The rumors are spreading…is Walmart trying to put the sweet, little Girl Scout cookie pushers out of business?
In a recent article featured on Advertising Age, Mom Accuses Walmart of Going After Girl Scouts. Jack Neff writes..
“Ms. Harquail was for years the “Cookie Mom” for her daughter’s troop, so she said she recognized right away the distinct flavor and texture of Thin Mints and Tagalongs, the Girl Scouts’ two most popular varieties, when she sampled them at the recent BlogHer conference in Chicago. Trouble is, they weren’t Girl Scout cookies. They were “beta” versions of Great Value products, which the retailer was touting heavily in a substantial presence at the event for mainly mommy bloggers.” Full Article
To be perfectly honest, I let out a small chuckle by the time I was done reading. It seems that Walmart is to blame for everything these days from polluting neighborhoods to keeping employees at poverty levels and now taking down the Girl Scouts.
Sure, buying Girl Scout cookies supports an ideally wonderful organization but at the end of the day, I’d rather keep an extra buck or two in my pocket by buying a tasty and more affordable alternative year round. Now I’m not saying I won’t buy Girl Scout cookies in the future, I always do and will happily support them. That is if the prices don’t start getting anymore ridiculously high. This year we paid $3.50 a box. That’s a hefty price for a cookie that really isn’t all that unique. Keebler has been making the Grasshopper cookie for years that is one heck of a Thin Mint clone. So really come on now, I HIGHLY doubt Great Value (Walmart’s brand) will put a major dent in the Girl Scout funds.
If the Girl Scouts are REALLY that worried about losing their cookie monopoly, how about making them more affordable for the people that support them. It’s a competitive world out there and rather than trying to monopolize a market under the guise of sweet little girls, keep the prices reasonable. Oh and would you bakers kindly bring back the vanilla sandwich cookies? I really miss those!
And yes, I did spend 3 years as a Girl Scout many years ago. To be honest, it wasn’t that great of an experience. Aside from being used as their little saleslady, our troop meetings were spent sitting in the school gym doing craft projects and listening to the “mean girls” gossip about the rest of us that didn’t have all the bells and whistles that our parents couldn’t afford to coordinate the uniform.
I don’t know, maybe I’m missing the point, any thoughts?
About Cat Davis
I agree with you. I was a girl scout growing up too. But really you can only get them once a year and the price goes up almost every year. We always buy a box or two but like you I would rather have the more affordable tastier version anytime I want it. And like you said Wal-mart is not the first company to make a similar cookie. I really don’t think the Girl Scouts need to worry.
I agree. I was a brownie, never a girl scout. The meetings were really boring. I mean seriously, girl scout cookies have been around for decades. They never thought that eventually, someone else would be able to make something that tasted the same?!?!
Personally, I LOVE Walmart. There are plenty of places out there that pay the same, or even less. And, normal people that don’t have tons of money can afford to shop there and get quality clothes for way less. I just went there the other day and spent less than $50 on a pair of jeans, 2 shirt, a pair of panties, a bike innertube for my son and a few other things. Where else can you do that?
Sorry for the long comment, but it just gets really annoying when you constantly hear people complaining about stupid petty things.
People should also do their research on how much the Girl Scouts get from trying to push these cookies. The girls themselves get pennies out of these boxes. We refuse to buy them. Instead we give the girls a cash donation. All of our donation goes to the troop for the badges and such and not just the 50 cents.
Thank you for pointing that out. I am a GS leader of 5 years now…this past year my girls only earned $.55 off each box sold. So to me it would make sense to me to participate in a more profitable fundraiser……BUT the Girl Scout Council will not allow that…..Every troop muct participate in the cookie sale or we can not earn any money any other way. So, I personally appreciate eveybody’s commitment to GS cookies….But, I do agree that they are too high priced….and I am concerned about Walmart Cloning them.
I did girl scouts too and to be honest I didn’t like it all that much. My daughter was in girl scouts too and hated it! I didn’t like it b/c the mom troop leaders were always fighting…GREAT way to support and teach our girls! I agree that the GS cookie prices are crazy! $3.50 for a small box of cookies? I can get a HUGE box at Wal-Mart for $3! I love WMs prices! I think it’s silly to say that WM is stealing their products.
well I am far from a fan of Wal Mart, it always makes me sad and depressed when I leave. BUT i will say GS need to buck up. the economy sucks and in this world there will always be competition!
heck even charities compete for money, why not this? it is the american way. and GS cookies are so outrageously over priced. crazy.
Well, who doesn’t love it when those Girl Scouts come knocking on the door?! This year after I filled out my order form the little girls said, “WOW, you’ve bought the most out of anybody!” LOL! Yes, I was upset that the boxes were smaller and that they cost more. But, I’ll always buy them AND I’ll buy them year round at Wal-Mart!! Gotta love their low, low prices EVERYDAY!
I almost never shop at Wal-Mart for several reasons I won’t get into here. So, I guess I’m saying that I won’t ever buy the ones that Walmart makes. I wouldn’t want to support them in any way, especially if it is hurting the GS.
