Despite time and technology, books remain Christian stores’ bread and butter

If you own a store in a retail segment that has seen major takeovers, downturns and closings in the last five years, now topped off by a country-wide, full-fledged recession, how do you keep your doors open and turn a profit?

Christian retailers who are surviving and even thriving in 2009 say it’s by prayer, by leveraging new technology and by finding innovative techniques to get back to the old basics: selling books that meet customers’ needs.

Stores interviewed by Christian Retailing on average generate 40% or more of their annual sales from books—not including Bibles—and have not significantly changed the amount of floor space devoted to books in the last five years.

Book sales come from new titles and backlist, from fiction and nonfiction, from children’s books and reference books, from brand-new authors and the tried-and-true. Topics and trends can drive significant sales—from the emergent church to money management—and retailers who want to keep making it are constantly finding ways to reach customers with the right prices and products.

“I would say our floor space has remained about the same for books,” said Jeff Andrews, book manager for Wellspring Christian Resources in Urbandale, Ill. “And when you look at our overall sales, nearly every day books are still on top.”

FROM FRONT TO BACKLIST

Rick Warren’s Zondervan blockbuster The Purpose-Driven Life became the best-selling hardcover book of all time in both the Christian and general markets. Gary Chapman’s The Five Love Languages (Northfield Publishing/Moody Publishers) has been around for nearly two decades and has appeared on the New York Times Paperback Advice best-sellers list more than 90 times. Spinoffs of the original book—The Five Love Languages: Singles Edition, The Five Languages of Apology and more—have multiplied the series’ impact.

Titles such as Warren’s and Chapman’s are examples of books whose sales have expanded into the many channels available today—from airport bookstores to Amazon and from Barnes & Noble to digital downloads on Kindle.

Now, with brand-new titles being sold in these diverse channels, backlist has become a bigger focus for Christian retail. Stores and suppliers say they are giving more marketing and promotional emphasis to their backlist titles, blogging about them, pairing an author’s new and older titles on displays, and watching news and cultural trends closely in order to promote books on popular topics.

“If I don’t have a deep backlist, if I just have what’s new and current, you can get that at Wal-Mart,” said Sue Smith, manager of Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, Mich. “In fiction, especially, I need to have everything that is in print by their favorite authors. In Grand Rapids, there are Christian bookstores everywhere. There are other Christian stores a half-mile from me in both directions. I can’t afford to be out of what the customer wants.”

Retailers must understand their store’s customers in order to know just what to stock.

“We can’t afford to carry all of the depth that we used to, but we try to make sure that we are constantly carving out our niche that fits our customers,” said John Pope, owner of Cornerstone Bookstore in Boone, N.C. “We are always reviewing our categories. We have a new section on emerging issues. We have also set up a section for college students on dating and the like. We have a Christian history section, and we carry charismatic books.”

Successful stores know their locale and anticipate what books their customers will need, and they also keep on top of trends—both in publishing and in society. Savvy retailers promote books that match topically with “hot buttons” in the church, current news topics and upcoming blockbuster movies.

Many retailers bring popular authors’ backlist titles to the forefront to populate displays when a new title is released. Some stores pair nonfiction and fiction equivalents; for example, if a novel’s protagonist suffers from depression, a nonfiction book on the subject might be sold with it.

“We are absolutely doing backlist better,” said Sally Holefca, assistant manager for Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, Mich. “We are definitely looking at the long tail”—fewer products selling in large quantities—“and firmly believe in having more than just frontlist best-sellers. People do come in looking for titles that are 2 or 3 years old. We also have a separate area with out-of-print books.”

COMPETITIVE PRICING

The constant retail challenge, booksellers agreed across the board, is pricing. Customers, especially in today’s economy, go where they can get what they want at the best price. That means finding a way to match or beat Wal-Mart, Amazon and Christian Book Distributors, all known for selling books at lower price points than traditional brick-and-mortar booksellers.

In the last year, Holefca said Baker Book House has put its money where its mouth is, offering a deal to local churches to beat Amazon’s prices on books purchased from their store. The effort is becoming a big success.

Publishers have begun to lower the prices of hardcover titles from around $25 to the $22-23 range, but retailers would like to see that come down even further.

“Twenty dollars seems to be the breaking point for customers,” Pope said. “So if a book comes in at $23, I have to decide if I can take a hit on it to sell it under the $20 mark.”

On the other hand, trade paper prices have increased in the last couple of years, with many books now priced at $14.99.

“Price points are edging up on trade paper books from $13.99 to $14.99 as kind of a standard price,” said Steve Oates, vice president of marketing for Bethany House Publishers. “They have been at $13.99 for five to seven years, so a 7% increase over that span of time is actually quite low when you think of it in terms of inflation. Book prices in the CBA (market) are not rising as quickly as inflation.”

Oates agreed that $20 is the breaking point for customers.

“We are seeing more market resistance to hardcover books, I think more from the retailers than from the consumers,” Oates said. “When we are doing hardcovers, we are marking most of them under $20 to make them seem more affordable right now. People are being very careful with their spending, and we need to be sensitive to the consumers and their situation.”

Christian retailers also have the opportunity of selling digital books through the Symtio program, with the average transaction ringing up at $14. Buyers of Symtio product cards can purchase a book to read in a variety of formats, on a personal computer, PDA or iPod, for example.

FICTION THEN AND NOW

Today’s Christian fiction is coming of age, covering topics that once would have been taboo, among them homosexuality, extramarital affairs, illegitimate children, divorce, remarriage and bipolar disorder.

By examining these real-life struggles through the lens of a Christian worldview, authors are giving hope a voice in the fiction market.

Christian fiction readers are dedicated fans. According to a 2008 survey by R.R. Bowker of 6,400 U.S. book buyers, the general adult population reads on average of 4.4 hours per week, book buyers (in general) read 5.2 hours per week, regular fiction buyers read 6.3 hours per week, but Christian fiction buyers read eight hours per week. The study also found that Christian fiction buyers are significantly more influenced by personal recommendation and the placement of books than by other book buyers and are significantly less influenced by advertising.

“Christian fiction has changed so much just in the last three or four years,” said Sherry White, senior buyer at American Wholesale Book Company, supplier for Books-A-Million stores. “There are so many good, fresh new voices out there.”

And while there are a lot of new authors, it can be tough for publishers to expend the resources to “groom” an author who doesn’t sell a lot of books right away.

“As we observe the best-seller lists for CBA, we don’t notice much change in the authors who appear on the list. We see many of the same authors each month,” said Cheryl Kerwin, senior marketing manager for Tyndale House Publishers, which plans to release around 50 fiction titles this year.

“It is becoming more challenging to break out new authors,” she added. “We’ve seen some recent success with some of our new authors that write in what might be considered a more literary style of novel. We’re excited to see the demand for writing from these authors as they grow into ‘fan favorites.’ ”

In terms of genre, Kerwin said suspense and thriller novels are on the rise in the Christian and mainstream markets, “primarily because there are quite a few good writers coming into the ranks, such as Susan May Warren (‘P. J. Sugar’ series) and DiAnn Mills (‘Call of Duty’ series).”

Avid fiction buyers love to connect, so if a frontliner knows and loves fiction, it will go a long way toward turning a one-time shopper into a returning customer. Avid fiction readers also look for two things: the newest title from their favorite author and the stories everyone else is reading. Consider the success of the New York Times best-seller The Shack by William P. Young (Windblown Media/Hachette Book Group USA) and the novel based on the recent Christian movie Fireproof by Eric Wilson (Thomas Nelson). Fiction readers continuously consume what has been termed the “next big thing.”

