Direct Sales FAQ
What is a Direct Sale?
Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois will be using a Direct Sale format to sell cookies for the 2012 Cookie Sale Program. Girls will have packages of cookies IN-HAND to sell door-to-door to family, friends and neighbors. Girl Scouts exchange cookies and payment in one easy step! No more taking orders, waiting weeks and then returning for the delivery and money collection. A Direct Sale Program condenses all that work into one simple step
Council will provide you with the information, guidelines, training and tools that your troop will need in order to make sure that your cookie sale runs as smoothly as possible. Your Service Unit Product Manager will be in contact with you about training and materials. Girl Scout Cookie Sale Trainings will take place during December and January.
Why a Direct Sale?
Volunteers, parents and customers have asked us to simplify the Cookie Sale Program for years. The Direct Sale will:
- Be less time consuming for customers, girls, parents and volunteers.
- Reduce order and delivery to one easy step.
- Give girls opportunities to sell more cookies and earn more money for troop activities.
- Give the girls cookies in-hand for customers' immediate gratification and more sales!
How will troops know how many cookies to order?
Statistics show that troops sell up to 10% MORE cookies than they do in a traditional order taking sale. We recommend that existing troops order at least 105% of their previous year's cookie sale. We recommend that new troops order at least 105% of their age level's average cookie sales. These numbers will be provided to you on a spreadsheet that will help you calculate your order.
To get you acquainted with the new Direct Sale, this year we are offering a return option on your initial order!
We are encouraging troops to order 12 cases per girl. This equals 144 packages (145 packages is our council goal). Troops that order an average of 144 packages per girl will be allowed to return some if they don't sell!
Guidelines:
- Troop initial order must average at least 12 cases per girl.
- Troops may return up to two cases per girl if they need to.
- Returns must be made by February 29, 2012 to a Leadership Center.
- Please call ahead to arrange for a return time.
Can troops get more cookies?
Yes! Based on other councils' experiences, we anticipate a very high volume of reorders during the first two weeks. Many extra Cookie Cupboards will be open only during the first two weeks to accommodate this high volume. Some Cookie Cupboards will be open during the entire sale and will be accessible for troop leaders to pick up more cookies.
Will girls still have cards?
Yes, girls will use cookie cards to:
- Track sales (girls can use this information to contact customers for reorders).
- Take a customer's order when they don't have the variety if cookies available the customer desires in-hand. Troop leaders may pick up more cookies from a Cookie Cupboard.
- Track orders from parents' workplaces (if permitted).
How do I store all these "pre-ordered" cookies?
Storage should not be any more of an issue that it has been in the past. If you find that you do not have enough storage space for the cookies, please ask parents to help store and distribute the cookies. We are recommending that troop leaders disperse the cookies to the girls on Friday, February 10th along with the cookie cards. This way, the girls will be able to have the cookies in-hand as they go out and begin to sell the following day.
Will we still have Cookie Booths?
Yes, Girl Scout Troops may begin to hold Cookie Booths on February 17, 2012. In order to "streamline" the process for troop leaders and cupboard managers, we will be utilizing the "Planned Order" option in Snap to pre-order all booth sale cookies. You will receive more information and training on this process at your Troop Product Manager training.
Want to get a jump start on your troop's cookie sale?
Encourage the Girl Scouts in your troop to participate in the Virtual Cookie Sale Program!
Girls will be able to log in to www.abcsmartcookies.com starting on January 18 to create and send e-cards to friends and family to notify them of the sale.
To add to the fun, girls who create and send 12 or more e-cards between January 18-28 will earn a special cookie sale button!
Other cookie pages: Cooke Sale Program Page | Recognitions | Important Dates | Sneak Peek
