Boy Scout Popcorn

pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
I'm a boyscout and at the age of 9 or 10 I refused to sell popcorn. Have you ever bought this stuff? Here are my views on it.
It's good popcorn, but at 11 dollars a box, why would anyone in their right mind buy it? Well you see, they aren't buying the popcorn because they want it, they're buying it because a cute little kid is selling it and they need the money for their pack...or troop.
Here's my view and this really gets me steamed just typing about it. Trails End (the company that makes the popcorn) isn't selling popcorn...they are selling children. They are making children into products. I don't know about you but I refuse to be a product.
If you go to the store and buy something, it is because you want or need it, the salesman can sway your decision, but he can't guilt trip you into (or use his puppy dog eyes to) sell you something. He is selling a product, which is hardly what cubscouts are doing.
What does the child get out of this? He gets some crappy little toy (we'll call it the price to make "the product"). Trails End on the other hand is making a fortune this way. Think about it. I don't know why people don't realize this. I realized it when I was 9, I refused to sell my cute smile in order to profit a company.
Maybe I'm out of line...maybe I just want to start a discussion.
What do you think about it? Have you bought this popcorn? Why did you buy it?
 
jellyman1213

jellyman1213

Member
I think you are missing the point. The popcorn company the Buy Scout's use offered them the lowest cost. You, the boy scout, are using the tin of popcorn as a tool to get donations to help fund your troops activities. You are also learning social skills while interacting with the public. The sale of these popcorn tins is beneficial to many. The supplier makes money, your troop makes money, the purchasher can write a portion of on their taxes, and you are learning invaluable communication skills that will help you the rest of your life.
You may want to rethink this.
 
aquaknight

aquaknight

Active Member
Agreed with jellyman. The bottom line is that the pack/troop needs money, perhaps more then the members themselves can contribute. The popcorn really is just a front. I sincerely hoping any one buying the popcorn knows that they are really just donating money and not getting a fair product in return.
People don't have as much of a problem donating money, if they get something in return. Popcorn from the boyscouts, envelope stickers/holiday cards from the ASPCA, etc. The Scouts would likely recieve very little if they just went asking for straigh cash donations.
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/2999470
Agreed with jellyman. The bottom line is that the pack/troop needs money, perhaps more then the members themselves can contribute. The popcorn really is just a front. I sincerely hoping any one buying the popcorn knows that they are really just donating money and not getting a fair product in return.
People don't have as much of a problem donating money, if they get something in return. Popcorn from the boyscouts, envelope stickers/holiday cards from the ASPCA, etc. The Scouts would likely recieve very little if they just went asking for straigh cash donations.
The thing is...we don't get money for our troop
We would get little rewards...like toys, radios, crappy pocket knives. Our benefit in selling was next to none.
 
kowaleski

kowaleski

Member
Originally Posted by PEZenfuego
http:///forum/post/2999651
The thing is...we don't get money for our troop
We would get little rewards...like toys, radios, crappy pocket knives. Our benefit in selling was next to none.
I'm sure the tropp made coin as well- they just don't let evryone know
this is the same principal for when kids in school sell over priced goods that stink- the schools make money and the kids get a prize
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
Originally Posted by kowaleski
http:///forum/post/2999654
I'm sure the tropp made coin as well- they just don't let evryone know
this is the same principal for when kids in school sell over priced goods that stink- the schools make money and the kids get a prize

The kids get sold. There is no chance in hell the company could sell this stuff without cute kids...at least not at the price they are selling them.
 
salt life

salt life

Active Member
I didn't know boyscouts sold popcorn but those cookies the girl scouts sell are really good, that is why we used to get them. I think you are looking too deep into this man. I am pretty sure your leaders or chiefs or whatever you call them, get some % of it for the troop, I don't see why they would have ya'll out there selling it if it wouldn't benefit the troops.
 
salt life

salt life

Active Member
Originally Posted by PEZenfuego
http:///forum/post/2999670
The kids get sold. There is no chance in hell the company could sell this stuff without cute kids...at least not at the price they are selling them.
alot of the girl scouts/boy scouts I have seen around here aren't that "cute" (no offense) so I don't think cuteness has anything to do with it...
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
I honestly don't care. Just wanted to see what people thought. This was the excuse I used to not sell popcorn...but the real reason was that I was lazy and a lot of people get mad when you knock on their door selling something they don't want.
 
salt life

salt life

Active Member
Originally Posted by PEZenfuego
http:///forum/post/2999677
I honestly don't care. Just wanted to see what people thought. This was the excuse I used to not sell popcorn...but the real reason was that I was lazy and a lot of people get mad when you knock on their door selling something they don't want.

you cared enough to see what people thought about it

IF your popcorn stuff is as good as those cookies, I would buy some even if the dude didn't look like a "cute" little kid.
 
pezenfuego

pezenfuego

Active Member
Originally Posted by Salt Life
http:///forum/post/2999679
you cared enough to see what people thought about it

IF your popcorn stuff is as good as those cookies, I would buy some even if the dude didn't look like a "cute" little kid.

Girl Scout cookies are absolutely amazing. Boy Scout popcorn to me is the same as any other kind of popcorn, but it seems that a lot of people like it a lot better. I also started a thread about stickers on bananas...my point being that my motivation was almost purely boredom and curiosity.
 
spiderwoman

spiderwoman

Active Member
We buy it every Christmas and it's to support them, not because the popcorn is good or anything. Same goes for Girl Scout cookies. It's a fundraiser.
 
matt b

matt b

Active Member
Originally Posted by PEZenfuego
http:///forum/post/2999740
That happens in a lot more places than just China...but anyway thanks for taking it the wrong way

LOL. I know.
Your welcome, I like taking things the wrong way.
But seriously, This is like saying found raising car washes are wrong. No duh they do a crap job and you know that when you get your car washed, But the girls are hot most of the time. And you dont feel guilty cause your giving money to a good cause.
 
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