For Christian retailers, that means an opportunity to capitalize on what’s hot, but also to expand sales to a backlist deeper than many departments can sustain. Once fiction fans decide they like an author, they will want to read everything that author has written. And while they can find the latest Ted Dekker or Karen Kingsbury novel at Wal-Mart, they won’t find what Dekker wrote five years ago or what Kingsbury had out in 2001. That’s where CBA stores continue to find their fiction niche.

BUILDING TRAFFIC

Although books remain the bread and butter for Christian retailers, overall traffic is still a challenge.

The trick in today’s retail climate is not only to get customers in the door, but also to keep them coming back. That means keeping a good variety of fresh voices on the shelves while maintaining inventory at a manageable and affordable level. When customers can order books with the click of a mouse and have them delivered to their front doors the next day or download them digitally onto Kindles and iPods, there has to be a compelling reason for the consumer to keep visiting their local Christian retail store.

“The reading habits haven’t changed much—it’s really where they are shopping,” said Sue Brower, acquisitions editor for Zondervan. “There is a larger selection of outlets to purchase books.”

What helps retailers win customers is the constant availability of the newest titles from big-name authors and word-of-mouth, as well as a good depth of backlist titles from which they can choose.

“It’s always exciting to find retailers who want to partner with us on new promotions and share the risk as we find ways to grow author brands and increase awareness about the amazing stories being published right now,” said Jennifer Deshler, senior marketing director for Thomas Nelson.

“I love it when a Christian retailer takes note of their customers’ individual tastes in reading and makes recommendations accordingly,” said author Mindy Starns Clark, whose latest suspense novel, Shadows of Lancaster County (Harvest House Publishers), released in January. “Nothing communicates ‘we value your patronage’ better than a bookseller who remembers previous transactions and/or feedback and offers relevant buying suggestions on subsequent visits.”

One way Smith at Baker Book House keeps her staff engaged is to hold brief, daily training sessions. They take only a few minutes each morning, but the effort keeps the 32 employees of the 16,000-square-foot store knowledgeable about current inventory and departments.

“Every morning we pray together; then we train on product knowledge,” Smith said. “We take different sections of the store and take like 10 minutes to go through them.

“Each person is responsible for a department and reads a book out of that department to review the best-sellers for us. By reviewing the book for us, that person trains the rest of the staff on that title. Our staff can take any of the books home for free as long as they bring them back with the spine intact. The training keeps us sharper. Today, you can’t just sit around.”

Efforts like these pay off in the minds of customers and authors alike.

“I think Christian retailers know their product,” said best-selling author Kristin Billerbeck (“The Trophy Wives Club,” Avon Inspire). “In my local store, they are such a safe environment for hurting people. They pray for needs and can hand-select a book to comfort or be of help to the customer. I also think it’s great how they keep an author’s backlist.”

RETURNING CUSTOMERS

Stores that succeed change their displays often, dedicate endcaps to new product and keep customers notified through e-mail updates and special promotions. Beyond having a Web site, they are creating a presence on social network sites like MySpace and Facebook, and blogging and joining Twitter. And they are creating databases of customers and regularly e-mailing coupons to be redeemed in-store.

Books-A-Million has book clubs that attract customers to an interactive reading experience, and many Christian retailers still bring in authors for book signings. A coffee bar or comfortable seating with free Wi-Fi also creates an engaging atmosphere.

Social networks, blogs, podcasts and video sites like YouTube are helping authors connect directly with fans.

Angela Hunt, Karen Kingsbury, Robin Jones Gunn and many other fiction authors maintain up-to-date Web sites with dates of their appearances, latest projects and fan perks like contests and giveaways. Many also send regular e-newsletters.

Gunn held a virtual tea party with her Facebook friends, and Hunt invited her Facebook friends to join her in watching the Hallmark TV movie Taking a Chance on Love, a sequel based on her popular characters from The Note, her 2001 novel that was made into a 2007 Hallmark original movie.

Kingsbury for years has contacted retailers personally, held contests, created her own brochures for retailers and given away cruises, opportunities to name a character in one of her novels and more. She has endeared herself to readers by answering letters and making frequent appearances.

Most recently, she began posting videos on YouTube, showing her family on game nights and promoting her favorite causes and books.

It’s Kingsbury’s kind of dedication, coupled with a warm retail environment, that keeps customers loyal.

“With the economy the way it is, we can reach people in a crisis,” Pope said.

TOP 10 BOOKS FOR 2008

The chart below shows the value of a backlist book. It especially pays for stores to stock books such as 1992’s The Five Love Languages that seem to have nine lives, but others, even those just a few years old, can continue to pay dividends in terms of sales and customer satisfaction.

1. The Shack, William P. Young (Windblown Media/Hachette Book Group USA, 2008), $14.99

2. The Love Dare, Stephen and Alex Kendrick (B&H Books/B&H Publishing Group, 2008), $14.99

3. 90 Minutes in Heaven, Don Piper with Cecil Murphey (Revell/Baker Publishing Group, 2004), $13.99

4. The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman (Northfield Publishing/Moody Publishers, 1992), $14.99

5. Love & Respect, Emerson Eggerichs (Thomas Nelson, 2004), $22.99

6. Someday, Karen Kingsbury (Tyndale House Publishers, 2008), $13.99

7. 3:16, Max Lucado (Thomas Nelson, 2007), $24.99

8. Captivating, John and Stasi Eldredge (Thomas Nelson, 2007), $14.99

9. The Purpose-Driven Life, Rick Warren (Zondervan, 2007), $14.99

10. Jesus Calling, Sarah Young (Thomas Nelson, 2004), $13.99

The 2008 best-seller list is compiled from sales of Christian books in hundreds of Christian retail outlets nationwide, collected using Pubtrack Christian (www.ptchristian.com). All rights reserved. Copyright 2009 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association.

Looking back at the highlights of the trade association’s summer conventions

This year CBA is marking 60 years of serving the Christian products industry. In this retrospective, Christian Retailing looks back at some of the highlights of CBA summer conventions past.

CBA is celebrating its milestone “by calling attention to the 60 years of progress our member retailers and suppliers have made,” Bill Anderson told Christian Retailing, noting that in that time, “we’ve seen a tremendous amount of growth in the quality of product, marketing of product, product packaging, music production, DVDs.

“Christian retail has catapulted forward, employing retail disciplines, technology, aggressive marketing, customer relationship management, fresh concepts, using improved locations and increasing the strength of their specialization is Christian retailers. They’ve done all of this without losing their ministry focus.”

1950: The Hotel LaSalle in Chicago hosts the inaugural CBA show. Forty-eight exhibitors presented their products to the 279 in attendance.

1951-1953: The show remains in the same location for several years, increasing each time in attendee and exhibitor count, from 374 attendees and 66 exhibitors in 1951 to 467 attendees, 59 exhibitors in ‘52 and to 603 attendees, 66 exhibitors in ‘53.

1954: Though the convention stays in Chicago, it changes locations to the Morrison Hotel. In attendance were 603 convention-goers, 66 exhibitors.

1955: Just over 100 exhibitors and 881 attendees travel to the Shoreham Hotel-Motor Inn in the nation’s capital for the first CBA show outside of the windy city. CBA’s annual report notes the availability of roadside signs to retailers, and bookstores order more than 200 of the 6-by-8-foot signs.

