Safety is the top priority while participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program and other product programs. Volunteers, families, and Girl Scouts should be familiar with and practice the safety guidelines outlined in local program resources as well as those available in the troop leader resources section of girlscout.org and in Safety Activity Checkpoints.
Selling Cookies Online
Before Girl Scouts open their online storefront, they should partner with their troop leader and their families to learn how to safely run their online business.
We know Girl Scouts and their troops are creative, and the Girl Scout Cookie Program provides the perfect opportunity to highlight this creativity. Participants can use vanity URLs to add a creative component to their marketing and learning (e.g. Shana’s Cookie Sale or Buy Cookies from Shana). Troops and Girl Scouts cannot use GSUSA’s intellectual property (Buy Thin Mints Now or Buy Girl Scout Cookies) as part of a vanity URL.
A few more online safety practices to keep in mind:
- The Girl Scout Cookie Program is a girl-led program; they should always lead online marketing and sales efforts, with the supervision of their caregiver.
- Girl Scouts engaging in online sales and marketing must review and apply the Digital Marketing Tips for Cookie Entrepreneurs and Their Families.
- Girl Scouts, volunteers and caregivers must review and adhere to the Girl Scout Internet Safety Pledge, the Digital Cookie Pledge, and Girl Scouts’ Safety Activity Checkpoints Product Programs.
- Posting individual or troop sales links to resale sites (Craigslist, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, etc.) is prohibited.
- Girl Scouts must adhere to all terms and conditions on the Digital Cookie platform.
- Girl Scouts of the USA reserves the right to remove or disable their link for any reason including violation of guidance, inventory fulfillment issues, safety issues, or if sales and marketing activity goes viral and otherwise creates unanticipated disruption.
Additionally, families, Girl Scouts, and volunteers should contact and collaborate with their council and GSUSA in advance of any national news media opportunities tied to their online marketing and sales efforts.
The Buddy System
Remember to incorporate the buddy system at all times when Girl Scouts engage in Product Sales. Girl Scouts should not sell or deliver cookies alone.
Adults should provide supervision and guidance for all program levels, and must accompany Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors when they are selling, taking orders, and delivering products. Adults oversee Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors and must be aware of how, when, and where they are when selling products. In addition, an adult must be readily available to them when they are participating in product programs. This can be accomplished by an adult being present with them or by having an adult and Girl Scouts exchange telephone numbers.