Welcome to the ninth edition of The Cookie Press for the 2024 Cookie Season! |
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Read on for more information about Pre-sales and Online Sales, Council Cookie Cupboards, Cookie Patch Programs, Cookie Promotional Images for Social Media, Initial Order Deliveries Have Started, Cookie Cupboard Reminders, Forward to Families, and more!
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- Cookie Pre-sales & Online Sales Begin
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- Council Cookie Cupboards
- Cookie Patch Programs
- Cookie Promotional Images for Social Media
- Depositing Checks
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- Initial Cookie Order Deliveries in Progress
- Forward to Families
- Cookie Chat February 13
- Digital Cookie Office Hours February 15
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For Service Unit Cookie Managers:
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- Supporting Troops with Deliveries
- Supporting Troops with Cookie Cupboard Questions
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Cookie Pre-sales & Online Sales Have Begun! |
As pre-sales and online cookie sales start rolling in today (February 8), we want you to have the info to best support your families. Check out the Digital Cookie Guide for Girl Scouts & Families to address questions asked by families in your troop and to give you the lowdown on using our new online sales platform, Digital Cookie.
There are three important updates to share with your troop families:
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- Online orders for in-person delivery are approved in Digital Cookie. The primary caregiver will get a daily reminder email if they have any orders on the site that need approval.
- All online orders for in-person delivery must be approved within five days or they will be canceled or donated, based on the customer's selection when placing their order.
- The Girl Scout’s site must be approved and published before they can log in to the Digital Cookie Mobile App. The Mobile App is your mobile cash register used to process in-person and booth credit card sales.
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Once you have set up and published your Digital Cookie site, finding the cookie site link and QR Code is super easy! Go to the dashboard or the Home tab:
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Families can use the QR code or cookie site link on social media, via text or email, on business cards, door hangers, or posters.
Girl Scouts can start delivering cookies on Go Day (February 16). Set a deadline for families to report their pre-sales to you. If needed, plan a visit or place a planned order in Smart Cookies to pick up inventory at a Cookie Cupboard. Inform families of when their cookies will be available for pickup. Remind families when they should be collecting payment for pre-sales, based on your troop preferences.
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Cookie Cupboards are your go-to for any additional cookie needs your troop has after the initial order. Here’s an overview of our two types of Cookie Cupboards:
Council Cookie Cupboards:
These cupboards are open to all River Valleys Troops and primarily located in larger metro areas. Check out Cookie Central for the most up-to-date Cookie Cupboard information including locations, a map, FAQs, inventory updates, and operating schedules.
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- On-Demand Council Cupboards: Apple Valley, Blaine, Columbia Heights, Eden Prairie, Mankato, Oakdale, and Rochester.
- Cupboard staff will greet you and take your cookie order on a tablet.
- No exchanges or returns are allowed. Troops may only exchange damaged cookies for non-damaged cookies of the same variety.
- Cookies can be picked up by the case or the package.
- Cupboards will be open starting February 16. For Go Day weekend, all on-demand council cupboards will be open the following hours:
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- Express Planned Order Council Cupboards*: Burnsville Express, Maplewood Express
- These locations are ideal for troops who can order in full cases and are in a hurry.
- To utilize these cupboards, volunteers must complete a planned order in Smart Cookies by 8:00 AM. on Mondays and can select a day and time to be picked up (either Thursday or Friday of that same week). Planned orders will open on February 15.
- Review the instructions on How To Place a Planned Order in Smart Cookies.
- Planned orders are made in full cases only and cannot be changed. No exchanges, returns, or damaged cookie replacements can be made at these locations.
- Cupboard staff will greet you and ask for your troop number. Then they will load your planned order into your vehicle. Volunteers will sign to verify their planned order pickup. You can take a photo of your signature sheet and use this as your receipt. Volunteers can verify the cookie count as your vehicle is being loaded to ensure accuracy.