1956: It’s back to Chicago, with the Sherman Hotel as the convention site and 1,207 attendees, 108 exhibitors and 270 stores. Attendance is 35% higher than last year. CBA’s new president is R. Gordon Mitchell of the Home Evangel Book Shop, Toronto, and a past vice president of CBA.

1957: Aug. 18-22. Chicago is once again the site of the show, with record-breaking attendance: 1,325 total and 290 stores. With the convention’s theme “Knowledge on Fire,” one reporter notes its “remarkably deep tone.” A Michigan retailer says: “I can go back and sell records better than before having seen the consecrated people who make them.” CBA passes its membership goal with 614.

1958: CBA’s convention at the Sheraton-Jefferson Hotel in St. Louis sees 1,100 total, 109 exhibitors and 280 stores in attendance. CBA introduces a $2 registration fee. Henrietta Mears of Gospel Light Press is banquet speaker, with tickets at $3 each. International flavor includes two missionaries interested in literature distribution in Hong Kong and Colombia.

1959: The 10th CBA convention, held in the Pantlind Hotel, Grand Rapids, Mich., sees 1,586 total attendees and 125 exhibitors. Theme: “He Profits Most Who Serves Best.” Key workshops address bookstore accounting and audiovisual sales. Uncas Manufacturing Co. gives away the first CBA gift jewelry this year.

1960: Aug. 7-11, it’s back to the Sherman Hotel in Chicago, with 1,804 attending, 134 exhibitors and 130 first-timers, a record. Theme: “The Written Word Endures.” Robert Kregel of Kregel’s Book Store in Grand Rapids, Mich., is voted in as CBA president. The banquet speaker, courtesy of Word Records, is commentator Paul Harvey.

1961: Aug. 6-10 is the date and an Ocean Row site, the Deauville Hotel, is the location for the Miami Beach convention. The theme is “Christian Booksellers for Times Like These.” There are 138 exhibitors, and CBA membership hits 830. Fleming H. Revell launches a daily newspaper, CBA Convention Daily News. Banquet address is by Sen. Frank Carlson of Kansas. Plans for a half-million dollar Bible promotion are laid out by the Ecusta Paper Division of the Olin Mathieson Chemical Corp. Tie-in ideas for booksellers are demonstrated at a special display. The promotion aims to reach more than 80 million readers in November and December with the message that the Bible is “The greatest gift of all.”

1962: It’s July and once again, the convention is back at Chicago’s Sherman Hotel, not Miami. There are 1,811 delegates, 387 stores and 153 exhibitors present, and the theme is “Eye Hath Not Seen.” Attendance tops the 1960 record at the same location. For the first time, a dealer choir is organized and sings at the banquet and other activities. A resolution is passed, adopting “Big Brother,” a correspondence prayer fellowship program with overseas or missionary bookstores. Living Letters by Ken Taylor is introduced. Concordia is giving away a book, How to Fight Communism Today.

1963: After eight years’ absence, the convention returns to the Shoreham Hotel-Motor Inn, Washington, D.C., Aug. 11-15. Total attendance is 1,649 with 144 exhibitors, and the theme is “Christian Booksellers—Workers Together With Him.” Speakers are Don Brandeis (Baker Book House) and Harold Lindsell (Harper and Row, Publishers), with devotions by J. Sidlow Baxter (Zondervan Publishing House). The youth program divides children into groups for ages 6-11 and 12-18 with a full schedule of activities, including sightseeing. Speakers include Carl Erskine, former Brooklyn Dodger pitcher (Fleming H. Revell). Workshops include how to sell handcraft (cost of materials: $1) and a session on gold-stamping.

1964: Attendance is 1,170 with 156 exhibitors. Banquet speaker is Richard Halverson, an associate of Bob Pierce of World Vision. Publishers representing European and Far Eastern countries exhibit at the first International Exhibition of Publishers and Booksellers—Centro Biblico from Italy, Committee of Literature for the Evangelical Churches or CLIE from Spain and The Epworth Press from England.

1965: The theme is “Freedom—A Gift From God” for the Aug. 1-5 convention at the Sheraton Hotel, Philadelphia. Attendance is 1,941 with 146 exhibitors. This year’s site is chosen in part because of proximity to New York’s World’s Fair. John Bass, appointed new executive secretary, succeeds William F. Moore, who is to become general manager of Family Bookstores of America. Walter Knott of Knott’s Berry Farms is a luncheon speaker, Zondervan having published his most recent book.

1966: July 31-Aug. 4 sees 1,812 total attendees at the convention at the Sherman Hotel in Chicago. The theme is “United to Serve.” For those placing orders at the show, C.W. Boyer Co. has a giveaway—a novelty “Tranquilizer Pill Bottle”—and Zondervan is celebrating its 35th birthday with a party. Ethel Barrett is the first woman CBA banquet speaker.

1967: The El Cortez Hotel in San Diego sees 1,565 CBA convention-goers with 133 exhibitor personnel, July 30-Aug.3, marking the first CBA convention on the West Coast. A higher ratio of first-timers and more internationals than ever before are present. Eighty-five delegates fly to Hawaii afterward for a reconvened session incorporating discussions with Hawaiian booksellers. Bill Zondervan is named Salesman of the Year.

1968: Chase-Park Plaza Hotel, St. Louis. There are 1,600 attendees with 132 exhibitor personnel. Charlie “Tremendous” Jones, insurance salesman and sales counselor offers lots of personality, his “combination of buffoonery, practical sales suggestions and basic spiritual truths set the pace for the four-day convention,” writes a Christian Bookseller reporter. Canadian store managers choose to formally organize.

1969: Netherland Hotel, Cincinnati, with 1,924 in attendance, 154 exhibitor personnel and more than 400 stores, an all-time high. Charlie Shedd, author of The Stork Is Dead, Letters to Karen and Letters to Philip, wins over some attendees who once thought he was mistaken on his views of sex. Twelve young people participate in the Third Annual Future Christian Booksellers Association Institute, the first held during the convention.

1970: The Leamington Hotel in Minneapolis has a 40,000-square-foot convention hall and air conditioning. The theme for the convention Aug. 2-6 is “Successful Seventies.” Most workshops are standing-room-only. “ ‘Gone was the circus-like clatter of past years,’ one publisher remarks. “Yet, selling was done—fantastic sales for some exhibitors. Most convention-goers liked the change, but one confessed he sort of missed the excitement and showmanship of the past,” reports Christian Bookseller Magazine.

1971: The theme is “70s—Decade of Decisions.” A record-breaking 2,341 are registered with 159 exhibitors. Held up by a Senate vote, Sen. Mark Hatfield addresses a capacity crowd by telephone, later making a personal appearance at a Word reception and staying through the next day to sign his book Conflict and Conscience. The banquet features music by Dino and Doug Oldham.

1972: July 30-Aug. 3 are the dates in Cincinnati with Francis Schaeffer of L’Abri Fellowship speaking at a luncheon. Thursday’s banquet sees George Beverly Shea, recently turned author, speak and Dale Evans sing. CBA’s new president, Dan W. Jantz, is also presented.

1973: For the July 16-19 convention in Dallas, Word Inc. in Waco, Texas, has lined up a concert with a 70-piece orchestra, Ralph Carmichael conducting. Hal Lindsey speaks at the banquet and Pete Gillquist at the Teen Banquet with Andrae Crouch and the Disciples performing.

1974: July 21-25, Minneapolis. This marks CBA’s silver-anniversary year, with the convention featuring Anita Bryant, Evie Tornquist and 2nd Chapter of Acts. Retailers are encouraged to visit local host companies Augsburg Publishing House, Bethany Fellowship and World Wide Publications.

