It's been another weird week in retail. Girl Scout cookies were made available on Grubhub, Ben & Jerry's released a new line of ice cream for dogs and The Mahjong Line faced backlash over its take on the traditional Chinese tile game.
This, and more, in this week's retail therapy.
Girl Scout cookies are now available on Grubhub
The pandemic has upended many traditions. Unfortunately, that includes Girl Scouts selling cookies in front of local shops this time of the year.
But here's a much needed dose of good news: The pandemic won't get in the way of people's Girl Scout cookie cravings.
In a time when people can have groceries, furniture and lunch delivered to their doors, Girl Scout cookies are jumping in on the contact-free delivery trend.
The Girl Scouts of the USA on Tuesday announced it has partnered with Grubhub to deliver cookies in select locations.
Cookie lovers can order online or through the Grubhub app for pickup or delivery, and individual Girl Scout troops will track and fulfill orders.
Thanks to Grubhub, the organization doesn't have to pay any commission fees. It's also offering free delivery for orders worth at least $15 through Feb. 14.
The proceeds from every cookie purchase will go towards local Girl Scouts' leadership programming.
Now that's one way of getting your cookie craving fix.
Ben & Jerry's releases an icy treat for our canine friends
There's nothing quite like Netflix and a pint of ice cream after a long day of work. Now, your four-legged friends can share that moment with you, too.
Ben and Jerry's recently came up with two new flavors: Pontch's Mix and Rosie's Batch. But it isn't for your human hands.
In fact, the Vermont-based ice cream maker named the new flavors after two Ben and Jerry's office dogs.
The company released a new line called Doggie Desserts — it's the same frozen treat humans have known and loved but made dog-friendly. The first flavor is peanut butter and pretzel swirls and the second is pumpkin and mini cookies.
This isn't Ben & Jerry's first time releasing wacky new flavors. Just last year, the company released Boots on the Moooo'n in conjunction with Netflix's comedy "Space Force."
Doggie Desserts will be sold in supermarkets, mass retailers and some pet stores in the U.S. It's sold in 4-oz individual cups or in packs of four and retails at $2.99 and $4.99, respectively.
So in these unprecedented times, treat yourself with a pint of ice cream and maybe grab one for your dog, too.
The Mahjong Line gets backlash for its redesign
A Texas-based company apologized after receiving criticism on social media for its expensive, brightly colored redesign of the traditional Chinese game mahjong.
The Mahjong Line, launched last November, released different versions of the game for hefty $325 and $425 price tags.
Some of its products have bags of flour, leaves and lightning bolts etched on them in place of traditional dots and characters.
High tech Mahjong tables have emerged over the years, but the tiles showcasing Chinese characters have stayed the same. The game's cultural significance even appeared in a scene from "Crazy Rich Asians"— a movie with an all-Asian cast.
Twitter was quick to reference the rage their Asian grandmas would feel about the redesign.
i can't believe i'm watching the gentrification of MAHJONG. i know my lola is screaming somewhere in heaven rn lmao. pic.twitter.com/H4H2tMcBGu
— telepatty ⁷ ???? (@SPRlNGBAE) January 4, 2021
After receiving backlash for The Mahjong Line's products and failure to reference the game's Chinese heritage, the makers of the set apologized on social media. However, many said the apology was inadequate.
Nobody's going to get their hands on the products anymore though. In the end, the company has decided to discontinue it for good.
Tiffany also sells a Mahjong set for those that want the classic design, but it's going to cost you — $15,000 to be exact.