- Please allow up to 48 hours for the cookie transfer to your troop to appear in Smart Cookies after you’ve picked up your planned order.
- See the table below for order deadlines and pick-up dates:
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*Council Express Cupboards close after week three of the sale.
Check out our council Cookie Cupboard Reference Sheet for the cupboard addresses, operating schedules, and more. Inventory Updates will be available on Cookie Central throughout the cookie season.
Note: A limited supply of the gluten-free Caramel Chocolate Chip will be available in our Council Cookie Cupboard locations starting on Go Day.
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Regional Cookie Cupboards |
Troops that live in Service Units that are not in close proimity to a Council Cookie Cupboard are assigned to Regional or Regional Express Cookie Cupboards. These cupboards are typically located at a volunteer’s home. Troops that use these cupboards must place a planned order in Smart Cookies by 8:00 AM each Monday to receive cookies later that same week. If your troop is assigned to this type of cupboard, the cupboard location/hours/contact information will be posted on your Smart Cookies dashboard before Cookie Go Day. Connect with your Service Unit Cookie Manager to learn more. Planned orders will open in Smart Cookies on February 15. Review the instructions on How To Place a Planned Order video in Smart Cookies.
Step-by-step instructions to place your planned order can be found in the Smart Cookies Guide.
Whatever type of cupboard your troop utilizes, the troop contacts will receive an email when cookies are transferred to the troop from a cupboard. The troop leader or troop cookie manager can designate another volunteer or parent/guardian to pick up cookies on behalf of the troop. Notice an error with your transfer in Smart Cookies? Complete the Cookie Cupboard Error Report form within 24 hours of your cupboard pickup.
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Here’s a quick rundown on the 2024 Cookie Patch Programs:
Cookie Pro of the Week: Whether it’s a hot tip on how to set up a rockin’ booth, a story on how a troop went above and beyond in customer service, a great marketing display, or a selling tip to share with other Girl Scouts, we have a new patch program to shine the spotlight on our creative cookie sellers! Troops and Girl Scouts can submit their stories on Cookie Central or use our Cookie Pro Submission Form. Each week we’ll pick a winner from all Daisy Brownie Junior entries and one from all Cadette Senior Ambassador entries. The weekly winners will be posted on our website, and will receive our exclusive Cookie Pro patch! Plus, the winners will be entered into a drawing for Cookie Pro of the Year where they can win a grand prize of either an escape room or trampoline park experience for their troop!
LemonAID Program: Girls Scouts can choose to donate to help Friends of the Mississippi River as an option at a select reward level. Donations will be used to support the work being done to help protect one of our greatest natural resources, The Mississippi River. Those donating will earn a special patch when they donate. The patch will be sent with the rest of the cookie rewards in May.
Along with these two programs, Girl Scouts can participate in our Cookie Care donation program and earn a special online sales patch for sales through Digital Cookie too! Get the full scoop on our rewards program linked from Cookie Central.
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Cookie Promotional Images for Social Media |
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram…whatever social media you use, it’s a fantastic way to help your favorite Girl Scout promote their cookie business. We have social media images and email signatures that you and the rest of your Girl Scout’s support team can use to help a cookie entrepreneur reach their goals. Check out our Social Media Image Toolkit for everything you need to promote your cookie sale.
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It was recently brought to our attention that Wells Fargo has made a change as to how checks should be endorsed. When depositing checks into your troop bank account at Wells Fargo, please endorse the back of the check with the following information:
Girl Scouts
Troop Bank Account Number
(Juliette Troops will use the account number on their encoded deposit ticket ending in 0544)
For Deposit Only – this is optional
Per Wells Fargo, this change is to make sure deposits are being credited to the correct account. Please note, if your troop bank account is not at Wells Fargo you should continue to endorse checks “For Deposit Only” unless your bank has told you differently.
