As a kid, I usually ranked in my school's top sales World's Finest Chocolate (I learned about corporate marketing at a very early age), and even still have a manual typewriter I won as a top prize. I'm not going to tell you what decade that was, LOL! When my kids were in Scouts, I was on District Council with the Boy Scouts and a GS Troop Leader and had to deal with fundraising efforts.
Factoid: the Boy Scouts keep a higher percentage of proceeds from popcorn sales than the Girl Scouts do from cookies.
The Girls earn $0.50/box (sold @ $3.50/box) and extra incentives, like $0.05/box if the paperwork is turned in by a certain date. Then, there is a rather complex set of rules determining how to earn an additional $0.14/box. So, their potential "profit" is a max $0.69/box, or just under 20%.
Compare this to about 33-35% profit to the Boy Scout Troop on popcorn sales and some really cool prizes to the Scout. Plus, the BSA promotes a tax-advantage slant to their "customers," as 68% of the sale is tax-deductible to the buyer (split between the Troop and Council). This is a terrific corporate marketing tactic. In 2007, if you made a $25 tax-deductible contribution to the Scout Troop, Trail's End, the popcorn producer, sent popcorn to our Service Troops. They still have a Military Donation program.
Your purchase of Girl Scout cookies are tax-deductible only if you do NOT keep the cookies!
Now, I do support my little neighbors selling their popcorn and cookies, largely because my kids went through all that and I have a soft spot for the Scouting programs. I just take the goods to work or class to share, or have movie night at home.
Diet conscious? Get the whole kernel corn to air pop, and stick to the lower fat/lower calories cookies and support your local Scouting organizations. :)
Comment Reply
As a kid, I usually ranked in my school's top sales World's Finest Chocolate (I learned about corporate marketing at a very early age), and even still have a manual typewriter I won as a top prize. I'm not going to tell you what decade that was, LOL! When my kids were in Scouts, I was on District Council with the Boy Scouts and a GS Troop Leader and had to deal with fundraising efforts.
Factoid: the Boy Scouts keep a higher percentage of proceeds from popcorn sales than the Girl Scouts do from cookies.
The Girls earn $0.50/box (sold @ $3.50/box) and extra incentives, like $0.05/box if the paperwork is turned in by a certain date. Then, there is a rather complex set of rules determining how to earn an additional $0.14/box. So, their potential "profit" is a max $0.69/box, or just under 20%.
Compare this to about 33-35% profit to the Boy Scout Troop on popcorn sales and some really cool prizes to the Scout. Plus, the BSA promotes a tax-advantage slant to their "customers," as 68% of the sale is tax-deductible to the buyer (split between the Troop and Council). This is a terrific corporate marketing tactic. In 2007, if you made a $25 tax-deductible contribution to the Scout Troop, Trail's End, the popcorn producer, sent popcorn to our Service Troops. They still have a Military Donation program.
Your purchase of Girl Scout cookies are tax-deductible only if you do NOT keep the cookies!
Now, I do support my little neighbors selling their popcorn and cookies, largely because my kids went through all that and I have a soft spot for the Scouting programs. I just take the goods to work or class to share, or have movie night at home.
Diet conscious? Get the whole kernel corn to air pop, and stick to the lower fat/lower calories cookies and support your local Scouting organizations. :)
January 28, 2009 - 6:35pmThis Comment
Reply