When Is a Unit Payout Available?
A unit payout becomes available when the total credits applied to your account exceed the amount your unit owes to your Council.
Credits may include:
Online sales commission
App credit card sales
Cash to Credit payments
If these credits are greater than your Council invoice, the excess amount is available as a payout from Trail’s End.
How Do I Request My Unit Payout?
Payouts are issued electronically to your unit’s bank account. In some Councils, you may also have the option to have the payout go to your Council.
To request your payout:
Go to Account Summary
Click Request Payout
Helpful Tips
If your Council allows payouts to be sent to Council, you’ll be prompted to choose that option after clicking Request Payout.
Before requesting a payout, verify your bank account information under
Account Summary → Open Balances & Payouts (shown below the Request Payout button).Be sure you are viewing the Current Selling Season when requesting your payout.
Important Note
If your unit has a balance due to Council, payment must be made directly to your Council. Please reach out to your Council for instructions. Payments are not submitted through Trail’s End.
Why Doesn’t My Payout Equal My Commission?
This is one of the most common questions, and it comes down to understanding the difference between commission and payout.
Commission
A percentage of total sales earned by your unit
Commission rates are set by your Council
Represents your unit’s fundraising profit
Payout
The portion of your earnings that has been collected electronically and is available to transfer
Occurs only when credits exceed the amount owed to Council
How It Works
Your unit is invoiced for product ordered (retail price minus commission).
As sales are made, credits from credit cards, Cash to Credit, and online commission reduce that invoice.
Once credits exceed the invoice, a payout becomes available.
For a deeper breakdown, see Viewing Your Unit’s Accounting Summary.
Payout Timing
On the Account Summary page:
The next available payout date is shown below the Unit Payout Available amount.
After requesting a payout, click Payout History to view processing details.
Payout Schedule
Payouts requested Monday–Sunday are paid the following Friday
If Friday is a banking holiday, payouts are processed the next business day (typically Monday)
Units may request payouts at any point once funds are available.
How Does Commission Work?
Types of Commission
There are two commission types:
Traditional Sales: In-person storefront and wagon sales
Online Sales: Purchases made through trails-end.com
Commission Rates
Rates are set by your Council
Traditional and Online commission rates may differ
View your rates in the upper right corner of the Account Summary page
Note: Bonus commissions set by your Council apply to Traditional Sales only. Your Council checks the boxes for the bonus commissions. See Bonus Commissions below for more information.
Traditional Commission
When your unit orders product for in-person sales:
You are billed the retail price minus your commission
Example: With a 30% commission rate, your unit is billed 70% of retail
As product is sold:
You earn commission by selling at full retail value
Payments collected via credit card reduce your Council invoice
Payments collected via cash can be deposited in your unit bank account and they are part of your commission earned.
Your total Traditional Commission Earned appears on the Account Summary page. Click See Full Breakdown for details.
Online Commission
Online products are not invoiced to your unit
Only the commission portion is credited to your account
Online commission is automatically applied toward your Council invoice
Your total Online Commission is visible on the Account Summary > Full breakdown under Online Sales Commission.
Total Commission Earned
If all Traditional inventory is sold:
Total Commission = Traditional Commission + Online Commission
If inventory remains unsold:
Your total commission is reduced
You have already paid the Council for that inventory, so unsold product lowers overall earnings. In other words, if/when you sell the remaining product that will be 100% profit to your unit. If you don't sell it, you will be short of your potential earnings.
Where Is My Unit’s Commission?
Your unit’s commission is made up of multiple components, not just your payout.
Your total commission includes:
Your payout from Trail’s End
Cash collected but not converted to credit
Any Council credits or overpayments
The retail value of unsold product
A payout only represents the electronically collected portion that exceeds your Council balance.
Other Factors That Can Affect Commission
You may have made a payment to your Council. When calculating your earnings, subtract the payment from your total cash.
Council-issued credits or incentives reduce the amount owed
Scout transfers between units can affect online commission calculations
(see Account Summary > Full Breakdown for details, expand the 'Scout Moves' section)
Bonus Commissions
Some Councils offer bonus commissions for meeting goals or completing specific requirements.
Bonus commissions are defined and awarded by your Council
View eligible bonuses in the upper right corner of the Account Summary page
Timing and application vary by Council
If you believe a bonus is missing or incorrect, contact your Council directly.