Product Sales Program Overview
The Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada supports fall product sales and the spring cookie program. These voluntary program activities provide many opportunities for girls to develop money management and business skills, leadership abilities, group decision making and goal setting.
Girl Scout troops/groups and individually registered Girl Scouts (IGM) have an opportunity to provide financing by participating in council sponsored product sales. Girls may use their money for council programs, service unit events, recognitions, books, uniform items and camp. Product sales activities also provide financial support to the council. These funds provide volunteers with resources, training, program facilities, and support staff. Any girl who is a registered member may participate in the sale. It is also recommended that any adult who wishes to participate be a registered member of Girl Scouts also.
The safety and security of our girl members are our primary concern. That is why Girl Scouts councils have guidelines that must be followed when girls sell council sponsored products. Each girl participating must have written permission from her parent or guardian. Girls over 12 may use the "buddy system" when selling, younger girls must be accompanied by an adult.
Direct Benefits
Product Sales are program-based activities for girls. Supporting materials and activities encourage the development of valuable LIFE SKILLS such as:
- Responsibility…through gathering orders and turning in information on time.
- Communication skills…through talking to customers about the products and how the funds will be used.
- Financial and math skills…through adding orders, making change and tracking money.
- Entrepreneurial skills…through creating new ways to sell and distribute products.
- Self-reliance/self-confidence…by overcoming shyness, learning to talk to others, setting and achieving group and personal goals, and discovering new strengths.
- Teamwork…by working with others for the benefit of all.
- Goal-setting and planning…through having a framework for meeting goals.
- Honesty and integrity…through using a meaningful set of values, The Girl Scout Promise and Law, to guide their actions.
Indirect Benefits
On a broader scope, girls benefit by participating in a wide range of Girl Scout activities made possible by the local council with proceeds from its annual product sales activities. The revenue helps to provide the financial assistance needed to make Girl Scouting available for all girls, to fund special events and other program opportunities, to keep event/camp fees for all members to a minimum, to improve and maintain camp and other activity sites, and to recruit and train volunteer leaders.
Benefits to Girls
All of the money earned from product sales activities stays within the local Girl Scout council to supply essential services to troops, groups, and girls. This includes providing program resources and communication support, training adult volunteers, and conducting special events. It also includes the assets earned by those who participate in this program. Girls, working in partnership with their volunteer or staff advisors, determine what Girl Scout funds will be used for during the membership year.
Revenue from product sales activities helps keep Girl Scouting affordable and provides the financial assistance needed to make Girl Scouting available for all girls. In general, these program activities account for a significant portion of a council’s operating budget. Therefore, these activities are critical to local Girl Scouting in that they make Girl Scouting, in large measure, self-supporting for the council.
Basic Online Guidance for Product Sales
Girls can use email and age appropriate Internet functions as online marketing tools to let family,friends, and former customers know about the sale and collect indications of interest. Any use of the Internet as an online marketing tool by councils and girls must adhere to current GSUSA and Internet provider guidelines related to:
- Safety
- Internet etiquette
- Age requirements
- Parent/guardian permission
- Adult oversight
- Council jurisdiction (by ZIP codes of the council)
Guidelines
for online product sales include use of parentally supervised email and
texting as a marketing tool, and/or use of a customer commitment tool
(such as an ecard or blind email provided by product vendors) to communicate
with family, friends, and former customers.
- Product related email is not intended to be spam (unwanted email).
Girls or their parents should not broadcast emails to parental membership
lists or place of employment email directories.
- Girls or their parents or a third party may not accept payment for Girl Scout product to be sold by girls online, with the exception of Girl Scout magazine vendors.
- Customer email addresses from current and past years should be treated with respect, and girls should be instructed on privacy issues.
As a Girl Scout, girls must never:
- Use or post a personal email, personal street address, or phone number on a site. Instead, use a blind email provided by GSUSA approved vendors, a group email address, or an email address shared by an adult)
- Take orders from prospective customers outside of the council’s Zip code. Refer an online prospect from outside the council’s ZIP code to www.girlscoutcookies.org to find a local council that can deliver cookie orders.
Girls must stick to council ZIP codes as sales territory unless their council makes specific arrangements that are agreed to with adjacent councils (such as a regional mall shared by council customers). Even within a council’s ZIP code, however, girls and their parents or guardians must be willing to make delivery arrangements. Girls may also sell to relatives outside of a council ZIP code
NOTE: Product sales events should not be confused with the Family and Friends Partnership, which is the annual council fundraising drive that gives parents and other interested adults an opportunity to make direct cash contributions to Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada. Girls do not participate in the operation of the annual giving campaign.
NOTE: During Girl Scout Product Sales events and troop money earning activities, Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada follows all city and county ordinances which include:
•Selling hours: 9:00 AM-8:30 PM- Standard Time;
9:00 AM-9:00 PM- Daylight Savings Time
•All girls participating in product sales or money earning activities must be a be registered Girl Scout and wear the Girl Scout Membership Pin as identification.
•GIRLS NEVER SELL ALONE OR WITHOUT ADULT SUPERVISION.
For further information, please go to the Frequently Asked Questions for Product Sales, contact the Service Center or the Product Sales Coordinator.
Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada, 2941 Harris Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 (Map) • Ph 702-385-3677 • Toll Free 800-762-6032 • Fax 702-385-9278
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