Christian Retailing

Group Publishing reverses sell-direct decision Print Email
Written by Christine D. Johnson   
Monday, 27 October 2014 04:34 PM America/New_York

GroupPublishing-webGroup Publishing announced a decision to continue to sell its dated curriculum products through retail channels—a reversal of an earlier decision to sell direct to consumers. Group’s decision to continue curriculum sales through the Christian retail channel came after weeks of one-on-one conversations with retailers across the country.

“We were both humbled and heartened by the many retailers who expressed the importance of sales of Group curriculum in their stores,” said Thom Schultz, CEO and president of Group Publishing.

The original decision was intended to allow Group to walk alongside churches more directly in the course of their curriculum launch and post-deployment.

“What we underestimated was our retail partners’ desire to do so on our behalf,” Schultz said.

CBA President Curtis Riskey was pleasead with the change.

“At a time when challenges abound, it’s good to come together to produce mutually beneficial solutions,” Riskey said. “I’m encouraged by Group’s willingness to listen as well as promote Christian retailers’ importance as co-laborers in a common mission.”

Members of Group’s leadership team are planning to visit a number of retailers across the country to collaborate on how stores can best be positioned to resource churches and ministries, considering the magnitude of changes ministries are facing given recent church trends. Group sees the collaborative meetings as an ongoing and important part of growing the retail channel together.

Group creates ministry experiences for churches worldwide, including training events, mission trips and resources such as books, curriculum, videos and music.