GSA vs BSA

[Prairie_Scouter 10]

Corporate P&Ls are notorious for the creative ways you can hide things within them. Getting all the detail needed to really understand it for BSA in total would probably be very difficult, but would be interesting to see.

[ScoutNut 147]

"On money raising BSA Vs GSUSA. The GSUSA has huge money contributor in the cookie sales. Our popcorn sales can't even come close. Thus BSA dues must be higher to compensate."

Both the BSA & the GSUSA charge the same for National Registration - $10 per year.

"AFAIK, Girl Scout cookie sales fund National, Councils, and units. Boy Scout popcorn sales only goes to councils and units. Nothing goes to BSA National."

You have obviously never participated in a GS Cookie Program Activity. Just as with BSA Councils & their popcorn sale, the individual GS Councils pick their cookie vendor, set their cookie cost, pick their incentives & set their own cookie price & Troop profit, based on their council budget needs. None of the $3-$4 per box (average cost country wide) of cookies goes to National. After all of the sale expenses, the end profit goes to the individual council to pay council operating expenses. Nationwide, councils are desperately trying to reduce their reliance on the Cookie Program for operating funds.

[Tami the Mom 10]

With 2 kids going in to 6th grade, one in Boy Scouts, one in Girl Scouts, all I can add to this thread is that I pay the same amount for registration- $10 per year, and about the same amount on camps, uniforms, and activities for both. Much of my son's expenses are comped by the Troop's sponsor.

 

I would wonder how much money is invisible on the national register for Girl Scouts. We raise money as an individual troop. We sell cookies the same as everyone else, but we can also do a dozen other fundraisers that keeps our money within our troop. We buy our own supplies and such. Maybe that explains some of the difference. My Cub Scouts/Boy Scout raise money as a pack/troop. That means all 45 put their popcorn money into the same account, instead of breaking it up by den/patrol.

[Bob White 20]

"The GSUSA has huge money contributor in the cookie sales. Our popcorn sales can't even come close."

 

Another great example of replacing facts with opinion.

 

ItsMe, Please tell us what facts you have to support your statement. What was the gross sales for Girls Scout Cookie sales and then for the Boy Scout Popcorn sales for the year 2004.

 

Also, tell us what the gross profit was for the product sales for each program since it is very easy to have greater profits from lower sales based on the products GP%.

 

Next. Tell us how many BSA councils use Popcorn as opposed to other fundraising products since Popcorn is NOT a national program.

 

 

[Prairie_Scouter 10]

>"The GSUSA has huge money contributor in the cookie sales. Our popcorn sales can't even come >close."

 

>Another great example of replacing facts with opinion.

 

Bob, you must not have bought any GS cookies recently. The prices would lead ANYONE to believe that it's a huge money contributor. But, in the wonderful, wacky world of Girl Scouts, you can drive a little bit and find a Council that's selling cookies for a half a buck less a box.

 

Of course, with some popcorn products going for 40 bucks now, we can't really complain.

[tjhammer 10]

BW, before you blow an authority gasket (I imagine you in an office up in the attic, chugging blood pressure medicine, tilting away and ready to throw open the window screaming "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!")....

 

GS cookie sales are about $600 million business, and Weaver Popcorn (the company that owns Trails End brand) did about $90 million in Boy Scout popcorn sales. (But then, you probably already knew that, too.)

[ScoutNut 147]

My GSUSA council had the highest Troop profit on their Cookie Program nationwide last year. The profit came to only 21.25%. Most councils had significantly lower profit. Our profit was $0.85 (with NO incentive prizes at all!) on a $4 box of cookies. Do you have any concept how hard it was to sell cookies for $4 per box?

 

Boy Scout units get a minimum of 30% profit nationwide. Many councils give up to 40%. At 30% that is $4.50 profit from one $15 box of microwave popcorn.

 

Our Girl Scout Troop would have to sell 6 boxes of cookies to make the same profit.

 

Did I mention that NONE of the cookie money goes to GSUSA National. Just like BSA Popcorn, ALL GSUSA Cookie money stays with the local council to pay for regular operating expenses (bills like gas, electric, etc & salaries).

 

 

tjhammer - please quote your sources for the GSUSA & BSA product sales totals.

[Bob White 20]

Weavers is not the only brand of Popcorn used by councils and since popcorn sales is not a national product there is no actual national tally. I have been involved in selling two different varieties and the GP averaged 67% which was split either 50/50 with units or 60/40 with the unit getting the larger portion.