1975: Anaheim, Calif. Johnny Cash performs at the convention, which also includes Catherine Marshall, Joyce Landorf, Lloyd John Ogilvie and Robert Schuller. There is a large number of new, small exhibitors and a proliferation of order desks. Suppliers are often sharing a booth because space is limited.

1976: James Dobson speaks at the convention in Atlantic City, N.J. About 5,500 booksellers are present, amid fortune tellers and shooting galleries in this tourist area. Several new hymnals are highlighted as well as higher-quality creative gifts than in years past. With an election nearing, there are more books on politics. The Miracle of Jimmy Carter (Logos) sells more than 600,000 in a month.

1977: July 10-14, Kansas City. Attendees number 7,298, about 2,000 higher than the previous year. Representing 36 countries are 118 foreign publishers and booksellers. More than 2,000 are present to hear closing banquet speaker Charles Colson.

1978: Denver. Bill Anderson’s first convention as part of the CBA staff, as its first full-time convention manager. New author Charles Swindoll speaks at the show, and Herbert Lockyer Sr. is keynote speaker.

1979: July 16-19, St. Louis. Bob Benson emcees the 30th convention banquet. CBA sues the city of St. Louis to protect its contract for convention center use.

1980: Closing banquet speaker at the Dallas Convention Center is pollster George Gallup, whose The Search for America’s Faith (Abingdon), written with David Poling, is announced as “the religious publishing event of the year.” The 200th anniversary of the Sunday school movement is celebrated, while Warner Press marks its centennial year.

1981: At the Anaheim Convention Center, Calif., New Leaf Press introduces TV host Tammy Bakker’s autobiography, I Gotta Be Me. Vision House premieres excerpts of its new film series, “Walter Martin Speaks Out on the Cults.” The presenter is a convention speaker, along with Tim LaHaye. Visiting authors include Cheryl Prewitt, Miss America 1980, whose autobiography, A Bright-Shining Place, is published by Doubleday. Chuck Swindoll is the banquet speaker, and Herbert Lockyer Sr. the keynote speaker.

1982: Author and artist appearances at the Dallas Convention Center include Calvin Miller (“The Singer Trilogy,” InterVarsity Press), Andrae Crouch (Lexicon Music), Charles Swindoll (Strike the Original Match, Multnomah Press) and John MacArthur (The Family, Moody Press). Sandi Patty also makes her first CBA appearance. The convention features the world premiere musical presentation of How Firm a Foundation, celebrating Thomas Nelson’s New King James Version. Joyce Landorf is the keynote speaker.

1983: In the Year of the Bible, the convention goes to the capital, where former Nixon aide Charles Colson is the keynote speaker at the Washington Convention Center. David C. Cook introduces three Narnia board games based on the classic C.S. Lewis series. NavPress and The Navigators hold a 50th anniversary reception.

1984: CBA’s 35th convention features Lloyd Ogilvie, R.C. Sproul and Debby Boone. Oxford University Press debuts its Oxford NIV Scofield Study Bible at the Anaheim Convention Center. Scripture Press Publications marks its 50th anniversary. New releases include Tyndale House Publishers’ The Book, a special CBN edition of its The Living Bible.

1985: Bill Anderson is named CBA president. Richard Foster and Philip Yancey are featured speakers.

1986: Washington, D.C. Charles Colson is the banquet speaker.

1987: July 11-16, Anaheim, Calif. For the first time, CBA welcomes some 3,000 consumers to the exhibit floor during a special preview showing called the “Books, Music Gifts Expo for the Christian Family.” Some suppliers report up to 75% increase in sales from the 1986 convention, which also attracts 300 members of the press. Presidential candidate Pat Robertson is the banquet speaker.

1988: July 16-21, Dallas. A VCR screen with a continuous presentation of convention highlights is placed near entrances for passers-by to watch. About 250 Dallas-area pastors, music directors, youth leaders and seminary students attend CBA’s Outreach Adventure, which includes a tour of the convention floor. Sandy Patti, Twila Paris and Steve Green perform.

1989: July 8-13, Atlanta. CBA unveils LifeDiscovery, a $3.8 million national image campaign and marketing partnership to be launched in October 1990. A record number of more than 10,000 people from 46 countries attend the 40th annual convention. Authors Gordon MacDonald and Frank Peretti speak at the banquet.

1990: July 14-19, Denver. Children’s merchandise creates the biggest stir, with virtually every major publisher offering an expanded selection of children’s books. A record number of 11,071 people, with 2,000 stores represented, attend.

1991: First time in Orlando, Fla., and attendance is high, at 12,000, but sales are slow and there is theft at the booths. There are approximately 1,300 booths. The “McGee and Me” video series debuts. A special event is held at SeaWorld, and the closing banquet features Chuck Swindoll and Jerry Jenkins.

1992: The convention, with the theme “Take Flight,” is moved to Dallas because of the delayed completion of the scheduled San Diego Convention Center. There is a record number of exhibitors, with total attendance (including exhibitors) at 12,050. Attendance and sales are up. Dallas is better than Orlando, some say, because buyers are buying, not sightseeing. Suppliers report sales exceed their expectations.

1993: Atlanta. Attendance is 12,663, with 2,634 stores represented and 414 exhibitors. Actor Charlton Heston cuts the ribbon to open the show. Exhibitors report flat sales. The banquet features Oliver North.

1994: Denver. The convention’s date is moved up to June 25-30. Attendance is down to around 12,000, representing 2,500 stores. There are 1,465 booths, many reporting increased sales. Convention’s theme is simply “One.” Wendy’s Dave Thomas cuts show floor ribbon. Nearly 70 attend the bookseller school for new and prospective retailers. Dan Quayle speaks.

1995: Denver. Nearly 800 international delegates are visiting from 58 countries. Michael W. Smith cuts the exhibit floor ribbon.

1996: Anaheim, Calif. Record attendance this year is 13,663 with 2,801 registered stores, 419 exhibiting. Jars of Clay, Point of Grace and The Imperials perform.

1997: The July 12-17, Atlanta CBA convention is a strong order-writing show. There are 13599 in attendance with 2,773 registered stores, 438 suppliers exhibiting. International attendance grows 50% from 1994 to 1996. Foreign rights business is booming. Music suppliers are in favor of their location on the newly divided floor.

1998: July 11-16, Dallas. All-time high of 13,741 attendees. Number of stores present declines from 2,773 to 2, 679.Just In Time inventory is a hot topic. The show features for the first time a fully segmented floor, which receives mixed reviews. Author signings are at exhibit booths rather than at personality booths on the floor’s perimeter.

1999: July 10-15, Orlando, Fla. The 50th anniversary tops last year’s all-time high of 14,694 attendees. CBA’s second International Marketplace nearly doubles, with 29 exhibiting companies representing 12 countries. For the first time, CBA offers a convention chaplain—author John Trent.

2000: New Orleans, La. July 8-13. Attendance is down, 12,107 (representing 2,629 stores). Exhibitors numbers 525, with some suppliers choosing not to attend because of location. Pacesetter event features Alan Keyes. Bibleman cuts the opening ribbon. First annual Christy Awards take place, honoring the best in Christian fiction.

2001: Atlanta. July 7-12. There are 14,239 in attendance—2,687 stores represented. Christian African-American Booksellers Association has a display at the show for the first time. Crossway launches the English Standard Version translation. Bruce Wilkinson—whose The Prayer of Jabez (Multnomah) is named Charles “Kip” Jordon Christian Book of the Year—speaks at the Sunday morning worship service. Joni Eareckson Tada is inducted into CBA’s Hall of Honor.

