Shopportunity Interest Project

Shopportunity Interest Project
For Cadette & Senior Girl Scouts

Requirements: Choose 8 of the listed activities. Activities marked by an (*) MUST be completed.
Recommended materials: paper, pen, pencil, and a hand held calculator.
All people have one thing in common, they are consumers. They use goods and services. In order to survive, every person requires the necessities of food, clothing and shelter. Gods and services that make life easier or more comfortable are luxuries. The decisions you make as a consumer now, or in the future, will depend on what goods and services are available and where you buy them.

1) WHY DO YOU BUY?
You are hungry, you buy food. You break your leg, you go to a doctor. You live in a cold climate, you buy a coat. These services are for survival and protection. But there are other reasons that motivate you or make you decide to buy. They are based on wants, not needs. Write down your reasons for purchasing what you do.

*2) Choose one of the following activities:
a) WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT YOUR CREDIT RATING?
What are credit bureaus? Whatare the names of the three (3) major credit reporting agencies? What information is on your cresit record? Where do credit bureaus get their information? Who sees your credit record? How can ou get a copy of your credit record?
b) CREDIT CARDS GALORE!
Pick up or ask for three (3) different store's credit card applications. Is there any incentive to fill out the application immediately (such as an extra 15% off what you're purchasing)? Compare information wanted on the application, what is the value line of credit offered, what is the interest rate charged? Figure out how much a $100 charge purchase will actually end up costing up if youpay the minimum charge plus interest until it is paid off.
c) INSTALLMENT PLAN
Installment purchases can be made at some stores. What types of stores offer lay-a-way plans? What are the requirements for laying away merchandise? What is the difference between a lay-a-way program and a credit card charge?

3) ADVERTISING IS THE NAME OF THE GAME!
Ads suggest a person will be popular, have fun, be important, be like famous people, or just feel good if you use a particular product or service. How are women portrayed in advertisements? Look through magazines and newspapers and start an ad collection. Are women shown in professional situations or only cooking, selling cosmetics, clothes and household appliances? Do these ads make women look weaker or less intelligent than men? Are any ethnic groups or disabled persons shown? Is the advertisement making a promise statement ("you'll feel younger, you'll have fun")?

4) Choose one of the following activities:
a) AVAILABLE CONSUMER RESEARCH
Every CD player can reproduce superb hi-fi sound. Check the ratings and costs in a consumer magazine, then see what is available and at what cost in your local area. Investigate full-sized players (single or multiple-disc changers), magazine types (slide in cartridge, typically holds six discs), carousel types (holds five or six discs around a platter), CD jukebox (stores 100 discs) and portable CD players. Comparison shop to see if the same brand costs the same at different types of stores.
b) THE BIG GUY VS. THE LITTLE GUY
Discuss and list with friends what you feel are the reasons for price differences on the same product between the large national chain stores and the little independent store. Check the price difference of the same five(5) food items, five(5) hardware items, and five (5) home appliances between stores. Where's the best buy?

5) Choose one of the following activities:
a) SOFT DRINK FAVORITE
How much does your soft drink cost? Your favorite brand is usually available everywhere. How much does a 12 oz. serving cost from a vending machine, at a fast food resaurant with unlimited helpings, a sit-down resaurant with table service, the grocery store or at a discount store? Compare the cost of a soft drink 12 oz. can bought individually from a vending machine or in a 6,12,or 24 pack in various locations. Share your findings with others.
b) NAME BRAND VS. STORE BRAND
Name brands are products that are nationally advertised and known by their trademarks. Store brands are products sold in certain stores only. Even though national brands tend to cost more, why do you think people buy them most often over store brands? Is one really better than the other? Find out by doing your own product testing between national and store brands. Try things on for size, sample food items and try personal care products.\
6) TRIPPING COSTS
Pretend you are a family of four on vacation. What amenities do you want and are willing to pay for in your motel/hotel room for a night? Consider things such as a swimming pool, on-site restaurant, cable TV, free continental breakfast, and convenience of nearby tourist attractions. Shop around and find out the cost differnce between a no frills establishment and your ideal choice motel/hotel. Are the extra amenities worth the cost?

7) HOMEMADE VS. STORE BOUGHT
Assume you have all the necessary knowledge, skills and a sewing machine to make a prom dress. Be a super sleuth and determine if you can make a dress cheaper than buying one off the rack at the mall. Visit a fabric store and pick out a pattern. Make a chart to record the supplies needed and the cost to sew your selection. Now search out the appropriate fabric, zipper, thread, etc. Don't forget to include the cost of the pattern and $5.00 an hour for your labor (minimum 10 hours is an appropriate guess). Before you start, which do you think will be cheaper? Which was actually cheaper? Do you think store bought looks better than homemade?

