GernBlansten Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 $15 for a $3 box of popcorn is excessive. Especially when cost is probably about $0.75 per unit. Why not just ask for the $10 donation straight to BSA and forget the hassle of the popcorn delivery. I'm no Harvard MBA, but seems if you dropped the price to say $6 a box, you would sell three to four times the amount, mostly to people who wouldn't fork out the $15 for a single box. The people who really want to support BSA will still buy $50 bucks worth of stuff. Oh well, I guess when BSA realizes that prices are too high by not moving product, and units quit selling it, they will reassess the situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madkins007 Posted August 3, 2005 Share Posted August 3, 2005 I WISH we could sell something like a unique candy or snack bar selection, something that could be priced at a buck a bar, $10/12 pack, etc. With all of the smaller snack and candy companies out there, and all the beloved regional flavors, I think this would be very possible. Just think of it... "ScoutBars- Energy for YOUR adventure!" As far as district support, I also really wish I had the choice, as a parent and unit leader, to pay my 'fair share' via direct donation OR fundraising participation. Our council SORTA does this- if you did X amount of Popcorn you get a break on the cost of camporees, camps, and so on. At first, this ticked me off- but upon reflection, I like the 'pay as you go' idea better and better- especially when you retain the option of paying with fundraising, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickcpack25 Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 I fully agree that the popcorn has gotten too expensive. I work at a small company, 1 or 2 people buy 1 of our $8 items and friends and family do the same. If everyone would go to the council meetings and explain that their packs/troops will no longer be selling this product, then if the council wants a cut of future fundraising they would have to help come up with a better fundraiser. When I was a boy scout, back 15 years ago, our best fundraiser was always the pre-order frozen pizzas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie_Scouter Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 I think that the districts have to get the idea that you have to have at least one small item that people can grab on a whim at site sales. Instead, we've gotten more and more expensive items. We have one item that costs $40. I believe our cheapest is $8. We've talked with the folks who run the sales, and it sounds like they're kind of stuck with what's being provided by their vendor. An $8 dollar item might be ok for the door to door sale, but it's getting to the point that it's much more costly than just going to the store and buying a box of Orville Redenbacher or something. People like to support Scouts, but I think they're starting to feel like they're just getting ripped off. People have been known to ask our Scouts if they know anything about what the economy is like these days. That's why we think having one small item, say $5, would be a big seller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fling1 Posted September 21, 2005 Share Posted September 21, 2005 I can't figure out which side of the fence you guys are on... It costs so much! We don't get enough percentage! Which is it people?? It costs so much because you are keeping 1/3 and your council is keeping 1/3. Compare to what troops make selling Girl Scout cookies, and your eyes will open. Those things are expensive, too. But the troop will collect 10-20 cents (!) per $2.50-$3.00 box. High priced popcorn is a bit of a tough sell, agreed. But which is easier to sell to get to summer camp? $600 worth of popcorn or $2000 worth of cookies? Which is easier to put in your garage? :-) As for the low-priced item: Break open those boxes of microwave packets and sell them for a buck each. If you still have the tags on your mattress and feel uneasy about this, copy the nutrition info from the box and include it with the packs. My troop *hates* the idea of selling popcorn, and few do it. But I make sure the boys have the *opportunity* to sock away some money for expensive outings. I think it is a pretty easy money maker if your goal is actually to hustle up some bucks. (tip: focus your energy on the show-and-sell period -- easier selling and no delivery/payment hassles.) If you just go through the motions and get an order or two to satisfy your leaders, it will be more trouble than it is worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madkins007 Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 " I can't figure out which side of the fence you guys are on... 1. It costs so much! 2. We don't get enough percentage!" As for me, neither side. What I want is something that will SELL! A product people want at a price they will pay. Sure, there are pros and cons to cookies, candy bars, etc., but surely, with the creative power the BSA can bring to bear on a subject, we can come up with SOMETHING unique, marketable, and that can be sold for a fair price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FScouter Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 All prices are fair. If a willing buyer and a willing seller trade $40 for a bucket of popcorn, both are happy or the deal would not be made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueM Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Our local council has basically taken the "choice" out of selling popcorn..we were told very clearly that if our units did not try to sell, the council would not sign any money earning applications that we would submit for other fund raisers!! Traditionally our troop has not sold or just participated in a Show & sell, but this year we've been told that Wal-Mart is not allowing any show & sells at any of their stores because all their fund raising is going towards Katrina relief. (though there are other places we can) We also can never get an adult to oversee the sale..so that makes it difficult too. One of the things we have done in the past at show & sells was to open the box and sell them for $1 a package..people are more likely to just take a package than the whole box. Another thing that some units are doing is truckload sales..they'll just load a pickup up and drive through neighborhoods and sell it off the truck instead of taking orders and then having to go back and deliver it later. One unit sold $10,000 worth this way last year!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
