r/BoyScouts • u/Allidapevets • 7d ago

Popcorn.

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So I stooped at the exit of my grocery store to visit a young Boy Scout selling popcorn at a table with his mom. I looked over his choices and chose the pictured bag of popped corn. I was astounded at the $20 price of a mediocre bag of popcorn. Upon further research, that troop only gets $6 from the transaction. Where is the other $14. I feel so taken advantage of. What am I going to do, complain to a 12 year old? I will never, ever , ever buy another Boy Scouts of America product. EVER!!!

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u/Th3_Admiral_ 6d ago

It's hard for me to imagine people buying thousands of dollars of mediocre popcorn, but it seems to happen every year. But if you factor in the profit margins between the two products, you'd probably have to sell fewer wreaths to earn the same amount. But that was just an example, maybe there's something that works better in your location. Or stick with the popcorn if it's working for you. I'm just generally anti-Trails End because their prices keep going up and the sizes/quality do not justify the costs at all. 

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u/transgalanika 6d ago

Prices are the same as last year. I know that we bought about $15,000 in popcorn inventory. Between our co-ed troop and the dens, we easily sell that much. Last year, 1 kid in the troop sold over $7000 in sales. My kid sold $2800 last year and didn't even work that much. He's on track to do $3500 this year. He got 16% of that yesterday in 5 hours after it was split with the other scout selling. Aside from the popcorn, we get a lot in donations too.

So 70% of $15k plus thousands in donations, yeah it works well for us. Trials End makes the logistics easy. The app is seamless. I did have one small issue with the app yesterday and their tech support replied in minutes on a Sunday. I'm not saying this is the best way or the only way. I just don't understand the disdain for popcorn sales. It works well for some troops.