2002: July 13-18, Anaheim, Calif. For an unprecedented second time, Bruce Wilkinson’s The Prayer of Jabez (Multnomah) is named Christian Book of the Year. During the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association awards banquet, Wilkinson challenges publishers to expand their reach globally. Attendance totals 13,129.

2003: Actor Mel Gibson surprises those in attendance at CBA’s Impact Awards ceremony in Orlando, Fla., by making a brief appearance to mobilize support for his The Passion of The Christ. President George W. Bush speaks via video to attendees.

2004: June 26-July 1, Atlanta. CBA’s attempt to bring attendees together in prayer for industry issues is met with lackluster response, as fewer than 15 retailers gathers for the Industry Prayer Meeting. New strategies include a new show schedule, and training and exhibit floor changes.

2005: Denver, July 10-14. The convention’s new name is the International Christian Retail Show, with the theme this year “Success In Store.” Registered attendance totals nearly 10,000, almost 1,000 down. Professional attendance reaches just over 3,000, and exhibitor personnel is 6,679. Changes at the show, including the Solution Centers with practical merchandising and marketing ideas, are a result of CBA’s reinvention effort. Products tied to the forthcoming movie The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe are a big presence.

2006: Denver. July 9-13. Attendance is down 9% across the board, while the show’s ironic theme is “Be Part of Something Bigger.” The show features appointment-only times on the exhibit floor. Les Dietzman, president of Berean Christian Stores, is announced as the next chairman of CBA’s board. Wal-Mart buyers come to the show, but keep a low profile.

2007: Atlanta. July 8-12. After six years of declining numbers, more than 9,000—including nearly 3,000 professionals—attend, a similar number to 2006. Church store attendance increases 16%. Exhibitors drop to 6,007, and there are 67 first-timers exhibiting. Workshops focus on CBA’s More From the Core initiative and CBA WebSearch is unveiled, allowing users to search the Web sites of member suppliers.

2008: Orlando, Fla. July 13-17. The theme is “It’s a New Day.” However, numbers are notably down at 7,448 total. Professional attendance is down 17%, and exhibitor personnel comes in at 4,787. William P. Young’s The Shack (Windblown Media/Hachette Book Group USA) gets the most attention among new books, and Symtio, an iTunes-style card program, is announced by Zondervan.

Defying current sales trends, Christian fiction continues to grow, offering a bright spot for retailers, publishers and readers in a bleak economy.

In the midst of the economic recession, some publishers are targeting growth while others are launching new fiction lines for the first time.

Although some have suggested that even flat sales are good in the current economy, considering a February Association of American Publishers (AAP) report of a 19% drop in religious books for the month, news of growth is even better.

A Christian Retailing industry survey

Changes in the national and world economies are ushering in what cultural observers refer to as a “re-setting” of consumer attitudes and behaviors.

Rather than being just temporary adjustments evidenced after major events, such as following 9/11, futurists say these shifts are the dawning of a new era of business built on new realities and different perspectives.

Our latest Vital Signs surveys looks at how some of these new factors are affecting Christian retail:

CONSUMER CHANGES

Shoppers at Christian stores this Easter season were more likely than last year to purchase only items that were on sale (62%), while two-thirds of retailers said they saw more evidence of price comparison shopping this year.

Credit card use was up in 42% of the stores compared to last Easter, and just over one-quarter of the stores (28%) saw an increase in the use of coupons. Meanwhile, consumers responding to our survey reported a 46% increase in personal coupon use, indicating perhaps a need for the Christian products industry to look more closely at coupon offers.

Sales of books to help with financial challenges were up in 27% of stores, as were Bible sales (35% of stores reporting higher sales) and special orders (28%). Meanwhile, nearly one in three stores (28%) said they had seen drops in the number of people buying gifts for others and in the sale of products focused on helping people live healthier lives.

The category with the most significant decline was inspirational art, with 65% saying that customer demand was less this Easter than last.

BUSINESS BASICS

Christian retailers are paying more attention than ever to the business side of their operation. Four out of five (81%) are working harder this year to reduce expenses, and three-quarters (77%) are looking more closely at inventory control.

Greater effort is being applied in six of eight key operational areas, including product selection, price competition and customer relations.

The only areas not posting increased attention are church relationships, where 48% are sticking with last year’s level of focus, and employee training, where 60% are doing the same as in 2008 and 5% are doing less.

ECONOMIC EXPECTATIONS

Industry members were more hopeful about their economic futures than they had been on New Year’s Day and in mid-February. In our latest poll, in mid-April, 48% of suppliers said they were more hopeful about the economy, compared to 37% who felt the same in February.

Retailers were not as upbeat, with 38% acknowledging higher hopes in April. However, fewer of them were less hopeful than they had been in previous months. In mid-April only 19% said they were less hopeful, compared to 26% in February.

QUESTIONS

The objective of our Vital Signs project is to act as a catalyst for meaningful dialogue. As you consider the new business models needed in the wake of the economic “re-setting,” use these questions as a starting point:

How could the Christian retail industry answer consumer desire for more coupons?

What might be the result of shoppers wanting more sale-priced items?

Are you doing more, or less, to build relations with local churches? Why?

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..

MORE COMMENTS: Hear more from those who took part in our survey. Read individual comments online at: www.christianretailing.com/index.php/retail-focus/vital-signs.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? ...of the findings and comments? Write to Vital Signs at: Christian Retailing, 600 Rinehart Road, Lake Mary, FL 32746, or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Graph information courtesy The Jim Seybert Co. This Vital Signs survey was conducted online in April 2009 among readers of Christian Retailing’s Christian Retailing Update news service. Of 323 respondents, 178 were retailers. Vital Signs is a joint project of Christian Retailing and Jim Seybert, who are solely responsible for its content.

International Christian Retail Show: 2009 exhibitor listing

Plan your floor time with this guide to the book, music, gift and service suppliers at the show

See our upcoming July 6 issue for show specials from the 2009 ICRS exhibitors.

