Your opinion- Girl Scout Cookie mishap

[Disneyadore]

I know this might sound strange, but all of the places I've worked it was encouraged to take things set out on the community table! Sometimes people made an announcement that they bought something for co-workers, sometimes not. It was a rule that anything left on the break room table was a gift for others. Looking back, it's funny how many people knew that rule but didn't know a lot of others.

We had the "golden" rule that once a week we had an afternoon together were we bought something to share with others. Each on his turn. Could be cake,could be sweets or ice cream in the summer, but taking something that wasn't yours would have been the quickest way to get kicked out.
I guess it's again a cultural difference like the ever lasting debate about wearing Spedo's in public.

 

[ms.yt]

We had the "golden" rule that once a week we had an afternoon together were we bought something to share with others. Each on his turn. Could be cake,could be sweets or ice cream in the summer, but taking something that wasn't yours would have been the quickest way to get kicked out.
I guess it's again a cultural difference like the ever lasting debate about wearing Spedo's in public.

I didn't realize that you weren't from the U.S. I probably wouldn't have given you such a hard time if I had known that. Clearly, though, you can see from the fact that everybody has pretty much agreed that stuff on the table in a break room is fair game that it shouldn't be equated with stealing, at least in this country. It's a common practice that happens at offices (and teachers' lounges) all over the country, and everybody's fine with it. The OP even wasn't mad at people for eating the cookies. She was upset that the person she bought them from didn't label them or give them to her directly.

 

[krcit]

OP, I would want my money back also. I had an incident with GS cookies this year also. I ordered from a friend on the PTA's dd. I put the $ in an envelope with her name and GS cookie on it and put it in the PTA mailbox at the school. Guess what? the money took a walk. It was only $7 but I was so ticked off. Was it my fault for leaving cash? Of course, but it was for an an hour or 2-I was at the school at nnon and she was coming in the afternoon and this mailbox is for PTA members to leave correspondance with each other. I never thought someone would steal $ from a Girl Scout I replaced the money b/c it wasn't her fault but I left a note in the mailbox saying what I thought of a person who steals from a 7 year old
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[MrsPete]

Have you not ever worked in a place with a break room? That's pretty much the universally accepted rule. If it's out on the table, it's fair game unless it has somebody's name on it. Of course, that applies to food items. To compare cookies to stealing a purse or laptop is pretty ridiculous.

In our breakroom we have an easy rule: If you leave something in the refrigrator or on the counter, it's YOURS and no one else will take it. If you've brought it to share, you put it in the middle of the table (usually in an open dish with a serving spoon, etc.) and everyone's welcome. If you have something cold that's to be shared, you leave a note on the table saying "Banana pudding in the refrigerator -- help yourself". We never have anyh problems.

 

[Disneyadore]

I didn't realize that you weren't from the U.S. I probably wouldn't have given you such a hard time if I had known that. Clearly, though, you can see from the fact that everybody has pretty much agreed that stuff on the table in a break room is fair game that it shouldn't be equated with stealing, at least in this country. It's a common practice that happens at offices (and teachers' lounges) all over the country, and everybody's fine with it. The OP even wasn't mad at people for eating the cookies. She was upset that the person she bought them from didn't label them or give them to her directly.

I confess I'm guilty
The first time we visited the US I had to learn a lot. The whole tipping thing is totally unknown in my country. (You surely know the saying Dutch treat and going Dutch. ) Blush blush.
But we learned fast and we now we say were from Sweden if somebody ask.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I confess I'm guilty
The first time we visited the US I had to learn a lot. The whole tipping thing is totally unknown in my country. (You surely know the saying Dutch treat and going Dutch. ) Blush blush.
But we learned fast and we now we say were from Sweden if somebody ask.

Oh boy, tipping. Now that is a hot bed of opinions!

 

[Disneyadore]

Oh boy, tipping. Now that is a hot bed of opinions!

That is the greatest concern we have for our upcoming vacation. My BIL thinks tipping is not necessary so hubby and I decided to take the ALL tipping on our account. I'm afraid if we don't the "Sweden trick" won't work the next time

 

[OceanAnnie]

That is the greatest concern we have for our upcoming vacation. My BIL thinks tipping is not necessary so hubby and I decided to take the ALL tipping on our account. I'm afraid if we don't the "Sweden trick" won't work the next time

It's good that you and your DH are planning.

You should tell your BIL 1.) he should re-think that and 2.) He should be advised not to say that in public, he would cause quite a stir!

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I'm totally stunned that taking stuff from the people you work with is obviously totally excepted and normal.
Don't you think that is just plain stealing and that those who took the cookies should pay for them?

Yes... with a caveat. At my school, people leave treats out for others on the teacher's lounge table. Everybody knows that if it is left on the table, it is for anybody who wants to enjoy. If her office has the same understanding and they were left in the communal area, it would be acceptable for people to eat the cookies. Of course, in our situation only building staff use that lounge, we don't have outside vendors coming in like the OP does. I think it all depends on the culture of your workplace.

 

[Disneyadore]

It's good that you and your DH are planning.

You should tell your BIL 1.) he should re-think that and 2.) He should be advised not to say that in public, he would cause quite a stir!

Frankly my sister and I just told him to be very quiet and if he gets in trouble he has to stay in jail until the last day of our vacation Then we might consider to bail him out.

 

[floridascgirl]

I have always been asked to pre-pay for my cookies. Is this the proper protocol?

