Local Girl Scouts will begin selling cookies Jan. 27 with a new twist – instead of taking orders they’ll be able to deliver on the spot. (Courtesy of Girl Scouts Wisconsin Southeast)

For first time, local Girl Scouts will sell from inventory instead of taking orders

When local Girl Scouts begin selling cookies Jan. 27, they will have packages of cookies in hand for the first time ever.

The Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast (GSWISE) has implemented a major change to the way Girl Scout Cookies are sold in Southeast Wisconsin – rather than placing orders for cookies and waiting a month for delivery, customers can now enjoy instant gratification when their neighborhood Girl Scout brings the annual cookie program to their door.

The new selling process, called direct sales, has been implemented in about 50 other councils across the United States and has been shown to increase sales anywhere from 5 to 40 percent.

Troops will pre-order cookies from the GSWISE council stock and individual girls will receive an inventory of cookies to sell. Individual girls and troops can return, exchange, or order more cookies throughout the selling period as customer demand dictates.

“Participation in the annual cookie program gives nearly 20,000 girls across Southeast Wisconsin the opportunity to develop essential life skills such as goal setting, decision making, money management, business ethics, and people skills,” said  GSWISE CEO Christy L. Brown. “We know the new format for the cookie program will allow this year’s participants to experience even more success, which will help them build confidence in their abilities.”

In addition to the new format, the Girl Scouts organization is also launching new cookie packaging. The updated packages showcase the five financial literacy and entrepreneurship skills that the Girl Scout Cookie Program teaches girls:  goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics.

The cookies available for sale include seven traditional varieties and one new flavor.

They are:

• Thin Mints (the No. 1 selling Girl Scout cookie in America last year)

• Caramel de Lites

• Lemonades

• Peanut Butter Patties

• Peanut Butter Sandwiches

• Shortbread

• Thanks-A-Lot

• Mango Cremes (New variety with Nutrifusion).