Who can sell Girl Scout Cookies?
All registered Girl Scouts – and all girls are invited to join in!
Although parents and Girl Scout adults may assist girls, it is the
girl who makes the sale, sets learning and sales goals, and learns the
entrepreneurial skills that are part of the program.
Non-registered members cannot sell cookies or benefit from proceeds.
This is a safety and liability issue and is of the utmost importance
in guaranteeing Council can support and safeguard cookie sellers.
When do Girl Scout Cookies go on sale?
The 2021 cookie season for Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council
(GSACPC) is Jan. 18 - Feb. 28.
GSACPC is one of two councils in Arizona. The cookie season for Girl
Scouts of Southern Arizona (GSoSAZ) is Jan. 16 - Feb. 28.
When is cookie delivery to troops?
- Extended Area: Jan. 8-15
- Metro Phoenix: Jan.
16-17
Where does cookie money go?
If you are approached by someone who may not know how Girl Scout
Cookie proceeds benefit all girls in Arizona, be prepared with this handout to display at booths – this
will not only inform the customer, but it may also help customers feel
more generous!
What cookie flavors does GSACPC offer?
We offer a crowd-pleasing lineup of six delicious and widely popular
cookie flavors: Thin Mints, Samoas, Trefoils, Tagalongs, Do-si-dos,
and Lemon-Ups.
We also continue to offer limited quantities of two specialty
cookies: Gluten-free Toffee-tastics and the Girl Scout S’mores.
Meet all the cookies.
What bakery does GSACPC use?
Our Council’s cookies are produced by Little Brownie Bakers (LBB).
Visit their website for great tips and resources
regarding Girl Scout Cookies for girls and volunteers!
Fun fact: The cookie lineup varies from Girl Scout Council to
Council because there are two licensed bakers for Girl Scout Cookies
nationwide. ABC Bakers is the second bakery used by other councils.
That’s why similar cookie flavors have different names depending on
where you buy them! For example, LBB’s Samoas are called Caramel
deLites by ABC, Tagalongs are called Peanut Butter Patties, and
Do-si-dos are called Peanut Butter Sandwiches!
If a customer asks for a cookie flavor that you haven’t heard of,
it’s likely from ABC Bakers. Simply inform the customer of the two
bakeries and recommend a similar flavor/cookie type offered by our Council.
Where can I find cookies?
Use the Girl
Scout Cookie Finder app to
find a booth or troop digital order card (DOC) nearby. It’s simple –
just enter a zip code and choose from a list of locations. For
access on-the-go, download the free Girl Scout Cookie Finder app
onto your iOS or Android mobile device from Google Play or the Apple store.
If a Girl Scout receives her cookies before Jan. 18 can she start selling?
No, please wait until the season officially begins. Girl Scouts
cannot sell cookies before Jan. 20. However, they may announce that
cookie season is coming and when to expect order requests.
What should I do if I encounter someone selling cookies early?
Girl Scouts, both girls and adults, are governed by the Girl Scout
Promise and Law. We hope you'll remain faithful to these throughout
the cookie program and remind fellow Girl Scouts to be honest and
fair, considerate and caring, and respect the cookie program
guidelines put in place to ensure a fun experience for every girl.
We know that conflicts can arise occasionally. We ask adults to
remember they are role models for girls. Please do not argue. If you
witness people behaving in a ‘not-so-Girl Scout’ manner and wish to
inform the Council about it, our staff members will facilitate an open
conversation with both parties.
Can a Troop Leader ask parents to pre-pay for cookies their
daughter wants to sell?
No. Troop Leaders are not supposed to ask parents to pre-pay for
cookies. Troops should monitor the number of cookies each girl takes.
Troops should only give girls additional cookies after cookie money
has been turned in.
Can a Troop Leader tell girls they must sell a specific number of cookies?
No. Troops cannot assign girls a specific number of cookies to sell.
Girls should collaborate within the troop on individual and shared
cookie goals. Girls and parents should only take the number of cookies
they believe they can sell.
When should my troop pick up more cookies from a Cookie Cupboard?
Before going to the cupboard for more product, Troops should check
every girl’s inventory of unsold cookies and also see if another troop
may need to transfer unsold cookies. Only pick up more cookies from a
cupboard when these alternatives are not available.
Can parents sell cookies for their daughter?
No. Girls should always sell Girl Scout Cookies (not parents or
non-registered siblings). Please remember this is a girl program and
learning opportunity, and ensure girls get the full experience. If a
family member would like to sell cookies at work, their Girl Scout
should make a live or recorded presentation to the staff, write a
letter or design a poster outlining her goals and aspirations, and
then follow up with delivery, thank you notes, and call or email for
additional orders.
Can girls use electronic bulletin boards, like Craigslist, to sell cookies?
No. The safety of girls is very important, especially online. Girl
Scouts and their families should never post identifying information
(full names, phone numbers, etc.) on public-facing online sites.
Girls may only use the internet to market the Girl Scout Cookie
Program to family and friends – people the girl or her family knows
personally. When using social media platforms, the account should be
set to private.
Public online forums are not approved locations for individuals to
post Girl Scout Cookie Program promotions. These include, but are not
limited to Nextdoor, Offer Up, Let Go, Market Place, eBay, and
Craigslist. Public Facebook pages or personal pages set for public
view are the same as public online forums. Personal Facebook accounts
with appropriate privacy settings may be used to share information
with Facebook ‘friends,’ but not to sell cookies or take orders.
All online cookie sales should go through Digital Cookie (often
referred to as Digital Order Card, Digital Cookie Website, DOC).
Should any online marketing activities be identified as violating
these guidelines, GSACPC reserves the right to intervene and request
the removal of posts.
