Like the rest of us, the Girl Scouts of the USA are having to adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic as they sell their annual Girl Scout cookies this year.
The Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) have gotten creative in 2021. The organization has partnered with Grubhub – a food delivery app – to offer further delivery options. The GSUSA announced the partnership on Tuesday, according to Michael Bartiromo of Fox News. Previously, the GSUSA typically sold their cookies door-to-door, through online ordering directly on their website, or outside of local shops.
Additionally, Girl Scouts relied on their parents to sell the cookies to their co-workers. With so many parents working from home during the pandemic, that option is no longer as readily available. Therefore, the GSUSA working with Grubhub could help with some of those lost sales.
Furthermore, the GSUSA announced that the Girl Scouts themselves will be working with Grubhub behind-the-scenes to fulfill orders. Grubhub will also be waiving their normal vendor fees for all cookie orders.
“A hands-on experience in managing e-commerce, local Girl Scouts will track and fulfill orders, manage inventory, and more, all using Grubhub’s back-end technology,” an official Girl Scouts blog post reads. “As always, the proceeds benefit the troop and council while providing another innovative way to safely run the cookie program virtually.”
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The GSUSA is also expanding its online orders, which will now be launched nationwide on its website. The expansion allows customers who don’t have any connection to a troop to have the cookies delivered to their door. The organization says the expansion allows customers to still support local girls while keeping their safety in mind.
“Beginning Feb. 1, customers can enter their zip code into the Girl Scout Cookie Finder to find a local troop to purchase from through the Digital Cookie platform for direct shipment or donation to local organizations,” the GSUSA says. “This additional contact-free method supports local girls while keeping their safety and skill-building top of mind.”
Girl Scouts faced issues with their cookie drives last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some made adjustments by setting up virtual cookie booths and drive-thru events where customers stayed in their cars. With more time to prepare this year, the GSUSA thinks this year’s drive will be safer and even more effective.
“We’re proud of the resourceful ways Girl Scouts are running their cookie businesses safely and using their earnings to make the world a better place,” interim GSUSA CEO Judith Batty explained. “This season, our girls will continue to exemplify what the cookie program taught them – how to think like entrepreneurs, use innovative sales tactics, and pivot to new ways of doing business when things don’t go according to plan.”
[H/T Fox News]
