Booth Resources

Booth sales

February 13-March 29

  • Booth sales are a fun way for Girl Scouts to engage customers and sell cookies in high-traffic locations like grocery stores or events. Customers enjoy instant purchases, making booths such a success! 

  • Customers can pay by cash, check, or digital transactions through Digital Cookie. Volunteers should collect all payments and deposit them into the troop account. Use the Booth Sale Worksheet to track sales.  

  • To give Girl Scouts credit for booth sales, use Troop to Girl Transfer Orders or the Smart Booth Divider in Smart Cookies. Instructions are available in the Smart Cookies Manual for Volunteers

SETTING UP BOOTHS

  • Troops can start booking booths on January 1 by contacting local businesses. Check the Do Not Contact list on The Bridge for Council-Secured locations. Enter booth details in Smart Cookies to avoid double bookings and make them visible on the Cookie Finder. 

  • GSGI secures large-scale booth locations and covers any associated fees. Troops can sign up for these booths in Smart Cookies: 

    • Booth Lottery: Registration until 11:59 p.m. January 14; random selection occurs on January 15. Troops and Juliettes may receive up to three time slots, with one being a Premium location. 

    • First Come, First Serve:  

      • Round one: Beginning at 12:00 p.m. January 16 through February 1, troops and Juliettes can reserve remaining Booth Lottery slots and new locations. Troops and Juliettes can sign up for five time slots (two Premium) until February 1. 

      • Round two: Troops and Juliettes can reserve another five slots starting at 12:00 p.m. February 2. 

      • Round three: No limits apply after February 19, and open booths will also be available for individual Girl Scouts to claim in Smart Cookies by their cookie volunteer. 

    • Premium Locations: Marked with a “P”, Premium locations have stricter limits on lottery and sign-up slots.  

  • For booths hosted by an individual Girl Scout, only cookies transferred to her in Smart Cookies can be sold. These booths should not replace troop experiences, but allow Girl Scouts to pursue individual goals.  

    • Cookie Finder: If a Girl Scout wants her booth listed in the Cookie Finder, the TPM must enter it under the troop in Smart Cookies. 

  • Troops can set up virtual booths in Digital Cookie and promote them via social media. Sales totals are split among participating Scouts after cookies are delivered. Customers can pick up virtual booth orders at physical booths. 

GUIDANCE AND BEST PRACTICES

  • If there are two or more Girl Scouts at a booth together, there must be at least two unrelated registered adult volunteers present. This is designed to minimize risk and ensure Girl Scout safety.  

    • Safety: If two or more Girl Scouts are at a booth, at least two unrelated adult volunteers must be present. If only one Scout is selling with a parent, they may only sell that Scout's inventory. 

    • Booth Conflicts: If double bookings occur, work with the business and other troops/individuals to resolve the issue respectfully. 

  • Sales, including Cookie Share donations, should be credited to Girl Scouts in Smart Cookies. You can: 

    • Divide sales equally among the Girl Scouts at the booth. 

    • Credit Girl Scouts based on hours worked if the booth spans multiple shifts. 

    • Use the Smart Booth Divider for easy tracking. 

    • Bring Your Own Cookies: Booths are not pre-stocked. 

    • Money Handling: Have an adult manage money, and never leave it unattended. Girl Scouts should practice counting back change but hand money to an adult for safekeeping. 

    • Uniforms: Wear Girl Scout attire or pins for identification. 

    • Respect: Be polite to customers, say “Thank you,” and keep the booth area clean. 

    • Stay in Your Area: Don’t wander from the booth location. 

    • Clean Up: Leave the area cleaner than you found it. 

    • After Booth: Count money and cookies, return unsold cookies to the troop inventory, and deposit money into the troop bank account ASAP. Don’t forget to track donations—every $6 adds a package to your total and counts toward individual rewards. 

    • After transactions, hand money to a volunteer to store safely in the cash box. 

    • Keep the cash box secure, and avoid walking around with large amounts of cash. 

    • Bank money frequently, and never keep it at home or school. 

    • Reduce cash transactions by encouraging card payments when possible. 

  • When attending cookie booths, Girl Scouts and adults should remember to be thankful and courteous to the businesses that allow Girl Scouts to host booths; each venue has the right to cancel the booth at any time. Girl Scouts and accompanying adults should abide by all guidelines described on the Booth Resources page of The Bridge and the following requirements: 

    • Your time slot includes set up and take down of your booth, please do not arrive more than 10 minutes before your time slot and do not start selling cookies until your time slot begins.

    • Start packing up 10-15 minutes before your time slot ends; order taking ends when your time slot ends.  

    • Have documentation about your booth (booth confirmation email for Council-Secured Booths) on hand at all times.

    • Show GSGI pride! Girls and adults are highly encouraged to wear their uniform, clothing, and/or pins that identify them as Girl Scouts.

    • Be respectful to the customers of your location. Always say “thank you” to all, even if someone says “no.” 

    • Listen to store management and all requests from security and law enforcement. Please do not wander around the stores or yell out to customers.

    • Girl Scouts leave areas cleaner than they found them. Clean up any garbage and cardboard before leaving your booth location.

     

    If another volunteer arrives at the same time and place:  

    • Compare the booth sign-up in Smart Cookies; the volunteer without an approved Troop-Secured Booth or Council-Secured Booth confirmation email should leave.  

    • Be respectful of all parties involved.

    • Avoid:

      • Arguing in front of Girl Scouts—this is not the example we want to set for them.

      • Causing a scene in front of customers—you are representing our mission and our movement. Please set a good example for your troop!

      • Involving store management.