Staff Writer
The Girl Scouts have recently upgraded their cookies to the
Internet. Starting January, instead of waiting for a scout to come to your door
or finding a local booth, buyers can order cookies online or through a mobile
app. For the first time, Girl Scouts, as well as keeping traditional selling
methods, are allowing their members to participate in online cookie selling, a
program they have dubbed ‘Digital Cookie’. With the increasing dependency of
the Internet, the organization hopes to teach girls important skills that deal
with online situations.
“Girls across the country now can use modern tools to expand the
size and scope of their cookie business, and learn vital entrepreneurial
lessons in online marketing, application use and e-commerce,” said Sarah Angel-Johnson,
a Digital Cookie Director.
However it’s not all fun and games. Each council must choose
either the mobile app or a personalized website to use for their district. For
each option, there are some guidelines that scouts and customers must follow.
Per usual, the girl will begin the transaction. For website girls, they can
invite customers to visit their personal cookie website. Scouts can put up
videos and even make their own sales pitch. On the site, customers can pay by
credit card and get their order shipped or delivered. The website allows more
accessibility to long distance orders, as well as better marketing reach.
Customers can order their cookies anywhere at anytime. They don’t have to make
their choice immediately, as they would in a door-to-door sale. The mobile app
can take orders, track sales, and keeps goals. The app is accessible on
Androids, iPhones, and tablets.
Safety is the number one priority for the Girl Scouts. Before
making her personal Digital Cookie website, each girl, as well as her parent or
guardian, must take an Internet safety pledge. If a potential customer does not
know a scout, then the online option is unavailable to them. Scouts must invite
customers to their page, which has no personal information advertised. When
girls send out the email invite to their page, it is unable to be forwarded,
with any attempts breaking the link to the profile.
Digital Cookie is an entirely new feature. Apex’s council, North Carolina Coastal Pines, has opted for the website instead of the mobile app. Girl Scout cookie season begins on January 14 at 9 a.m.
