harsh. If my niece was selling GS cookies but I but had a policy that she had to ask me herself, I think when my sister called about it I'd tell her something like, "thanks for the heads up, I'll look forward to DN's call when she starts selling." Most people are not mind readers and unless I had expressed my opinions previously I think it is only fair to at least give them a hint that I want DN to approach me directly. Otherwise, how would they know that you were trying to encourage your DN to step forward rather than just being mean old auntie who won't buy cookies?

 

[happygirl]

It really doesn't bother me who asks to me buy the coookie I will buy them from whoever/

 

[Kirby]

I agree with the OP. If the girl/boy scout contacts me directly, I will buy from them. If the parent is the one selling, sorry, no sales from me.

Both of my children were in scouts. My son was top popcorn seller in his cub scout troop one year. He sold the popcorn, we didn't. Likewise, my daughter was in girl scouts. While she was never top seller, she consistantly came in second on sales in her troop. She sold, we didn't.

I've had band moms contact me about buying stuff and responded that I would be more then happy to buy something once there son/daughter contacted me. Didn't hear a word from the kids so no sales.

The same with my friends whose daughters are in girl scouts. If the girls don't contact me, then no sale.

 

[scottishduffy]

I dont mind buying the cookies at work.

Yesterday was a *crazy* day in the OR at the hospital I am rotating through. Near the end of the day, around 4:30, a little girl came through with a wagon full of girl scout cookies. She was the neice of one of the OR nurses. That girl made a killing! Nothing like a bunch of hungry hospital staff at the end of an insanely busy day.

She parked her little wagon in the hallway and people just came running out to her! Her mom was a couple feet away with her little sister while the little GS did the selling. Though she did send her mom down to the car to refill her samoas a few times! That girl with her wagon must have sold at least 80 boxes right there.

 

[kayla87]

I can definitely understand the sentiments the OP and many others have. I just ordered several boxes from relative (a 1st grader). Her mom sent out an email. I recognize her mom's doing the work, but even if the GS called us (and that's even if I was around to answer the phone), her mom is still going to be helping.

But I'll be honest - for me it's all about the cookies. I'm gonna get my girl scout cookies no matter who I deal with

I point blank said, "Too shy to say, "Would you like to buy some popcorn?""

I'll stick up for the shy people out there - as a kid or even now I would never put myself out there to bother strangers to give me their money. But that is also why I wouldn't join an organization that required it or use a strategy that relied on it.

 

[golfgal]

I don't know...I understand what the OP is trying to encourage, but I think she is being a little harsh. If my niece was selling GS cookies but I but had a policy that she had to ask me herself, I think when my sister called about it I'd tell her something like, "thanks for the heads up, I'll look forward to DN's call when she starts selling." Most people are not mind readers and unless I had expressed my opinions previously I think it is only fair to at least give them a hint that I want DN to approach me directly. Otherwise, how would they know that you were trying to encourage your DN to step forward rather than just being mean old auntie who won't buy cookies?

I am not being a mean old auntie. If the girls want me to buy cookies from them, they can give me a call. I won't buy the from their mom, period. If they can't make the effort to pick up the phone or heck, send me a text, I am not going to buy from them. Also, my sister doesn't call, she sends a mass email telling everyone the girls are selling cookies-well if the girls are selling cookies the girls should send the email or call people. They are in 5th and 8th grade, they are not 2.