3 Arches, #335

AMG Publishers, #1211

Abbey Press, #533

Abbott Hall/Sudbury Brass, #1534

Abingdon Press, #1823

African American Expressions, #2144

Alpha Omega Publications, #1508

Ambassador International, #1452

American Bible Society, #1831

American Church Lists, #825

Amity Printing Company Nanjing, #1751

Anchor Distributors/Whitaker House, #1500

Anchor Wallace Publishers, #2138

Art & SoulWorks, #505

Artistic Manufacturing Corp., #1732

B&H Publishing Group, #1645

BJU Press, #1900

Baker Publishing Group, #1933

Barbour Publishing, #1923

Bardin & Marsee Publishing, #1930

Bargain Books Wholesale, #2130

Beyond Digital Imaging, #745

Black Family Press, #1932

Bob Siemon Designs, #523

Book Depot, #2127

Booklog, #926

Bookstore Manager Software, #723

BounceBack from Cash Flow Solutions, #1247

Bridge-Logos Publishers, #1653

Bridgestone Multimedia Group, #1106

Brownlow Gifts, #717

CASI/QLT, #736

CLC Publications, #1755

CTA (Christian Tools of Affirmation), #710

Carpentree, #400

Casscom Media, #811-813

Cathedral Art Metal, #515

Catholic Book Publishing Corp., #2039

CNI Distribution, #905

Charles Capps Ministries, #1530

Christ for the Nations, #2052

Christian Art Gifts, #750

Christian Focus, #1908

Christian Liberty Press, #2035

Christian Oil Co., #322

Christian Small Publishers Association, #1948

Christian World, #916

Christianaudio, #1624

Christianity Today International, #1433

ClearPlay, #1007

Cliff Weil, #621

Concordia Publishing House, #1815

Cosmos Gifts Corp., #631

Creation By Design, #502

Crocus Art Designs, #500

Crossway, #2000

Crown Financial Ministries, #2009

Dake Publishing, #1714

Dantek Group, #1423

David C. Cook, #1445

DaySpring, #601

Dear Cards, #845

Design Identity, #928

Destiny Image Publishers, #2223

Dexsa Co., #609

Dicksons, #438

Divinity Boutique, #644

EMI CMG Distribution, #913

ERJ Publicaciones, #1531

Editorial Patmos, #2150

Emkay Candle Co., #614

Eternal Pictures, #906

Evangelical Press, #1838

Evergreen Press, #1538

Every Good Gift, #313

Faith Library Publications, #1301

Faith One Publishing, #2238

FaithWords, #1945

Fireside Catholic Publishing, #1545

First National Merchant Solutions, #1244

Foundation Publications, #1601

Franklin Electronic Publishers, #1306

Fun Express, #410

G.T. Luscombe Co., #512

Gale Cengage Learning, #1904

The GoBible, #1532

God’s World Publications, #2144

Gospel Light/Regal Books, #1312

Gratefulimages, #503

Gray Communications (Freedom Begins Here), #1551

Gregg Gift Co./Enesco, #423

Grizzly Adams Productions, #TBD

Group Publishing, #1535

Guideposts/Ideals Publications, #1427

HJ Sherman Co., #314

Hannibal Books, #2135

Harrison House, #2053

Harvest House Publishers, #1203

Heartfelt, #639

HeartSteps, #509

Hebrew World/Century One Books, #2239

Hendrickson Publishers, #1745

Herald Press, #1622

Hermitage Art Co., #1717

Heroes Cross, #3105

His GEM, #613

Holy Land Gifts, #1853

Hope for the Heart, #2227

Howard Books, #2123

Howard Imprinting Machine Co., #823

Howard’s Jewelry, #739

Innovative, #932

Inspirational Closeout Solutions, #2031

Integra Interactive, #922

Intercontinental Greetings, #338

InterVarsity Press, #1409

Ironfish, #309

J.M.S. Marketing & Sales, #1851

James Lawrence Co., #611

Jason Imprinting Systems, #1310

Judson Press, #1302

Kerusso, #530

Kirkbride Bible Co., #1412

Know Him, #944

Korean Bible Society, #2005

Kregel Publications, #1733

Kurt S. Adler Inc., #300

Legacy Publishing Group, #426

Lighthouse Christian Products Co., #430

Lion Hudson, #1637

G.T. Luscombe Co., #512

Meadowbrook Insurance Group, #1246

Mediak, #814

Merry Christmas From Heaven, #513

Moody Publishers, #1913

Munce Marketing Group, #1603

Murphy Cap & Gown Co, #1514

Music Missions International, #1009

Music Wizard Group, #910

NOTW, #807

Nation Promotions/Jerusalem Artists’ Co., #635

NavPress, TBD

New Day Christian Distributors, #1013

New Hope Publishers, #1849

New Leaf Publishing Group, #2023

No Greater Joy Ministries, #1829

Noah’s Ark Distribution, #711

The Northampton Press, #1635

Northwestern Products, #602

Oasis Audio, #1628

Outreach, #1000

Oxford University Press, #1816

P&R Publishing, #1737

P. Graham Dunn, #317

Pacom/Sung In, #1950

Pathway Press, #2049

PlastiCard + Plus, #1248

Praiz POS/Extreme POS, #831

Premier Christian Cruises, #1108

Provident-Integrity Distribution, #817

QuickVerse, #1928

Rainbow Publishers/Legacy Press, #1615

Renaissance Design, #832

Revival Literature/Russian Bible Society, #1633

Rhythm Band Instruments, #501

Robert Spooner Galerie, #623

Rose Publishing, #1609

Ruth Doron Designs, #510

STL Distribution North America, #1700

SW Press Co., #2013

Scripture Candy, #708

Servant Marketing, #306

Shepherd Press, #1353

Singer Co., #712

Siriani & Associates, #839, #1245

Six & Geving Insurance, #1249

Slingshot Publishing (formerly World Christian Posters), #446

Solid Rock Jewelry, #408

Song Garden Music Group, #914

Spirit and Truth Christian Jewelry Designs, #730

Spoken Word of God Ministries, #2045

Spring Arbor, #1435

Standard Publishing, #1522

Strang Communications, #2226

Sudbury Brass Goods Co., #1534

Swanson Christian Products, #945

TAM Retail, #838

TBN The Holy Land Experience, #800

Tabbies (Xertrex International), #1217

Talicor, #606

Tandy Brands Accessories, #733

Thomas Nelson Bargain Books, #1348

Thomson Press, #1953

Trends International, #615

Trinitarian Bible Society, #1304

Truebite, #327

Tyndale House Publishers, #1837

Universal Designs, #411

Warner Press, #1511

Wesleyan Publishing House, #2145

Wholesale Christian Books, #2235

WinePress Publishing, #1345

WingSpread Publishers, #2001

Word Distribution, #1100

Word to World, #2051

WORDsearch Corp., #1850

World Wide Printing, #2017

Xulon Press, #1555

Your Story Hour, #2244

Zondervan, #1623

A life-giving but demanding category needs special care and attention for best results

At a time when every category in the Christian retail market is under scrutiny to ensure that it is performing at a level that warrants the store space it occupies, many have looked to gifts as their saving grace—and rightly so.

With book sales increasingly spread across various retail sectors and music sales taking a heavy hit from online purchasers, gifts have helped many Christian retailers keep their doors open by providing products with the potential for big returns from little investment, and which have not yet been cornered by mainstream retail.

But as the retail market continues to change, so too do the best practices required of Christian stores. Although there are many similarities between Bibles, books and gifts, producers, distributors and retailers also note that there are significant different demands in selling gifts.

Among the challenges: domestic/overseas sourcing, packaging, returns, margins, merchandising, product life spans.

“Not recognizing these differences can be fatal for a business,” said Gary Foster, founder of Gary D. Foster Consulting, and a longtime industry adviser. “This has a lot to do with why publishers seldom produce gifts, and gift companies rarely publish books. However, retailers don’t have the luxury of neglecting either. They need to offer both to their customers.”

For stores where gifts are doing well, dedicating more space and dollars to the category is a given. But as gifts get more attention, some wonder if losing an emphasis on books is ultimately detrimental to their store and its ministry.

“It’s hard to say where the tipping point is, but I don’t feel the majority of my stores are pushing the envelope yet,” said Matt Dickerson, a sales rep for Dicksons. “Everything we do is to bring us to the Word of God, and if a store dilutes its ministry by having too many gifts, then we are failing as sales representatives and buyers.”

Dickerson encourages stores to create a synergy between categories. “I find most of my stores are cross-merchandising well, thus bringing books/Bibles and gifts together,” he said. “This makes for attractive displays and helps get the customer looking for gift ideas to consider books as well.”

The debate regarding which category in the Christian bookstore has more ministry value—and therefore warrants better positioning in store—is not a new one. “It has gone on for at least 35 years that I am aware of,” Foster said. “Frankly, many bookstores have been able to remain in the ministry/business of selling books and Bibles because they also sold gifts. It’s not a matter of either/or, but one of balance and meeting the needs and desires of customers.”