packsaddle Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Some of the parents in this unit have the cynical notion that we are expoiting the boys' sympathetic appearance to 'persuade' customers to pay too much for the product. They think the custormers agree to do it for two reaons: the customer wants to maintain some nebulous standing in the community and they don't want to risk that standing for a few bucks, AND they know, a priori, that most of their payment goes, in reality, to BSA and the local unit. When confronted with this argument, after having chaired the popcorn effort for years in the past, I sometimes forget my counterargument. But even I hestitated when I saw the new prices this year. And I'm sure many people will glance at their wallet, then at the gas pumps, then at the popcorn....I went ahead and ordered popcorn again (even though I still hate the stuff) for gifts - but I didn't order as much. Edited part: SueM, This council also left negative incentives for dissent. Some of the boys really like to compete for the prizes, though, so we continue. Other units, as I understand, have the attitude that they are participating under duress.(This message has been edited by packsaddle) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purcelce Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 I told my crew if they didn't come up with any fundrasisers they were going to sell Trails End...They screamed in fear, and came up with a few fundrasiers. Popcorn can be a motivator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob White Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 It's funny that LOTS of scout units large and small make LOTS of money selling popcorn. Those that don't sell it, or don't do well at it, are always the ones who want to get rid of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleInKY Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Motivation is the major factor. Our pack does tremendously well with popcorn. Even when the council switched from Trails End to Campmasters. (mistake, IMHO). Our troop, which is comprised of the same boys and families, does not do as well. Several reasons - popcorn "fatigue", lack of prizes, other fund raisers, competition with the pack, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevorum Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Our troop has always done well with popcorn. Usually, about half the guys pay for summer camp that way. However it is not popular with the scouts themselves, except perhaps the youngest ones, and we always supplement with our annual spring BBQ fundraiser. That is much more popular with all ages of scouts and is an easy sell to boot. For whatever reason, I think popcorn is well suited to Cub Scout packs, but is not quite as good a fit with troops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anarchist Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 B.W. There you go painting all of us with a wide brush again...Our unit(s) (both troop and pack) have a devil of a time with popcorn...we are rural...winding country roads, no sidewalks, long driveways (mine is 3/4 of a mile long) and hundreds of yards between most houses. Door to door sales are problematic and dangerous Taking popcorn "into town" 'crosses' into other units "territory"... a no-no with our district... and many if not most are self employed or work for small companies. We cannot support our unit with popcorn or any door to door items and that is the major reason we don't like popcorn sales ( that "it" is an over priced, value challenged endeavor ergo an ethical problem is secondary). Seemingly, B.W. (as always?) those in the BSA family with problems...are just whiners ... they just don't belong in your world of scouting...We all can't (thank God) live in wall to wall suburban housing tracts where going door to door is a piece of cake... (one shoe does not fit everone)...But we can have community wide church suppers, sunrise breakfasts, and BBQ dinners to help us get over the "hump"...and not have to compete with the GS cookies, candy from school track teams, Christmas wrap from PTA, discount cards from cross country teams, discount coupons from soccer the team and christmas wreaths, frozen pizzas, bedding plants and candles from several other school clubs...all of whom ask/demand of our boys certain amounts of "selling" time... and FScouter - you definition is incorrect..."Value" is not necessarily what two parties agree to take/pay for an article/item in all transactions. In the arena of "charity sales" a "monitary gift" is implied and understood as the primary reason for the sale and purchase...otherwise, why on earth would anyone in their right mind pay eighteen dollars for thee dollars worth of popcorn... The point most are making here(or trying to make), is the "gift" being requested seems to be getting larger and larger but the produce exchanged remains the same or even of less "value"...not only ethical but a financial problem for some units... anarchist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob White Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 Why do find it necessary to go on so. All I said was that a lot of units make a lot of money with Popcorn sales and that the only leaders who complain come from the few units who do not do it, or do not do it well. Nothing you poster contradicted that statement. If your unit's problem is geography then are you expecting that geography to change if you sell something different? To want to get rid of the product for everyone because you are one of the few units who cannot or choose not to make it work seems awfully self-centered doesn't it? If you want to sell something different go ahead, nothing has ever stopped you from doing so. But why must you criticize a program that works for most simply because you have not gotten it to work for you?(This message has been edited by Bob White) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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