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USAGSO Cookie FAQs

The Girl Scout Cookie Program will help your Girl Scout unleash her inner G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™! She’ll be inspired to discover her talents and passions, and she’ll join with other Girl Scouts and people in her community to take action to change the world.

To help answer all of your important questions about cookie selling while overseas, we have our most frequently asked questions listed below. And, as always, if you have any questions not answered on this page, please send us an email at overseascustomercare@girlscouts.org.

Who can sell cookies?

USAGSO girl members who are affiliated with U.S. military in Asia and Europe, as well as USAGSO girl members in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands and U.S. Embassies in Cairo and Tokyo may participate in the Girl Scouts Cookie Program in-person sales.

Girl Scouts living overseas because of their affiliation with the U.S. military, embassy, or consulate (girls must have a US address on their Girl Scout record) may participate in Digital Cookie sales. In addition, all Girl Scouts in France, Germany, Italy, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Mariana Islands.

Although parents and Girl Scout adults may assist, it is the girl who makes the sale, sets learning and sales goals, and learns the entrepreneurial skills that are part of the program. Each girl who sells cookies must have the written consent from her parent or guardian.

 

Why aren’t cookies sold in my overseas community?

USAGSO operates a limited Cookie Program, which is restricted to sales on U.S. military installations in Asia and Europe, as well as in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Embassies in Cairo and Tokyo. The cookie program is limited to these locations for a variety of reasons, but mainly due to the restrictions around the importation and sale of American food products outside of the United States. Consequently, Girl Scout cookies are only sold at these locations and cannot be sold in your community.

USAGSO would like to offer the Cookie Program to all of our overseas communities, and we continue to work with GSUSA’s legal team to research future expansion opportunities for our overseas members. If your community can’t sell cookies, check out USAGSO's Entrepreneurship Guidebook for other fun money-earning activities that you can do locally.

When and where are the Girl Scout cookies selling in USAGSO this year?

2021 Girl Scout Cookie Program Sale Dates:

  • February 4 to March 20: Booth Sales in Asian and European U.S. military communities as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Embassies in Cairo and Tokyo.
  • January 21 to March 20: Digital Cookie Sale** in Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, UK, the Netherlands, Mainland Japan, Okinawa, South Korea, Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI).

**Please note, except for girls located in USVI, NMI, France, Germany, Italy this expansion is currently limited to U.S. girls with U.S addresses in their record.

 

How are Girl Scout cookies sold?

At USAGSO, Girl Scout cookies are only sold in booths in U.S. military installations and the approved U.S. Embassies. Rules and regulations that govern the ability to provide this program restrict door-to-door, “pre-order” or individual girl selling.

The aforementioned rules and regulations do not apply to our members in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Northern Mariana Islands. Please check the sale dates on our website for more information. 

Where can I find cookies?

USAGSO Girl Scout in-person cookies are sold on U.S. military installations in Asia and Europe, as well as in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Embassies in Cairo and Tokyo. To find cookie booth sale dates and times in a community near you (Note: This year, there are 39 communities selling cookies in USAGSO.), please email:

Communities participating in the Cookie Program in Japan (7 communities)

Communities participating in the Cookie Program in Korea (3 communities)

Communities participating in the Cookie Program in Okinawa (4 communities)

Communities Participating in the Cookie Program in Italy (5 communities)

Communities Participating in the Cookie Program in Germany (10 communities)

Communities Participating in the Cookie Program in Spain (1 community)

Communities Participating in the Cookie Program in Portugal (1 community)

Communities Participating in the Cookie Program in Netherlands (1 community)

Communities Participating in the Cookie Program in United Kingdom (3 communities)

Communities Participating in the Cookie Program in Belgium (1 communities)

Communities Participating in the Cookie Program in the U.S. Virgin Islands (2 communities)

Communities participating in the Cookie Program in Northern Mariana Islands (1 community)

How is the profit divided?