 

[OceanAnnie]

Frankly my sister and I just told him to be very quiet and if he gets in trouble he has to stay in jail until the last day of our vacation Then we might consider to bail him out.

Good plan!!

 

[itchin2go]

Just curious what you would do in this situation. I want my money back.

Someone at work was selling GSC, and I bought some (for me & my mom who is a Thin Mint addict). I had a pretty decent sized order. When the cookies came in, she asked for the money, I paid her, and she was to give me the cookies that night at the end of shift since they were in her car. She ended up leaving early and we missed each other. No big deal. I work with her on Fri nights only, and apparently she took all the cookies on Monday and put them on the counter in the breakroom, no note or name on them or anything. They disappeared. (of course)

Several coworkers admit they saw cookies in the breakroom, no note or name, and not in a bag or anything. Just a stack of cookies. Now I think I should get my money back since I never got my cookies, and she is saying it is not her fault someone stole them. I think it is her fault. What do you think?By the way, I also feel that I should mention there are several other people who paid for cookies and either didn't get them, or did not get what they ordered. SO something is a little "off" with this lady. I know I am going to end up with no money and no cookies, I just think it is crazy that this lady thinks it was ok to just toss em on the counter. Even if I had been at work, I would not have taken them if they did not have my name on them.

Next year I am predicting poor cookie sales for this woman. lol.

I would simply tell her that you never received the cookies. I would ask her to produce your cookies or refund your money. It is her responsibility to "deliver" the cookies to you. "Delivery" does not mean putting them in a communal breakroom without identifying them as your cookies OR telling you that she placed them there.

According the GS website, you can contact your local girl scout council if you are unsatisfied with the product. I would assume you could contact them if you never received the product also.

Only you can decide how far to take this. Whatever you decide, I would certainly never do any sort of business with this lady again.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I have always been asked to pre-pay for my cookies. Is this the proper protocol?

No, we are aught at Cookie Training and it's repeated to us many times that we are not to take money ahead of time. Now, does that mean som e people don;'t ask you to, I am sure they do but I wouldn't do it (unless of course it is family, etc.) But the actualy rule we are taught is NO accepting money ahead of time and it is printed in all of our cookie training papers which are printed by the GS of USA and not locally.

 

[belle&sebastiansmom]

No, we are aught at Cookie Training and it's repeated to us many times that we are not to take money ahead of time. Now, does that mean som e people don;'t ask you to, I am sure they do but I wouldn't do it (unless of course it is family, etc.) But the actualy rule we are taught is NO accepting money ahead of time and it is printed in all of our cookie training papers which are printed by the GS of USA and not locally.

That's interesting to know what is said in training. As I stated in a previous post, our leader is new this year (as all are the girls and moms, it's Daisy's) and she told us to get our money any way we can. Yet, these guidelines about collecting money last are not printed on anything sent home with the girls. I am looking at all the cookie related materials and nowhere is anything like this mentioned. If this is GS of USA guidelines, why isn't it posted on information that goes home with parents? Just wondering!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

That's interesting to know what is said in training. As I stated in a previous post, our leader is new this year (as all are the girls and moms, it's Daisy's) and she told us to get our money any way we can. Yet, these guidelines about collecting money last are not printed on anything sent home with the girls. I am looking at all the cookie related materials and nowhere is anything like this mentioned. If this is GS of USA guidelines, why isn't it posted on information that goes home with parents? Just wondering!

Because councils and leaders/cookie managers ignore this rule due to the need to "get the money".

However the official stance is not to collect the money ahead of time for obvious reasons.

Cookie ripoffs having been going on forever. I remember my mom as the neighborhood cookie house back in the dark ages. My house would be crammed with cookies and you could not walk anywhere.

With her people would just not turn in the money.

If you were a parent planning to steal the cookie money, you could go door to door, collecting money ahead of time with the orders and then sell the other ones. You could make double profit there.

It does happen however it is small compared to the number of GS's that are honest.

 

[erika412]

I'd want my money back too.

Make sure you keep us updated on what happens. I'm very curious now!

This was my daughter's first year selling cookies and we were also told to not collect money until we deliver the cookies. I'm a semi cookie mom so I did sort all the orders and had our troops all over my living room!

 

[dislaney]

Your coworker owes you the money or the cookies. You paid for a product and never received it through no fault of your own. She is responsible for getting the cookies to you or refunding your money.

 

[nephthys43]

i, too, smell scam... but what can you do? i agree with everyone here, i think you should contact her troop leader and let them know what's going on. they'll make it right for you.

now, if you happen to stumble upon any "lemonades" left in the break room, i'll be your alibi... i just wish i could find a GS who's selling those this year... they're my crack!

 

[tommya60]

I am a long time Girl Scout, a Service Unit Cookie Mgr and a member of the council Product committee. You do not pay for the cookies until you receive the cookies. That means you have the cookies in hand and then you turn over the money. This is in all the training materials.

Each Council individualizes the materials (mostly due dates). I haven't read a parent guide to the cookie sale word for word in a couple of weeks, but no money in advance is generally in there somewhere. We do allow an exception if the customer is ONLY buying Cookie Share cookies (cookies for donation--here it's to Helping Our Troops and the food bank). If there are actual physical boxes of cookies involved--no money changes hands until the customer is holding the cookies.

Call your local Council. Be preapred to give them information like the woman's name and the girl's troop number (if possible).