Girl Scout cookie orders have gone online as a result of the prolonged pandemic.
The organization had already developed the “Digital Cookie” platform to place orders over the internet, but it’s seen much greater use since the pandemic put a halt to “booth sales” in public.
Ann-Marie Soderstrom is the communications manager for Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois. She said Digital Cookie has also allowed girls to develop their tech experience and help troops get their message across better.
“We’re going to help the animal shelter. We’re going to save up to do something exciting after the pandemic," she said. "So they kind of got to reach out and talk about what they were going to do as a troop to a much wider community than they would have perhaps standing in front of a store or a smaller area.”
The Digital Cookie platform is now at version 7.0. Girl Scouts is shipping most cookie orders, but Soderstrom said that isn't the only option.
“For the troops and the girls and the families who feel safely doing so, we do offer the option for girls to do contactless drop-off and delivery," she said. "So they could come to your front porch, drop off your cookie and wave at you through the window. Or there’s ways that you can still have that connection with a customer in a personal way without putting anyone at risk.”
Some girl scouts have even received cookie orders from completely different parts of the country.