Ordering BSA Supplies via Internet - Works Great!

[Billiken]

Just got an order of various BSA supplies via:

www.scoutstuff.org

Ordering on-line was like any other commercial internet site.
Received e-mails confirming:

1. Receipt of the order.
2. Shipment of the order.

GREAT JOB BSA SUPPLY DIVISION (and tech support).

[jr56]

Good, I'm glad it worked out for you. Something to keep in mind.

[scoutaholic]

Ordering online should work great for most items (if you are willing to pay the shipping charge).

There are some items that are 'restricted', and they won't sell to you unless you can prove you should have it. Years ago, the BSA Supply division simply told me to 'buy it from your council or lodge where they know you'. Those items are likely not available online.

[WVBeaver05]

I have always been told that profit from your local Council Scout Shop stays in the Council. Profit from online orders (or mail orders) will go to National. It seems reasonable, but I have never tried to verify it.

If this is true, then where do you want the profits to go? And how much does convenience factor into the decision? As someone who generally prefers online ordering, this isn't an easy decision for me.

YiS

[scoutaholic]

I have always been told that profit from your local Council Scout Shop stays in the Council. Profit from online orders (or mail orders) will go to National. It seems reasonable, but I have never tried to verify it.

If this is true, then where do you want the profits to go? And how much does convenience factor into the decision? As someone who generally prefers online ordering, this isn't an easy decision for me.

YiS

I can't say how much truth there is to the rumor you have heard. I do know that the National Supply division has been pushing local councils to give up their supply stores. The 3 scout shops in our council have been taken over by national, and I know the shops in neighboring councils have been getting some serious pressure to change over as well.

If your council scout shops are branches of the National BSA Supply division, the profits are going to national.

[PaulSWolf]

I have always been told that profit from your local Council Scout Shop stays in the Council. Profit from online orders (or mail orders) will go to National. It seems reasonable, but I have never tried to verify it.

If this is true, then where do you want the profits to go? And how much does convenience factor into the decision? As someone who generally prefers online ordering, this isn't an easy decision for me.

YiS

It's my understanding that when you order from the National Scoutstuff.org web site, they flag your order by billing address zip code, and allocate the sale to the council that serves that zip code. That was one of the big hold ups to national starting on-line ordering. They didn't want to take the money from local councils. It was discussed when on-line ordering began with Jamboree supplies in 2001, I believe.

[Nuts4Scouts]

It's my understanding that when you order from the National Scoutstuff.org web site, they flag your order by billing address zip code, and allocate the sale to the council that serves that zip code.

That is my understanding also. When you register with ScoutStuff they take your council info.

My council store just went National. From what I was told this sounds like a pretty good deal for the council. My council is no longer responsible for the compensation of the store employees, they are now all paid by National. They don't have to worry about purchasing stock & being stuck with over stock. National is paying for the space & making improvements. And, while they will no longer get 100% of the sales profit, my council will still get a percentage of the sales. I think that losing the salary & compensation expenses more than made up for the difference in the % of sales.

Altogether, I can see why more council shops are changing to National shops.