 

Most Girl Scout Leaders I have spoken with say that their troop s do not make anywhere near rthe profits from cookie sales that BSA units make on popcorn.

 

No gasket popping here I just think that its about time some posters account for the accuracy of the stuff they put out there.

 

 

[Backpacker 11]

Bob if anyone told you the sky was blue you would argue that it's red. Facts are facts and those presented here are accurate. Just because you talked to two GS leaders now you are an expert on cookie sales, gimmee a break, you probably misinterpreted what they told you like you do everything else. You answered your own question in your last post, popcorn sales are not a requirement whereas all GS troops participate in their national cookie sale, so of course their profits would far exceed popcorn sales. To state that troops make as much on popcorn as GS makes on cookie sales is naive at best, unless you can compare the top selling BS troop to the lowest selling GS troop and even in that case you would still be wrong. Look at council websites when they report sales totals and compare, the facts speak for themselves, or you can continue to live in your plastic bubble and ignore reality, as you do on most threads in here.

[Bob White 20]

Actually backpacker I am well aware of the actual color of the sky. It is clear. The colors we see are due to the filtering effect the atmoshere has on sunlight.

 

If a Girl Scout troop sells $1,000 worth of cookies, and the Boy Scout troop Sells $1,000 worth of popcorn, who would make more profit?

 

You see comparing net profit to equal unit gross sales will tell you which product is more profitable. Total gross sale would be nearly impossible to do since Popcorn, unlike cookie sales is not a national program.

 

By the way the Boy Scout Troop would make more.

 

And I never said two girl scout leaders. Once again when you lack facts you make up what suits your opinion.

 

BW

[hops_scout 9]

"If a Girl Scout troop sells $1,000 worth of cookies, and the Boy Scout troop Sells $1,000 worth of popcorn, who would make more profit?"

 

That isn't a very fair comparison, however. When you look at it, you'll see that part of the reason for a Boy Scout troop to make more is because their product costs more. Therefore, 30% of $15 is of course going to be higher than 22% of $4. Just because the price is higher does not mean that the product is better or of larger quantity. While it most likely is a larger quantity of popcorn than cookies, it should be due to the price.

[evmori 11]

GS cookies are more affordable. I paid $3/box and bought 4 boxes. For the same price I would be able to buy the 11 oz Carmel Corn & get $3 in change!

 

You tell me what the better value is.

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[Its Me 10]

Bob, first the post was a supposition to that of another posters comment regarding the reasons dues are higher.

 

The second is you are making the wrong compassion for unit size and organization a bay scout Patrol should be compared with a girls scout troop. A GS neighborhood is more like a BS Troop. So when you say troop sales compare favorably, you are comparing 50 boys with 8 girls.

 

Finally, the last time you started to get so worked up over every detail you had to take sabbatical for four months and resort to private messages because you could not control your own emotions during discussions. I thought that anger management period was behind us.

 

 

[ScoutNut 147]

Backpacker - Are you by any chance a registered Girl Scout Leader? Have you any first hand knowledge of the Girl Scout Program? It sure does not sound like it.

 

" Facts are facts and those presented here are accurate."

 

Which facts are accurate? The links to both of the yearly reports are accurate, yes. The popcorn & cookie numbers are not accurate facts at all as far as I can tell. No source was cited to back these up.

 

"popcorn sales are not a requirement whereas all GS troops participate in their national cookie sale"

 

Hopefully this is not one of your "accurate facts" because it this not true. While it is a national activity, participation in the Cookie Program Activity is not required of any Girl Scout or GS Troop. Actually, Daisy Girl Scouts, the youngest, are not allowed to participate in the Cookie Activity at all.

 

"To state that troops make as much on popcorn as GS makes on cookie sales is naive at best, unless you can compare the top selling BS troop to the lowest selling GS troop and even in that case you would still be wrong."

 

No Backpacker, you would be wrong. ONE (1) Girl Scout Troop, consisting of FIVE (5) girls, sold cookies in 2004 for a total profit for their Troop of $428.40. ONE (1) Wolf DEN, consisting of FIVE (5) boys, sold popcorn in 2004 for a total profit for their Pack of $685.50. The girls had to sell 504 boxes of cookies to make that profit (which was at the HIGHEST profit per box in the USA). The boys sold 177 containers of popcorn (which was at the average profit nationwide).

 

I don't know much about "plastic bubbles", but I do know inflammatory kaka when I read it.

 

[Bob White 20]

I am not the least bit angry over this Back Packer, and I am sure that any emotional state I may be in is of no real concern to you. What bothers you more is that I'm right...again.