8) WHAT'S THE BEST BUY
"Best Buy", "Beat This Low Price","Best But In Town". Would a sign like these give you the idea that any product with a low price is a good buy or the best buy? Don't jump to conclusions! When buying clothing, consider quality (how well the product is made), durability (how long it will last) and maintenance (the care that will be needed). On items other than clothing, what is the store's guarantee, warranty and service policies? What is the store's return policy? A general formula to follow when buying goods and services:
1. What is the need or want?
2. How will this product be used?
3. Compare types of similar products.
4. Compare price and quality.
5. Choose the best buy.
Grab pencil, paper and an imaginary $100. See if you can buy an entire outfit from undergarments to shoes to the barrett in your hair with that $100. Make a list of every store and your item plus its cost. How well did you do? What did you have to compronise on?

9) SALES TAX
What is sales tax? Who pays it?Who is exempt from paying sales tax? How much is sales tax? Does sales tax cost the same everywhere? Is sales tax added on all purchases? Where you live find out how much sales tax there is on grocery store food, restaurant food, clothesand gasoline? Who gets the sales tax money?

10) Choose one of the following activities:
a) WHAT'S ON THAT SCRATCHY NECK TAG?
How much information can you gather from all the tags/labels attached to your purchases? Look over the tags on clothes in your closet. What kinds of fabric are your garments made from? Which ones come from non-renewable fossil fuels? Which fabrics can be easily replaced in nature? How are your clothes to be cleaned? If possible, tour a dry cleaners to see what the alternative to a washer and dryer is. Is one more costly than the other?
b) CLOTHES LABELS
What's the difference between a designer label, a brand-name and a private label? Did the designer actually make the sketch for the garment? Did the designer oversee the production? Do not assume anything based only on its "name". Do not assume you are getting the best value for your money, until you CHECK IT OUT! Do some library investigating into the clothing manufacturing business.

11) THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY SELLS
What is the value of your favorite entertainer's voice? Think about the cost of a ticket for a 1 1/2 to 2 hour concert, a CD, a cassette tape, or listening to the radio. How would you budget for the cost of a CD, CD player or concert ticket? How long would it take you to save for each? Which would be the best cost per use? Which would give you the longest pleasure? Is there a new market opening for trading or selling used CD's and tapes?

12) ALTERNATE METHODS OF SHOPPING
You can have it all without ever leaving home. What opportunities do yo have to shop without stepping outside your house? Create a list. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of each? What steps should you take to assure your purchase is hassle free?

13) ADVANCE TECHNOLOGY
Technology has made the cashier's job easier. She rings in sales, punches in how much money the customer gives her and immediately before her lights up the amount of change due the customer. In previous years, only total sales appeared on a cash register and the cashier was responsible for counting back change. Pretend you are a cashier. If your customer's sale is $57.27 and she gives you a $100 bill, what would be the least amount of coins and paper bills you could give her? Now, how do you count back change to her, starting at $57.27?

*14) MALL SAFETY
There are millions of people shopping in malls daily, but are they safe there? Discuss with friends what "could happen" in the mall or parking lot. Think about your purse, pulling money out of your pocket, your purchases, going into public restrooms. Role play methods of self-protection. If possible, take a self-defense class.

15) WOMEN'S VS. MEN'S CLOTHES
Is there a cost difference between similar clothing for women and men (ex. Jeans, T-shirts)? Why do you think this is? Is there any manufacturing difference, advertising difference, cleaning difference? Can you think of any logical reason for the difference the way the two genders shirts button? Compare the cost of dry cleaning similar items between the genders. Compare the cost of having a similar item of men's and women's clothing altered in the same store (ex. a suit).

16) SHOPPING RECYCLEABLES
Draw two(2) symbols that indicate something is made from recyclable materials or can be recycled. How many items, including packaging can you find on store shelves and racks made from recyclable material? Group the items into categories like those made from paper, plastic, metal, etc. Are recycled products more or less expensive than non-recycled products? Why do you think this is?

17) CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
There are many careers associated with the advertising and selling of products. Make a list of all the careers you can think of pertaining to ordering, displaying, selling, inventory, etc. of products and services. Interview at least 3 people who work at these jobs. Based on your observations are certain positions more likely to be filled by a man or a woman? why do you think this is so?

18) MERCHANDISING
Visit various types of stores and notice the first things that you see as you enter each store. Talk with salespeople about how they display merchandise. Look at the physical layout of the store and ask the salesperson to explain why store layout is important. How often is the store stock "rotated"? How are sale items displayed differently? What items get the best location? (eye-level, end of aisle,etc.)? What kind of items do you see while waiting in the check-out lane? What kind of merchandise would you put near the check-out lane?

Thanks to Betty Moore and Becky Taylor for their assistance in the development of the Rock River Valley Council of Girl Scouts' Shopportunity Interest Project Patch.

TO ORDER IPP - Contact Patti Smith, Cost $2