I’m pretty sure I’m in the minority here, so I will be perfectly clear up front: I do not like Wal-Mart. There, I said it.
With that out of the way, I can say I was also a Brownie and Girl Scout for years; my mom was even the “Cookie Mom” a few times. I do NOT understand why they are so expensive these days and it’s totally annoying. But I still buy them every year. Am I buying for the value? No. Am I buying because I can’t live with out Tagalong? No. I’m buying because it supports some little girls, a good organization and, yes, because they taste good.
While I doubt Wal-Mart will really take away business, I do think it’s shady to start producing multiple cookie flavors that are super-similar to Girl Scout Cookies. If it were one flavor it might be a coincidence, but to roll out (or is it “roll down”?) several cookies that resemble GSCs is obnoxious. (Good business model? Probably. But still obnoxious.)
Very well said! And I agree with you completely. I was a Girl Scout leader for my oldest daughter’s troop several years ago and it was ALL about the cookies so while the organization is a great one (if you find a leader who cares) when you don’t have that it becomes all about who can sell the most and it’s just one bug huge competition that really takes the focus away from the girls!
I’m not a Wal Mart fan, but I DO agree with you. I was a girl scout and while I did like participating, there is no reason to charge what they do when I can now go to walmart and get it for cheaper. What it comes down to for me is saving money. Not to say I won’t support my neighbor as a girl scout, I just won’t purchase as much from her
It’s all fun and games until they take your pennies away
I can’t help but roll my eyes every time I hear anything about Walmart. I don’t have to choose going or not, because we actually don’t have one. You know that if she hadn’t said anything less people would realize it.
I have to say that I really agree with I like it Frantic, it makes more sense to donate cash. I be those girls could put in tons less effort and make more from a car wash. Wal-Mart “taking them down” might be beneficial to them.
Honestly, I agree with you. I was a girl scout for like a year and I really can’t remember it at all now when I look back.
We have no problem supporting the organization, but in this recession, people have to learn to scrimp and save what they can.
It’s every person for themselves in other words.
i must agree with you! I adore the Thin Mint cookies, I even bought TONS of Thin Mint Blizzards whenever Dairy Queen was making them.. But my-oh-my, they are expensive.
And if they can’t cut down on their price, it’s quite understandable as to why Walmart would make some cheaper.. Girl Scouts or not, it’s a business and the cheaper priced, the more sold.
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It is amazing how much people like to blame Wal Mart for all the problems (real or made up) in the world. I understand the need of the Girl Scouts to charge so much for their product – that is how they make money. But ya know what? Most people by Girl Scout Cookies to support the Girl Scouts (or if you are like me because you cannot say no to the little girl) not because they are itching for the cookie. So, yeah it made me chuckle too.
Why is everyone blaming Walmart always LOL
I put my two oldest daughters in Girl Scouts once. They had meetings at the leaders house once every two weeks. They only did one function at a local church and we did have to stand outside a grocery store for a few hours to sell cookies. My daughters didn’t get much out of it but at least they can say they were Girl Scouts, LOL. I will also buy a box of cookies if I have the extra money if I see the girls outside the store I am shopping at.
I love Walmart, but I rarely shop the Supercenters anymore. we have their Neighborhood Markets which are much more convienant! I usually buy a box or 2 of cookies from our neighbors that are GS, but I also think they are way over priced. my dh loves the Thin Mints, so I’ll have to get him some at Walmart
What walmart sells cookies?? Imagine that So does everyother retailer out there. People don’t buy girls scout cookies just for the taste…..they buy them for the cute little girl asking them to purchase
My dd is in the Girl Scouts right now and yes we sold over 350+ boxes of cookies last yr.
OUR family buying 6 alone.
Our local girl organization does so much with the girls they had a around the world craft session where the girls made a craft from each of the different countrys. My dd loved this one. They did a tour trip to the library with guest speakers(dang if I could remember who it was but I heard about it for weeks)
There was a ton of other trips and things that they did including decorating the village xmas tree.
Girl Scouts are a fantastic organization and they are finding other ways to bring in revenue.
****OH AND BY THE WAY all cookies are NOT sold at the same PRICE. Imagine being at a Party where there are 5 girl scouts and all of us are selling them for a different price.
GUESS WHO GETS THE SALE??
Wrong! the girl who lives closer to you. (guaranteed to get your cookies!)
psst and that’s coming from a MOM who’s son was fired from Walmart for showing up late but it was ok to make him work in 100 degree weather and not allow them to have water while they worked. NICE HUH!
Well, I love both WalMart and Girl Scout cookies — so sue me! I buy the GS cookies from the FIRST firl who asks me, then that is it, of I would go broke, there are so many girl scouts in our community. I love the thin mints ~ I even keep them in the freezer and me and The Hubs can eat an entire sleeve in one sitting (BAD for us, I know). I would definitely buy them at WalMart if they sold the same kind of cookie because I love the taste, then I wouldn’t buy so many from the GS and eat them all at once. But, I would still buy from the GS, just to support them, they do a lot in our community, they are very visable.
To each their own…