The Girl Scouts of USA has recently implemented a new program called the Digital Cookie, allowing members to complete cookie sales online rather than with traditional face-to-face sales methods.

According to Ellen Winking, a director of product sales, although some Girl Scouts groups have been implementing this program, the Central Indiana group has chosen to opt out this year.

Kamna Gupta, senior Girl Scout and junior, said the purpose of the program is to make cookie-selling more efficient.

The basis of the program is that Girl Scouts would use digital tools to sell and promote their businesses rather than doing so face-to-face.

Gupta said,  “It does take away from the traditional method of Girl Scouts because it gets rid of the third party—the Girl Scout—needing to distribute. In the past, Girl Scouts would have to learn organizational skills to keep cookie orders delivered on time and to the right customer.”

Gupta also said the traditional selling method teaches vital lessons.

Gupta said, “The traditional sales method is effective in transferring entrepreneurship, responsibility and communication skills. The learning process of actually distributing cookies would be lost.”

Winking, however, said she does not think Digital Cookie takes away from the tradition.

“I think it keeps girls connected to modern-day technology and business models,” she said via email.

Alex Isler, Girl Scouts Juliette member and junior said she would support the program as long as members also sell face-to-face to learn basic communication skills.

“The (Digital Cookie program) will allow a Girl Scout to reach a much wider sales audience and learn about Internet marketing,” Isler said. “Ultimately it just makes it easier to sell to friends and family that live far away and will overall help sales.”

Additionally, Isler said she does not believe lessons from the traditional method would be lost through Digital Cookie.

“The tradition of Girl Scouts is to teach girls leadership skills and real world skills to build character. The digital program is just modernizing this tradition,” Isler said.