I'm very surprised some of you haven't gotten cookies yet. We got our first round of orders on Jan 27th and have had 3 cookie booths already.
It is very annoying that the troop only gets to keep .85 cents per box.
They pushed back our start date almost two months so we wouldn't have supply shortages. And now there are no cookies. And we only keep 65 cents of each box - even though they raised the cost to $6/box.
That's very frustrating on both accounts. I'm sorry.
They pushed back our start date almost two months so we wouldn't have supply shortages. And now there are no cookies. And we only keep 65 cents of each box - even though they raised the cost to $6/box.
Ours are only $4 a box. Except for S'mores and the Toffee ones. I didn't realize different areas have different prices!
This is news to me too! All of our boxes are $5 except S'mores and Toffees are $6.
Post by wesleycrusher on Mar 7, 2023 14:20:09 GMT -5
Baseline our troop get $.80 cents per box, but with meeting some other goals they will get $.90.
As I understand it- we cannot solicit donations for out troop, but can take them when offered (no donation jar at the cookie booth, but if someone says "keep the change" then we can take it).
I am the cookie parent for our troop this year, and it is a lot of extra work. Luckily there are only 5 girls in DD's troop, so it's not a huge volume.
Post by gretchenindisguise on Mar 7, 2023 14:22:36 GMT -5
There were some aspects of girl scouts I really liked (troop camping and summer camps in particular were quite valuable to L). We thought about staying in to get the CEO letter for college, but that requires doing the cookie program every year you're in. Then a friend with a senior in HS, who did it expressly for that ceo letter - ended up not getting it because college admissions have changed so much it doesn't matter anymore. So we are quite at peace with our decision to bail.
Yes, every council sets its own prices and proceeds breakout, and different councils sell at different times. Ours is $5/box ($6 for s'mores and toffee-tastics); troops get $1/box. Sales technically start late December and we're wrapping up now, initial orders arrived at the end of Jan.
This is news to me too! All of our boxes are $5 except S'mores and Toffees are $6.
All of ours are $5. We don't have any that are $6. Wow, I didn't realize some places had $4 and $6 boxes.
It's especially hard when girls live close to the line between two councils. Last year our cookies were $4 ($5 for Gluten free), but neighboring regions were selling for $5/6. More than one of our troop parents had coworkers with girls in the neighboring council-- it seemed unfair for them both to be selling to coworkers, but one had to charge $1 more.
No longer a gs mom but man do I remember cookies. Such an unorganized PITA. We could accept donations if someone offered and we deposited it into our bank account or we purchased the cookies for the troops with the donations.
Our base a few years ago when we did it was like 60-70 cents per box and it could go up if we did other things but it was never over $1 per box.
What? Like the parent helpers? We did not do this....
Yes! If we help our daughter's at a cookie booth we have to register as a volunteer on the GS website and pay $25.
Don't forget the $10 for the background check! This year CA has added a 2 hour mandated reporter training plus getting fingerprinted ($32 at the police station).
This is my first cookie free year in a while since DD decided not to continue in middle school and I’m definitely not missing it.
What I have felt is crazy is how all of the cookie booths are basically cannibalizing the “traditional” sales. I’m supposed to have my DD ask our family, friends, and neighbors to order cookies ahead of time that she often doesn’t even get in hand to deliver until *after* the booths start popping up outside of every grocery store and coffee shop? Why would anyone want to tie up their money when they can just grab them at a booth (new/supply chain issue cookies notwithstanding)? This was particularly bad with the “go getter”/second round orders.
DS1 is in cubscouts and our pack seems to focus more on the booths only but everything is so freaking expensive I’m embarrassed to be out there peddling it.
Our council doesn't allow booth sales until two weeks after delivery so at least we don't have kitty's problem. Whether there will be cookies for booths is a different matter.
We did not even try this year. Last year DD (and I) busted our asses and sold hundreds of boxes and they flat out never sent her reward. They were “out of supply” and just never sent it.
I am so over it. I will say she went to sleep away GS horse camp and LOVED it and it was so affordable and eclectic in who she met so I guess the cookie money is going somewhere good.
Post by picksthemusic on Mar 7, 2023 16:51:45 GMT -5
Our cookies are $6/box here this year. Last year it was $5 a box except S'Mores and Toffee Tastic, which was a big hassle to work out at booths.
I'm the troop cookie cupboard so we've had people in and out of my house several times over the last two weeks, and cookies piled up in my dining room, but I volunteered for that. I'll be so glad when sales are over - it's such a PITA.
And don't get me started on the Raspberry Rally cookies that are now on eBay for $500.
I also wanted to say booths are like gang turf wars here. For instance, my store wanted my daughter and her troop to set up a booth and we were forbidden unless all the troops in the area could also set up there. And there are people who report you! One girl in our troop has a family pizza parlor which she sold out of and I think she got in trouble! Yet, Karen can blast all her office mates for Kensley and sell from her white collar job all season.
I wonder if we are in the same council because I just saw the email about the shortages. It's horrible because we're in the middle point where 3 councils meet and our council is the last to sell. We have friends who are done already and had no issues.
Post by SusanBAnthony on Mar 7, 2023 17:26:20 GMT -5
I feel like I am the weirdo here because we have no issues other than running out of the raspberry one.
Our sale has gone very smoothly and our cookie money pays for literally all of our troop costs (although we aren't trying to pay for big trips, just registration, uniforms, and camping).
Maybe it helps that this is our 8th year as a troop so we have it down pat.
Post by sporklemotion on Mar 7, 2023 17:30:35 GMT -5
This thread is so validating to me. My daughters are in different troops and both LOVE GS, but I almost pulled them over this shit. We didn’t necessarily have the issues you’re reporting, but the whole focus on it has really soured me. My older daughter’s troop is new, so they had insane goals just to cover expenses. My younger daughter’s troop was more reasonable, but neither of my girls has the time to do a lot of selling and neither met their goals. Oh well.
I am only involved in cookies as a consumer, but I am shocked that you get so little money! I thought you'd be getting at like 50% of box price. Cookies are $6/box here, and people have been set up in booths for the past couple weeks. Also as a consumer I hate the online sales. I always feel weird when everyone starts posting their kid on Facebook asking for cookie sales. Idk what specifically bothers me about it, but I'm bothered. And the shipping is crazy do they get very many online sales?
When I did girl scouts someone my dad worked with bought 200+ boxes and I thought they must be the richest person ever.
I am only involved in cookies as a consumer, but I am shocked that you get so little money! I thought you'd be getting at like 50% of box price. Cookies are $6/box here, and people have been set up in booths for the past couple weeks. Also as a consumer I hate the online sales. I always feel weird when everyone starts posting their kid on Facebook asking for cookie sales. Idk what specifically bothers me about it, but I'm bothered. And the shipping is crazy do they get very many online sales?
When I did girl scouts someone my dad worked with bought 200+ boxes and I thought they must be the richest person ever.
Girl scouts as an organization gets a lot of the 5$. But a big chunk is used for stuff like council programming and maintaining and subsidizing camp. Girl scouts overnight camp is crazy cheap.
Post by pinkdutchtulips on Mar 7, 2023 19:22:39 GMT -5
Former GS troopleader/mom/cookie manager ... this year is the worst sh!tshow i've seen for GS cookies in Nor Cal. We foolishly, imo, agree to delay our cookie sale so other SUs can have enough inventory. Monterey GS have been selling for a month already! East Bay GS start tomorrow w/ an incredibly limited amount. I needed my fix so i bought from my friend's daughter .. in Philadelphia - worth the $15 in shipping for 6 boxes of cookies.