Although books and gifts need to be viewed and handled differently, Foster said those involved with the creation, distribution and sale of Christian products tend to not have the “front of mind” perspective that books are gifts, too. “We typically view books as books first and not as gifts first. Shoppers do not make this distinction,” he observed. “Frankly, they view virtually everything in a Christian bookstore as a potential gift.”

According to industry research, 61% of Bible buyers purchase them as gifts, while 32% of Christian shoppers give books as gifts—compared with 28% of the general population.

“All of these categories are vital and well-shopped in our stores,” said Michael Hupp, who has spent more than 30 years directing retail merchandise teams with Family Christian, LifeWay and Berean stores as well as Kirlin’s Hallmark stores.

MINISTRY EMPHASIS

Now leading Christian Market Consultants, Hupp noted that the ministry value of items like jewelry, home décor, apparel and decorative accessories is “not only underrated in our industry but relegated as inconsequential to a Christian life,” when nothing could be further from the truth. More people are blessed by greeting cards each year, on a case-by-case basis, than by a book because of the volume that is purchased and sent every year, he said.

Of the 7 billion greeting cards sent by Americans a year, DaySpring estimates are that more than 5% have a religious or inspirational message.

Bible, book and music items come in only so many variations, but the non-uniform sizes and compositions of gifts make them unique in their marketing, ordering and merchandising demands. Gifts are very subjective in their appeal, while books and music are usually generic, according to Ken Shirek, sales rep for Magi Marketing, one of the leading Christian gift rep groups.

“Books are almost always driven by advanced marketing—the best-sellers are promoted before release, which generates a desire to buy,” he said. “Gifts are not so driven publicly. We throw them out there and hope they catch on.”

That’s a little unnerving when most gift vendors maintain a “you buy it, you own it” philosophy, Shirek said. While most publishers allow returns of product unsold, most gift companies do not allow returns, making the buying/inventory process for gifts a “roll of the dice.”

Among the reasons that gifts can’t be returned is that re-stocking is labor-intensive. Also, most gift items are packaged in boxes, often with protective wrapping or tissues covering the product inside. Packaging and boxes are often damaged or destroyed by the retailer when removing the product for store display.

“To then send a product to another store after it has been returned and resold but with inferior packaging wouldn’t be acceptable,” Shirek said.

Vendors accept returns of product that is damaged or defective and not the fault of the retailer, and they take back products shipped in error, also paying for return shipping. Meanwhile, vendors who do accept general returns may charge a re-stocking fee of up to 20% of the wholesale value of the items to help cover the labor cost.

Non-returnability is only one in a list of possible reasons that most gifts in the Christian industry come directly from the manufacturer and not—unlike books and music—distributors.

Although STL Distribution North America carries more gifts than other distributors, Rick Regenfuss, vice president of sales there and a former independent retailer for nine years, admits that gifts are not the company’s sweet spot.

“The complexity of gifts—think nonstandardized categories, wide variety of sizes and shapes making bin locations tough, no industry-wide ONIX-type data communication or bar-coding—make it a different ballgame than good old books and Bibles,” he said.

REGIONAL DIFFERENCES

Regional differences in consumer tastes also mean that gift inventories vary more between Christian stores than do books. That there is less uniformity in what gifts retailers need probably also makes it harder for distributors to know what to stock, observed Rick Lewis, owner of Logos of Dallas with his wife, Susan.

While it might appear to be more labor-intensive to have to order direct from suppliers, many retailers don’t see it that way. “This is not a problem to us, it’s just how it’s done,” Susan Lewis said. “Gifts are time-consuming, but I think they are worth it.”

Customer preference makes gifts a hard category to manage for Marilyn Hood, owner of two Sweet Spirit Christian Bookstores in Marietta, Ga., with her husband, Frank.

“Knowing how many of a particular size and color to stock is a shot in the dark,” she said. “How do I tell my customer who wants a different color tote that it may take a month to get the order when people are used to waiting two to three days for a book?”

But despite being a challenging category, gifts are doing well at Sweet Spirit. The reason—more flexibility with pricing.

“We have the highly recognizable things such as books and music at a normal suggested retail,” Hood said. “But we’ve found that with gifts outside of the Christian market, there is some margin to play with.”

General market gift companies frequently offer closeouts in order to bring in new lines. Hood recently bought plaques for 50% off the wholesale price. She paid $2.50 for a $5 wholesale plaque, retailing it for $9.99, or $10.99 to cover freight.

The key, Hood offered, is to shop trade shows and develop good relationships with sales reps to get knowledge of specials. She also networks with stores in different states to find out what’s selling for them. Many secular companies sell Christian items that general market stores might not be interested in stocking. “The downside of that is that you have to order often to get the deals,” Hood said.

Improving margin is a must, and gifts are a good way to accomplish this. “Someone taught me years ago, to take your mark-ups where you can,” Susan Lewis said. “For me, it’s all about ‘perceived value.’ Sometimes we use keystone, sometimes we add 50 cents above keystone, or occasionally we take a more generous mark-up. You need to consider your freight costs, gift boxes, damages, theft and many other factors.”

Lewis also countered a common argument that gift orders often come with errors. “We have more errors on book orders than we do on gift orders,” she said.

At Dicksons, after backorders are filled, the company has a fill rate in excess of 95%, Dickerson said. A more common problem is damage in shipment, with vendors usually quick to offer a credit.

When Lewis orders seasonal product at gift markets, the companies combine orders to be shipped from their country of origin. “When they can do their orders in bulk, they often pass on free freight as an incentive,” Lewis said. “Some will also give December dating for Christmas product purchased at the January or June markets.”

Gifts are one category where two heads—or companies—are better than one. Gift sales reps can prove to be a store’s greatest ally—especially at a time when trade shows are waning. “Sales reps are an invaluable resource with gifts,” said Jan Stanley, gift buyer for Sonshine Book & Gift Shop in Lake Jackson, Texas. In addition to product knowledge, “they also tell how other stores have done with it, what the sell-through is and suggest alternatives if something that you need is not available to fill the need.”

As a result of rep help, Stanley said, “we haven’t been to a trade show in years. We just don’t need to.”

EFFECTIVE DISPLAYS

Making gifts a successful category requires a store to “make a commitment when buying,” Dickerson said. “Dabbling with a little of this or a little of that makes it hard to display and oftentimes the product just gets ‘lost’ on the shelves. I like to see a buyer get excited about a product category or design and buy in depth, so that the display makes a statement.”

Like other categories, the gift department has been impacted by the downturn in the economy. At Sonshine Book & Gift Shop, where gifts—not including wall décor, cards, jewelry and apparel—occupy 60% of the floor space, overall sales thus far in 2009 are comparable to those in 2008, but gift purchases were down 7% from between February this year and last.

“Our merchandise at Christmas was second to none among home décor stores in our county, and at the end of the season our shelves were bare,” Stanley said. “These are very uncertain times and what people see on TV makes them nervous. People are holding onto their money.”

Gifts—with the exception of dishes, platters and candles—often fall into that category.

“Eighteen months to two years ago, customers were very loose with what they bought and picked up odds and ends,” Hood said. “People are coming with specific needs today. ‘I need a birthday gift for my friend,’ or they have a coupon. People are still buying, but where they were spending $50 for a wedding gift, now it’s $25.”

