Looking at the benefits of us-only products

An industry survey by Christian Retailing

Exclusive items are broadly popular among Christian retailers—as many as seven in 10 carry them—but not everyone agrees on their value or place in the Christian products market.

Our latest Vital Signs survey focused on items “available in one form or another at a particular store or group of stores and not available everywhere.” We discovered that three-fourths of stores affiliated with a chain, franchise or marketing group (76%) stock such items, as do 63% of non-affiliated stores.

We also learned about:

PURPOSE

Most retailers placed a higher value on the competitive benefits of exclusives than on the wider margins the items often provide. Almost two in three (60%) said that “making my store unique” was the number one reason they carried exclusives. Attracting shoppers who might otherwise shop elsewhere was the reason given by 30%, while just over one in four (27%) stocked exclusives because they provide “higher margins.”

Only a small number of stores (20%) told us that they used exclusives to boost average ticket totals. The vast majority of our respondents (78%) said they did not provide incentives or goals to encourage staff to sell exclusives.

PRODUCTS

There is a strong appetite for exclusive product. Slightly more than three-quarters of all retailers wanted “more,” and another 16% said the industry needed “many more” exclusives. Only one in seven wanted to see fewer.

The types of exclusives wanted varied between affiliated and non-affiliated stores. Those not part of any group, franchise or chain favored items “offered everywhere, but at a unique low price” (30%). Products created specifically for their group were preferred by 46% of affiliated retailers.

Non-affiliated outlets—many of them church stores—were twice as likely than affiliated stores to carry general market products with extra content added or offensive content removed. Almost one in five (19%) of non-affiliated stores would carry such items, while only one in 10 affiliated stores would carry extra-content items, and less than 1% wanted general market items with content removed.

PROGRESS

There was no consensus among retailers on the question of improving the value of exclusives, though “more help from suppliers” in the way of marketing material and product design was a common answer. Holding products from the general market for a period of time was another.

A small number of retailers saw inequities in the way specific groups of affiliated stores and chains promoted their own branded items.

Thomas Nelson and Tyndale House Publishers received the highest praise for their exclusives—Nelson for its consistently aggressive pricing and Tyndale for its providing a constant supply of “CBA only” releases.

PROCESS

The purpose of Vital Signs is to explore some of the critical issues faced by the industry and to generate meaningful dialogue. When you speak with colleagues, here are some starter questions you might ask:

Would the value of exclusives increase if retailers would set sales goals and incentives for staff?

Are exclusives unfair to some—and if so, is that OK?

How do you let your shoppers know about exclusives in your store?

Jim Seybert is an author and consultant living in Arroyo Grande, Calif. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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