Traditional Cookies:

In a $5.00 box of cookies:

  • $2.33 goes to leadership development for girls and adults
  • $1.38 goes directly to the OC and troop
  • $1.19 goes to pay the baker and distribution agent
  • $0.10 goes to recognitions and rewards for the girls

Specialty Cookies (S’mores and Toffee-tastic)

In a $6.00 box of cookies:

  • $2.25 goes to leadership development for girls and adults
  •  $1.38 goes directly to the OC and troop
  •  $2.27 goes to pay the baker and distribution agent
  •  $0.10 goes to recognitions and rewards for the girls

Digital Cookie:

In a $5.00 box of cookies:                                                                       

  • $2.08 goes to leadership development for girls and adults
  • $1.38 goes directly to the OC and troop
  • $1.08 goes to pay the baker
  • $0.16 goes to recognitions and rewards for the girls
  • $0.30 goes to credit card transaction fees

Digital Specialty Cookies (S’mores and Toffee-tastic)

In a $6.00 box of cookies:

  • $2.04 goes to leadership development for girls and adults
  • $1.38 goes directly to the OC and troop
  • $2.06 goes to pay the baker                      
  • $0.16 goes to recognition and rewards for the girls
  • $0.36 goes to credit card transaction fees

Each OCMT decides the split of the OC profit amount per box ($1.38) between the OC and the troops. USAGSO recommends that the troops receive the greater portion of the split.

Overseas Management Teams in the pilot expansion (USAGSO Girl Scout affiliated with US embassies and consulates with a DPO/US address in her GS account details) and pilot program (USAGSO Girl Scouts in France, Germany and Italy who are not eligible to participate in the in-person sales) receive a portion of the proceeds in the form of credit to use towards Girl Scout merchandise, product, and programming lieu of cash payments.

Can girls sell cookies on the local economy or at international schools?

Selling cookies on the economy is forbidden. It is in violation of the agreement under which cookies are brought into the overseas locations.  Selling cookies on the local economy puts your girls at risk for being stopped by the local police officials and puts the entire Girl Scout Cookie Program at risk for future sales.  Please stress this with your girls and parent/guardian/adult volunteers.

 

Can girls sell cookies at U.S. Embassies overseas?

During the 2018-19 membership year, USAGSO piloted the Cookie Program with Girl Scouts at U.S. Embassies in Cairo and Tokyo. Even though the pilot program was successful, currently we are not in the position to expand the Cookie Program to additional U.S. Embassies.  For the 2021-2022 Membership Year, girls who are USAGSO registered members and are affiliated with the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and Tokyo are permitted to participate in the Girl Scouts Cookie Program and sell cookies in person at those locations.  We will continue researching different shipping options to determine potential expansion opportunities with other U.S. Embassies in the future—stay tuned!

Can I buy Girl Scout cookies online from USAGSO?

At this time, USAGSO is expanding the 2021-2022 Membership Year Digital Cookie Program to the following locations: Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, UK, the Netherlands, Mainland Japan, Okinawa and South Korea. Please note, this expansion is currently limited to U.S. girls on U.S. military installations with APO/FPO addresses in those locations. We are also excited to share that Digital Cookie will be available to all Girl Scouts located in France, Germany, Italy, Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). We will continue collaborating with GSUSA’s legal team to research and determine the ability to offer Digital Cookie in other overseas locations.

Important: Cookies ordered through Digital Cookie can only be mailed to USA, APO, FPO, or DPO mailing addresses and we are only able to accept U.S. bank credit cards for payment.

We caution against purchasing Girl Scout cookies found for sale online or through various community list sites, such as eBay and Amazon, because GSUSA, USAGSO, and our licensed cookie bakers cannot guarantee the freshness or integrity of these cookies. In many instances, these cookies are expired. Furthermore, purchasing cookies in this way does not support our Girl Scouts participating in the cookie program.

Is USAGSO participating in the fall product program?

This year, USAGSO is not participating in the Girl Scout fall product program. We will continue collaborating with GSUSA’s legal team to research and determine the ability to offer the Girl Scout fall product program in overseas in the future