Girl Scout cookie sales go high tech

Like books, clothing, electronics and almost everything else under the sun, Girl Scout Cookies are going online.

But whether the new digital sales campaign launched this year will sell more Thin Mints and Do-si-dos for America’s 2 million Girl Scouts remains to be seen.

“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, girls are able to set up their own secure sales pages online and email links to their select family members and friends. Cookie consumers can order online with a credit card and the cookies will be either delivered by the girl in person if the address is nearby or shipped to the customer from a central warehouse. There’s also a phone app, so the young salesgirls can take orders in the field.

Theoretically, a scout need never touch a box or talk directly to a customer again. But Eilertsen said the goal isn’t to replace traditional sales, only supplement them.

“It’s mostly a way for girls to broaden and diversify their skills,” she said. “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.”

Annabel Crews, who leads a first-year Brownie troop of second-graders and is co-leader for a Cadet troop of seventh graders in Sonoma, said her own daughters enjoyed setting up their own sites and personalizing them. It helps them, and their friends and family, track their sales. And yet, while her Brownies have sold 24 packages online, the older girls haven’t yet sold a single box digitally.

“I don’t think digital is the way to go,” said Crews, noting that customers will be more likely to buy a box of cookies if they’re holding it in their hands. And girls will have more of a sense of ownership if they make a sale directly.

In addition to old favorites like Thin Mints and Samoas - the top sellers - cookie lovers have two new flavors to try: an oatmeal Rah-Rah Raisin and the gluten-free Toffee-Tastic, which is selling briskly in Sonoma, Crews said.

Also new this year is a national recipe contest using Girl Scout cookies. For information visit Girlscouts.org/recipecontest. Deadline to enter is March 3.