 

[ferrytale]

Lol...OK, so I am a leader for an older girls troop with girls from 6th-12th grade, and my girls work their butts off to sell cookies! I do know that most of the parents also take order forms to work with them, but when there are girls who have been in GS for so long sometimes your co-workers come to know this and wait for those parents to bring in the forms. In fact, one of my girls who graduated and is away at college called me this week and asked if she and her mom could sell cookies for us b/c they had friends and co-workers asking for cookies!
The door to door thing is kind of discouraged now, but our troop solved this by setting up 1-2 days on the weekends to go around as a large group and sell. We have made out well, and usually schedule this for Superbowl Weekend(<-- Just a tip for other troops) and the girls have fun. We take a car or a wagon full of cookies and pull it around and they break up into 2 or 3 small groups. Many people have made comments on how nice it was to see the girls out, how no one comes door to door anymore (they understand the safety thing, but miss the old days!).
I agree that there are some troops/girls/parents who create an issue by selling hundreds of boxes, but I think I am fortunate enough that my girls know that this is as much about networking and marketing themselves as much as the cookies - their motto - "Yes, I am a Girl Scout, and if you have a problem with that I won't sell you cookies...."lol...gotta love teenagers!

 

[lisajl]

I don't care who calls or how they sell them...I need THIN MINTS!!!

 

[MM27]

I just had a little girl in my class ask if I wanted to buy GS cookies. I bought 4 boxes. I would have bought more but between my two classes, I know there will be more that ask as well.

We have a teacher that puts the order form on our teacher's room table with a note that said 'my daughter is selling cookies, if you need any, please buy them from her'.

 

[MichelleVW]

I don't know--I don't see the big deal either way. I would order from my 6-year old niece regardless of who called me. I also ordered from one of my co-workers daughter via the mom and so did DH. Does it honestly make that big of a difference. The bottom line is that the troop, GS of America and whomever else gets a cute, doesn't care if Jane sells 10 boxes and Mary sells 100--they still get profits from 110 boxes regardless.

I agree.....plus I just want the cookies!!!

 

[LisaNJ25]

I am not having my daughters go door to door for pre-sales. I have a 5yo and 10yo in scouts. I am planning this year on ordering extras and taking them around pulling their wagons. A large portion of my neighborhood house stack and borders change regularly. I don't want to deal with that. I found they sell better when I have them in hand vs ordering them and waiting 6 weeks for them.

They will both give relatives a call or visit their houses to see if they want any.

Also as far as email.. the bakers have a whole website set up for the girls where they learn about safely and than they can email "postcards" asking people to buy. The earn a fun patch for this.

 

[golfgal]

I am not having my daughters go door to door for pre-sales. I have a 5yo and 10yo in scouts. I am planning this year on ordering extras and taking them around pulling their wagons. A large portion of my neighborhood house stack and borders change regularly. I don't want to deal with that. I found they sell better when I have them in hand vs ordering them and waiting 6 weeks for them.

They will both give relatives a call or visit their houses to see if they want any.

Also as far as email.. the bakers have a whole website set up for the girls where they learn about safely and than they can email "postcards" asking people to buy. The earn a fun patch for this.

Good idea-especially if you go out about 2 weeks after everyone else has delivered theirs and people have eaten everything and wished they bought more .

 

[lovepurple]

My neighbors put a sign in their yard every year that says "Girl Scout Cookies Sold Here". They seem to get a lot of business that way.

 

[ajk912]

I also think the OP is being a bit harsh. I wonder if my family feels that way. I am also not a mindreader. I know it's a recession and not everyone has a lot of discretionary income, so it's easier to just delete an email if you aren't interested rather than say no face-to-face to a 9 year old or say no to her over the phone. I wanted to give family the option to buy, but I CERTAINLY don't want to pressure anyone or make them feel bad.

Now I wonder if my family felt the same way..because I sent out a mass email and only had my 9 year old call the people who don't do email. I just know I would feel really put on the spot if a relative called me asking me to buy something, and I am not trying to guilt anyone. At all.

 

[mhsjax]

I hate when parents do the work, but I also don't like any type of fundraiser, I am the type to just write a check instead of selling something. In fact we don't and won't sell anything for our school. I will buy cookies from a child that comes to the door only because I hate to say no when the child is actually doing what they are supposed to do. I am one of the few people that can't stand girl scout cookies. Flame away, but I think they are nasty. Anyway, I do buy the the kiddos who ask at the door but I won't buy from anyone else.