cubbingcarol 10 Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 Just curious if there is anyone out there that their pack or troop does not even sale popcorn. We do, but we got bit in the rearend when a few people ordered the $30 tins and then wouldn't pay for them or some other reason ie: moved. I'm considering telling people they have to pay when they order, unless I really trust them. What are ya'lls thoughts on this. We have also sold candy bars this last year and that went well. People seem to do better when it is an instant product. Carol Link to post Share on other sites
eisely 13 Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 Out troop does not participate in the popcorn sales, and to the best of my knowledge, never has. We do two carwashes each year and make a lot of money in two days with an intensive effort. Link to post Share on other sites
PNScouter 10 Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 eisley, How do you support your council if you do not sell popcorn? Do you give 30 % of your carwash sales to the council? Link to post Share on other sites
Eamonn 61 Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 You might want to go the "Show and Deliver" Route. Eamonn PS We do invite all units to participate in the popcorn sale. If they do or don't is their choice. Some units don't do anything for the Council. They don't allow a FOS presenter to come in and do nothing to support the Council. Some do a great job at the FOS and don't sell popcorn. Sad thing is when a member of one of these units asks for a Campership, not selling really doesn't look very good. Link to post Share on other sites
Twocubdad 665 Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 Our pack goes heavy on the show and sell route. Of course there is some risk involved and you need a track record to know how much product to pre-order. One of our local packs, a brand-new unit, pre-ordered a ton of popcorn and got badly burned when they couldn't sell most of it. The key to a good show and sell effort is pre-arranging your selling locations. We've got a great popcorn colonel who does a great job of getting us organized. As for the take orders, absolutely try to collect as much money as you can up front. The printed literature that says people should only pay when the popcorn is delivered is baloney. In addition to solving the collection problem, it makes delivering the popcorn much easier if it is prepaid. After two tries delivering popcorn, my boys will call the people and ask if it is okay to just leave it on the door step, which is usually okay. You can't do that if they've not prepaid for the product. Link to post Share on other sites
cubbingcarol 10 Posted August 24, 2004 Author Share Posted August 24, 2004 Thank you all for the responses, you have given me alot of food (popcorn) for thought! That brings up a good question about giving back 30% of profit to council when not selling popcorn. At least your unit would make out better in the end by keeping 70%. As far as the show and sell, that is risky, but if you went with mainly the caramel and microwave popcorn, seems like the best sellers down here, you might make out better. Thanks again, Carol Link to post Share on other sites
fotoscout 15 Posted August 24, 2004 Share Posted August 24, 2004 We have no risk with "Show and Sell" popcorn events. Council defines a time period (some number of weeks)during which "Show and Sell" can go on. All the popcorn we take for this is on consigement. If we don't sell it, all but any open 10 pack boxes of microwave popcorn can be returned. Better yet, if we have product left over, it is applied toward our "Take Order" sales. The only stipulation is that the "Show and Sell" events be conducted during the time frame chosen by Coucil. Link to post Share on other sites
Fuzzy Bear 12 Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 CC, To participate or not to participate is not the question. It is an invitation and not a demand or a quandary. Council has offered a fund raiser that the Scout, the Unit, and the Council will benefit from through participation. Few people (on the whole face of the earth) will not give a young person a Campership because the Unit did not participate in selling popcorn. Fewer will never even come up with that kind of an idea. The vast majority would not even consider for an instant that kind of unthinking. But, I know there are a few. I personally don't agree with the idea of selling an item for many times its' worth. It sends the wrong message to everyone involved. Some have justified it by calling it a donation. My personal belief is that if a person has to justify it, then it is not what it appears and it still sends out a bad signal. I believe in a good product for a fair price. Salesmanship is part of a respected profession and people understand it because it has to do with fairness. As far as having a unit fund raiser, do it and do it according to the Council guidelines. But don't think for a minute that you owe 30% to your Council. That kind of a donation is not expected nor asked for by anyone and would most likely be rejected. The Council will not fail because your unit decided to do something else. The Council is there to serve your Unit and the Scouts in your Unit and not the other way around. FB Link to post Share on other sites
Eamonn 61 Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 I don't sit on the Council Camping Committee. However I do know for a fact that Scouts who sell popcorn are seen in a more favorable light when Camperships are given. The reasons being that it shows that the Scout is trying to pay.Also the Council supports those who support the Council. If all the units stopped selling popcorn there would not be any money for the Campership. Sure this is a case of you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. As for value for money. I think value is up to the individual. I can buy a case of beer at a local beer distributor for about $20.00. I can go to the local bar and pay $2.00 a bottle. When I look at my bill from the club they charge $2.25 +15% and on the odd occasion when I go to Nemocolin Wood Lands they charge $6.25. Needless to say I don't drink as many beers when I'm there. I am painfully aware of the overhead that the local bar has and the club is going to charge me $150.00 a month even if I don't pop in for a quick one. I am not a popcorn lover. I don't have any idea what popcorn costs. I spend about $100.00 a year on the stuff that I buy from the Council. Is it value for money? It is to me. Eamonn Link to post Share on other sites
PNScouter 10 Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 I dont care if you participate in the popcorn sale or not, my point is you should in some way support your council. Our Troop does not generate much FOS money but we can sell popcorn. Link to post Share on other sites
FamilyMan 10 Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Our troop does the popcorn sales and, except for 2, or sometimes 3, no one does very well with it--especially for the amount of time/effort to do it. Obviously, we want to participate in good faith by supporting the council, etc.; however, it seems there may be other approaches that would be more productive for all concerned. When you find a serious moneymaker fundraiser that can be done anytime, anywhere that generates more money with less time/effort, it might be worthwhile to do it instead of popcorn and share with the entities that receive popcorn shares. We are giving this serious consideration having observed what others in the area have done with a program called Fun Money. Of course, there are the 2 or 3 that have an identity with popcorn sales because of their successes, so we may have to provide the options--popcorn, Fun Money or both. Its my bet that the success of Fun Money will quickly cause us to put popcorn sales behind us--but not at the expense of those who benefit from the popcorn sales. Link to post Share on other sites
EagleInKY 14 Posted August 25, 2004 Share Posted August 25, 2004 Our pack and troop both do popcorn sales. The pack uses prizes as an enticement. They earmark a substantial percentage of the profits for prizes. It's amazing what they'll do when properly motivated! An enticement for the parents is that - if we meet our goal - we will not do any other form of fund raising for the year. We've been the top unit (or close to it) in our council for several years. Our troop does not do prizes. The boys get a percentage of the profits back in their individual account, to be used for camp fees, dues, etc. The main motivator for them is that they get excited about the gear we get to buy with the profits. New stoves, tents, and the like, all make them very proud of the work they accomplished. But, it's not as big a motivator as the pack's prizes. Link to post Share on other sites
Fuzzy Bear 12 Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 I am curious. Does your Council track each individual's Popcorn sales, so they will be able to "scratch your back" when you need something? If that is the new Scout ethic that a Council lives by, then Scouting has blown its Goody Two Shoes right off both feet. FB Link to post Share on other sites
Eamonn 61 Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 On the form used for Camperships it asks about fund raising events. As for the "Goody two shoes." I have never thought of Scouts or Scouting as being goody two shoes. I do remember reading that a Scout is thrifty. Eamonn Link to post Share on other sites
evmori 11 Posted August 26, 2004 Share Posted August 26, 2004 Not sure I like the idea of those who participate in the popcorn sale getting preferential treatment when it comes to camperships. Seems a little political to me which isn't a good thing. Ed Mori Troop 1 1 Peter 4:10 Link to post Share on other sites
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