In our store, we offer discounts to church ministries. Is 40% too much?

The percentage of discount given by church stores to other church ministries varies from store to store. Store philosophy determines the percentage of discounts, but common sense should not be overruled.

Not all inventory is purchased with the same discount, so a good business rule is to not give equal discounts for all products. For example, a book secured direct from the publisher might have an entirely different discount than the same book being purchased from a distributor. The difference could run as much as 15%-20%. But if the discount to the ministry never changes, then the profit the store receives varies book by book.

If your store is responsible for paying its own employees, buying its own inventory and any other operating expenses, then discounts are a major consideration.

Got a question for Betty Bookstore? Write to her at thechurchbookstore@charismamedia.com.