Will Popcorn sales become online only?

[RememberSchiff]

This spring, we witnessed the GSUSA suspend door-to-door and booth sales of Girl Scout cookies. As I understand, their decision was about safety for scouts and customers with input from leaders, parents, "the CDC, federal, state, and local authorities". Meanwhile, new health laws evolved.

Customers were directed to website(s) for online purchasing and donation. Sales plummeted, unsold cookie inventory was donated to front line heroes and food pantries.

Will popcorn sales or all fundraiser sales become online only? Should National or local councils make the call or will local authorities? Will the practice of warehousing retail food products in member homes end? 

A lot of questions, perhaps best raised at National Annual Meeting.

Hmmm,

Edited May 4, 2020 by RememberSchiff
added plug for NAM

[desertrat77]

@RememberSchiff, excellent issues.  Process reviews must be made.

While change is in the air, we should also change the product and dump popcorn as the item we sell.  It has been over three decades since the BSA adopted popcorn, yet it has never generated even a small percent of the nostalgia, popularity, and sales as Girl Scout cookies.  Not even close.

Popcorn has always been a dull product, with most folks purchasing it to solely support the cause.  Folks buy GS cookies because they like the cookies and to support the GSUSA.  I've never heard anyone ask "When are the scouts going to sell popcorn again?  I can't wait to buy an overpriced tin of old popcorn!"  I'm sure those folks are out there, but not nearly enough to make the sales movement worthwhile.

To paraphrase a comedian's joke about the cost of popcorn in movie theaters, "Why should we pay that much for popcorn?  Corn costs seventy cents a silo."   A joke, yes, but an apt example of one of the challenges of selling popcorn. 

There are plenty of other products the BSA could sell that people may actually want to buy.  And units could probably earn much more money, too.

Edited May 4, 2020 by desertrat77

[RememberSchiff]

Before Chapter 11 and covid, I sat with coffee in hand ruminating that National should provide easy tools for online fundraising and donations and not the product(s).

By tools, I mean a council/unit market place  website and credit card app. Councils and units could decide what, if anything, they wanted to sell online - be it jerky, BBQ sauce, discount cards,  camperships (donations) ,  Scoutmaster Coffee, 3D printed sporks, wreaths,  scout crafts, raking/wood stacking/shoveling services,...  or Schiff's great idea*.

Another $0.02,

* I knew you'd want to know. After working with scouts with Celiac, nut, dairy, and even watermelon allergies,  I think Scout Energy bars akin to some Kind bars gluten -free, etc. would sell.

Edited May 4, 2020 by RememberSchiff

[cgail]

I think we would have the same problems as the ladies.  In my Scout's experience, nothing beats a wagonload of product going around the neighborhoods.  Going online will be disastrous.  As DR pointed out, the product isn't generally the draw, it's supporting the Scout at the door, and everyone is looking for donations these days.

 

I like the energy bar idea.  We always did pretty well with the meat sticks as well.  I think the price point makes a huge difference in sales volumes.

[yknot]

It would be great to have a credit card platform that each council/troop could use for fundraising. Popcorn has to go. People want something useful.