For the first time since its inception in 1917, the girl in the brownie uniform will not only knock on doors to ask people to buy her Thin Mints and Do-si-dos with a smile on her face. She will soon bring the whole business with her.
The Girl Scout troops are catching up with modern marketing techniques as they are now going digital in sales. They will still have to sell, but the difference is they're hoping that the girls would learn a thing or two about e-commerce and online marketing through a complete program overhaul.
"The goal is to make cookie sales more convenient, especially for girls who might have family on the other side of the country," said Anna Eilertsen, a communications specialist for The Girl Scouts of Northern California. "We're trying to keep up with the ever-increasing tech-savvy world to help girls learn useful and relevant online skill sets."
Starting this year, the girls will have their own sales page and email links for family and friends. They are also going to be equipped with mobile apps for faster sales transactions. And, for the first time in history, patrons will now be able to pay for cookies via credit card.
"This is a full on business operation," says Yahoo Finance's Akiko Fujita. "There's color graphs, trending cookies...I guess it is giving the Girl Scouts a taste of the modern economy."
Anna Maria Chavez, Girl Scout CEO, said in a statement: "Digital Cookie is a game-changer for Girl Scouts, and a quantum leap forward in the evolution of the cookie program, coupling traditional sales activities with an online sales experience that teaches skills like online marketing and e-commerce, all in a digital space that puts an emphasis on learning, fun, and safety."
But in no chance does Digital Cookie aim to displace traditional sales. The main goal of the program is to serve as a boost to already existing methods passed from generation to generation.
Eilertsen explains: "It's mostly a way for girls to broaden and diversify their skills. There's still much to be said for the door-to-door and booth sales. Those are just as important skills. We're trying to emphasize both."