Donna Baker, gift buyer for Dightman’s Bible Book Center in Tacoma, Wash., reported gift sales holding steady, but said the economy has forced her to tweak her sales strategy. “Gifts that sell are in the reasonable-to-inexpensive price range. I am staying away from large, expensive wall art.”

Bucking this trend is Robert Spooner Galerie, whose average selling price has gone up a net 15% since the start of the recession.

“The higher end is selling the best for us even in this downturned economy,” said Bob Spooner Jr., adding that “gift” or “gallery” in a store name goes a long way in making customers shopping for fine products feel like they’ve come to the right place.

“(Customers) want to spend their money on something lasting, rather than smaller ‘gifty’ items that will possibly end up in a garage sale later,” he said.

MAINSTREAM CHOICES

Christian stores willing to try mainstream products have been finding success. Keith Schwartz, owner of Divinity Boutique, told of a mall-based store operator who became a distributor for Ganz’s “Webkinz” plush pets when his business was down.

“He created revenue, increased store traffic and created a reason for consumers to enter his store,” Schwartz said. “Many of these people were new customers who would not shop in a Christian bookstore.”

In similar vein, last year New Day Christian Distributors began building relationships with mainstream suppliers such as Fisher-Price, Mattel, View-Master, Crocs and Jibbitz. “(What) we have found, through working with these companies, is that there are Christians who work with these companies who want to see the Christian marketplace succeed and want their products to be a part of that market,” said Michael Turner, New Day’s director of special products and markets. “These companies are willing to design new products specifically for the Christian marketplace.”

Christian stores must look for avenues that will set them apart from mass merchants as well as other secular stores, according to Peter Trovato, vice president of sales and marketing for Kurt S. Adler.

“An important way to do this is to create unique displays,” Trovato said. “Mass merchants have many stores to deal with, and each store within the chain must look the same, thus they use plan-o-grams and templates. Independent Christian stores have the advantage of being able to spend time and effort on creating beautiful and inviting displays that are unique to their store.”

Logos’ Susan Lewis said individuality means keeping your community in mind. “Shop for items which fit your community,” she said. Her customers enjoy products made by community artists with unique gifts, especially crosses and jewelry.

Knowing the customer also requires stores to anticipate their needs. Divinity Boutique is offering ream rolls of Christian-themed gift-wrap in the hope that stores will want to wrap items as a free service. Divinity’s Schwartz said gifts are the only category where a consumer cannot get the breadth of assortment online or at a big-box retailer. “In my opinion, the stores that will survive in this economy will be changing their product assortment to 50% gift product,” he said.

“The complexity of gifts ... make it a different ballgame than good old books and Bibles.”

—Rick Regenfuss, vice president of sales, STL Distribution North America

GIFT TOP SELLERS FOR 2008

From church supplies to gourmet to stationery, the inspirational gift market opens up wide-ranging possibilities for today’s Christian retailer to increase store traffic, deliver add-on sales and support church ministries. Take a moment to consider the possibilities by examining some of last year’s best-selling $10-$30 gifts in the broad categories below.

Albums

Baby Girl baptism aluminum album (Dicksons) $13.99

Apparel

2008 VBS Power Lab iron-on transfers (Group Publishing) $12.99

Book & Bible Accessories

Bible highlighting kit (G.T. Luscombe Co.) $12.99

Church Supplies

Communion cups (Standard) $19.99

Games/Toys

VeggieTales steadfast pirate ship (Dicksons) $29.99

Gourmet

2008 VBS Jerusalem Marketplace large herb and spice kit (Group Publishing) $12.99

Home Décor

Reusable plastic candle holder (Emkay Candle Co.) $22

Jewelry

Christ’s Story beaded bracelet (Roman) $15

Kitchen & Dining

Parable custom tea for one (Brownlow Gifts) $25.94

Miscellaneous Gift

Sparkle dome holy family with angel (Dicksons) $12

Stationery/Cards

LuxLeather memo block (Christian Art Gifts) $12.99

Wall Décor

Nativity cross (Dicksons) $10

Lists based on sales data for Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2008, provided by Christian Books & More Gold and used with permission.

Help choose the best of the year, and win a selection of free products

Retailers, it is time to name your favorite products of the year, in Christian Retailing’s 2009 Retailers Choice Awards. This is your opportunity to vote for the materials that you believe have made the greatest impact on your life and the lives of your staff and customers.

In this year’s new awards, you will also get to tell us which was your favorite Christian education book and which was the best marketing campaign for a particular product.

Voting puts you in line to win hundreds of dollars’ worth of nominated products, absolutely free—to sell in your store, distribute or keep for yourself.

You could win products such as inspirational mugs from DaySpring, a Pick Jesus T-shirt from Kerusso, an ESV Study Bible from Crossway or novels from authors such as Eric Wilson, Terri Blackstock and Joel C. Rosenberg. Winners will be selected at random from participating stores.

This year, 36 companies—including book publishers, DVD producers and gift suppliers—have nominated more than 250 items in 30 categories. All products entered were released in 2008.

Voting is open to any store owner, manager, staff member or volunteer, who can each vote once. To vote, go to the Retailers Choice Awards Web site, www.retailerschoiceawards.com, and click on the link to the ballot.

In voting, you are asked to judge the nominations based on the impact they have had on your staff and customers, including their ability to speak to people’s hearts and emotions, open people’s minds to new ways of thinking and encourage and affirm Christlike living.

Voting closes May 29, so be sure to let the industry know what products and companies you felt were the most engaging and effective. E-mail any questions to Managing Editor Christine Johnson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

OFFICIAL RULES FOR THE 2009 RETAILERS CHOICE AWARDS

Products nominated for the 2009 Retailers Choice Awards must have been published/released in 2008 and include clear Christian content, message or worldview.

In the gift categories, “inspirational” items not specifically Christian will be considered, although those contrary to orthodox Christianity will not be included.

Retailers are asked to judge nominations on the impact they have had on staff and customers, including their ability to: speak to people’s hearts and evoke emotion; open people’s minds to new ways of thinking; encourage and affirm Christlike living.

Nominating companies shall not canvass for votes; ballots that have been solicited by suppliers will be disqualified.

The deadline for retailers to vote is May 29. The results will be verified by an independent firm of certified accountants and announced at the International Christian Retail Show in Denver in July.

CATEGORIES

BOOKS/BIBLES

Audio

Auto/Biography

Bible Reference/Study

Bibles: Devotional/Study

Bibles: General

Children’s Fiction

Children’s Nonfiction

Christian Education NEW

Christian Living

Church and Culture

Evangelism

Fiction: General

Fiction: Mystery and Suspense

Fiction: Women’s

Health and Fitness

Personal Growth/Prayer

Relationships

Social Issues

Women’s Nonfiction

Youth/Teen

GIFTS

Accessories/Apparel

General Gift Product

Gift Books

Wall Décor

OTHER

Backlist NEW

Children’s Media

DVD/Video

Marketing/Promotion Campaign NEW

Spanish

Vacation Bible School

WINNING RETAILERS

Selected to receive free product from the 2008 Retailers Choice Awards were:

“Thank you so much.” —Sherry Booher, The Connection Bookstore in Grand Junction, Colo.

“God is good! Thank you. It’s truly an honor.” —Jose Burgos, Bread of Life in Bridgeport, Conn.

“Thank you for the tremendous news!” —Curtis Cecil, Family Christian Stores in Des Moines, Iowa

“Thank you for the good news. Awesome!” —Donna Hagedorn, Scholar Shop of St. Meinrad, Ind.

“How exciting!” — Emily Jo Mulholland, Christian Book & Gift Shop in Rochester, Minn.