What should I do if my troop shows up at our booth and there is
another troop there?
Always bring a copy of your eBudde Troop booth sign-up list. Booths
scheduled in eBudde take priority. If two troops show up at the same
location, the troop scheduled in eBudde has the booth, and the other
troop must graciously depart.
What should I do if I have a conflict with a Troop Leader at a booth?
Adults should remember to behave respectfully and properly and
refrain from fighting over booths. Girl Scouts, both girls and adults,
are governed by our Promise and Law. All Girl Scouts are expected to
remain faithful to these principles throughout the cookie program.
If I have a conflict with a Troop Leader at a booth and can’t get a
hold of Council, should I speak with the store manager?
No. Store managers should NEVER be asked to mediate a dispute
between troops. We are guests at their storefronts and fighting among
ourselves damages our reputation and relationship with the store.
If you can’t reach the Council Product Program staff, contact your
Service Unit (SU) Product Program Manager or your Council Staff MSE.
You should leave the store and contact the Council at a later time to
resolve the issue. If you witness people behaving in a ‘not-so-Girl
Scout’ manner and you wish to inform the council about it, please submit what you witnessed and we would be more
than happy to have an open conversation with both parties. If a
presented issue is anonymous, the Council will not pursue the complaint.
What should I do if a store manager asks me to move our booth
away from the front entrance?
Please follow all instructions from the store manager, even if you
do not agree with their rules and regulations. Remember, we are
guests at their stores, and failure to abide by their requests
could damage our reputation, our relationship with the store, and
future booth opportunities.
When at a booth, can the
girls approach customers as they enter the store?
No. Stores
have asked that their customers only be approached when leaving the
store. Remember, we are guests at their stores, and failure to abide
by their rules and regulations could damage our reputation and
relationship with the store.
What if six girls show up at a booth shift at one time?
Please have two girls leave the booth and rotate them in during a
later shift. Booths should have only two to four girls and two adults
at a time. Stores request that no more than six people are outside
their store at one time. We need to abide by this request.
Can my girls sing and dance at booths to entice customers to make
a purchase?
Although it can be fun to make up songs and dances to encourage
customers to make a purchase, read your audience and ensure you are
professional in whatever you do. What you deem rowdy may be different
from a customer's or store manager's point of view. The stores have
asked that girls approach customers graciously. Remember, we are
guests at their stores, and failure to abide by their rules and
regulations could damage our reputation, our relationship with the
store, and future booth opportunities.
Can I bring a Trader Joe’s or Fry’s bag to carry jackets (or
other supplies) to our booth at Safeway?
No. Please be aware of the small details that make a difference to
the stores that support us. Troops should never bring a competitor’s
merchandise to the store at which they are boothing.
Can I booth at a liquor store or marijuana dispensary?
Girl Scouts cannot booth at any location that may negatively impact
the cookie program experience for girls and volunteers, and/or
negatively impact our brand. Therefore, girls cannot sell in or in
front of establishments that they themselves cannot legally patronize,
including marijuana dispensaries. Please email
pprogram@girlscoutsaz.org if you are unsure whether a location
is girl-appropriate. Remember, all self-scheduled booths must be
entered into eBudde for Council approval.
Can I booth with my daughter?
Juniors (grades 4-5) and above are allowed to booth at a 1:1 ratio.
This includes boothing with a parent or guardian who is a registered,
background-checked Girl Scout. These booths should be self-scheduled
at lower volume stores and entered into eBudde for Council approval by
the Troop Product Manager or SU IGM Coordinator.
Are you Girl Scout Cookie booth ready?
Want more information to prepare for boothing? Check out our
Cookie Season Readiness Guide – you’ll be ready
in no time!
What to do if a customer asks me about Girl Scout issues
that I’m unaware of?
Take the time to learn about common rumors and prepare to effectively
communicate in uncomfortable situations that may arise during
cookie season. There is also a handy flier for volunteers and parents/caregivers to
review and keep on hand.
When asked about issues you are unaware of, keep in mind the
following key steps:
- Please refer the inquiring party to girlscoutsaz.org/fortherecord or Council
Communications staff.
- Remind them our priority is to
let the girls learn and have fun. Ask adults to keep adult
conversations to themselves. Approaching girls with salacious
materials at a cookie sale is not acceptable, should be reported to
Council and will be investigated.
- Safety is important. We
don’t want members putting themselves in an untenable situation.
This is especially true if a person becomes agitated in conversation
– please remove yourself and girls from the setting.
Cookie Booth Essentials: How to Handle “What If?” Situations:
If you are still unsure how to answer certain questions, prepare
yourself with this Cookie Booth Essentials Sheet. Take it
with you when you’re boothing so that everyone has something to
refer to if a situation arises.
What is the Girl Scout Cookie Dessert Challenge?
The Girl Scout Cookie Dessert Challenge allows chefs from some of
the state’s most popular restaurants to use their culinary expertise
and re-imagine one of the ‘core’ flavors of Girl Scout Cookies into a
custom dessert menu item. It usually takes place every February during
cookie season. However, we are taking a pause in 2021 due to
COVID-19. Visit
girlscoutsaz.org/dessertchallenge for more.
How do I get featured in GS Connections or social media?
We’re always looking to tell the community about what GSACPC Girl
Scouts are doing! Whether it’s a successful cookie sale, special
service project, or a new leadership experience – we want to know
about all the things your girls are learning in Girl Scouts!
Please email stories@girlscoutsaz.org with details, as many
clear photos as possible, first names, and troop number if applicable.
To share directly from social media, tag us – @GSACPC or use the
hashtag #GSACPC.