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Initial Cookie Order Deliveries in Progress |
Initial Cookie Order deliveries continue now through February 15. Visit last week’s edition of The Cookie Press for all the delivery info you need to know. Whether you participate in a Mega Drop or Mini Drop, remember to:
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- Verify the cookie totals at the delivery location and again before distributing cookies to families.
- For any cookie miscounts, report the issue to us using the Initial Cookie Order Issue Form within 24 hours of the delivery.
- Set a day and time for families to pick up their inventory.
- As we get closer to Cookie Go Day, we recommend waiting to give cookies to girls until as close to February 16 as possible.
- Provide a receipt or have an email/text to verify the cookie pickup. Use the receipts provided in your troop materials and have the parent/guardian sign them before receiving cookies. Once the cookies are sold, you must also have a record of any money turned in to the troop for check/cash transactions.
- Complete a Troop to Girl Transfer in Smart Cookies to credit the family with the packages in the system. Verify that the cookies transferred match the receipt.
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In this section, here’s the info you can copy, paste & share with your troop families this week:
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- Pre-sales and online sales have begun! Don’t forget to set up your Digital Cookie site, then approve and publish it. After those steps are complete, THEN you can download the Mobile App so you are ready to take sales on the go, like taking credit card sales for in-person and booth sales. Check out the Digital Cookie Guide for Girl Scouts & Families if you need assistance or check out the Help section on the site.
- Cookies are coming soon! Here’s the info on when you can pick up your supply: (insert your details here)
- Remember, cookies can be delivered to customers starting on Go Day, February 16.
- Review the reward poster that was sent to your Girl Scout for info on the awesome rewards they can earn. You can also find details on rewards plus special patch programs like the Cookie Pro contest, LemonAID philanthropic donation, cookie donation, and online sales patch programs on Cookie Central.
- Keep in mind, Digital Cookie dashboards may be slow to update. There's a ton of information flowing between Digital Cookie & Smart Cookies. Eventually the information will appear but it will take time (and a helping of patience ;)). All sales will eventually appear and their girls will get their credit due.
- Digital Cookie will show a cookie fulfillment date of March 1st (see example below). This is a system setting that we unfortunately can't override this year. It was established by the last day of our cookie deliveries plus two weeks. This date will be adjusted on February 16.
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We can’t wait to see you on February 13 at 6:30 PM at our next virtual Cookie Chat. We’ll spend our time reviewing our Smart Cookies resources to help you feel prepared for this cookie season! Register ahead of time to get this Cookie Chat on your calendar.
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Digital Cookie Office Hours, February 15 |
Join us on February 15 at 6:30 PM for our next Digital Cookie Office Hours. We’ll talk about getting your sale started with the Digital Cookie Mobile App, approving your cookie orders as they come in, and a look at where all your Digital Cookie resources are as you start the sale! Register ahead of time to get these Office Hours on your calendar!
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Supporting Troops with Cookie Deliveries |
Cookie delivery week is full of excitement and logistics. Here are some tips to help you support your troops during this time. Remind troops to:
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- Verify their cookie case counts at their delivery location. Taking the time to count on-site will save them headaches in the long run!
- Report any miscounts to Girl Scouts River Valleys within 24 hours of their delivery. Direct troops to complete our Initial Cookie Order Issue Form to report any discrepancies with the total cases they received at the delivery.
- Remind troops that receipts must be provided to families each time inventory and/or money is exchanged.
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Supporting Troops with Cookie Cupboard Questions |
You play an important role in ensuring troops in your area know their cupboard options. All River Valleys troops can utilize a Council Cupboard location. You can direct troops to the closest cupboard location and inform them of the two types of Council Cupboards: on-demand and Council Express. If your Service Unit is assigned to a Regional or Regional Express Cupboard, remind troops to place their planned order in Smart Cookies by the deadline and direct them to the location and contact information either by email or on the Smart Cookies dashboard.
New Troops will be looking to you for guidance on how and when to pick up additional cookies from a cupboard. Share your inventory management tips with them, including information on how to connect with other troops for cookie transfers.
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