Growth opportunties championed at The Gathering 2010

Retailers and suppliers were in positive mood when they met to consider key industry trends at The Gathering 2010 in Louisville, Ky., last month.

They saw and heard of new opportunities despite the ongoing challenges of the economy, from digital publishing to a growth category for church-based stores.

E-books and bargain books were spotlighted as areas in which stores should consider investing during lunchtime Food-for-Thought presentations and discussions that were offered in addition to more than a dozen training workshops.

Joe Questel, vice president of business development for Symtio, the digital book distribution program launch in 2008 by Zondervan to give stores a toehold in the digital world, told how it has turned out to have an unexpected bonus―a boost in audiobook sales.

The sale of the in-store cards that give people codes to download content for reading or listening was helping meet the “pent-up demand” for audio editions of books that had previously not taken off in the Christian market the way they had in the general market by reducing inventory costs, he said.

Symtio Marketing Director Jerri Helms reported a lot of subsequent interest at the company’s booth, with retailers “more comfortable” with the idea of embracing e-books and concerned that they do not lose out on digital sales as they had with music, she said.

Jerry Bloom, president of bargain book leader Treasures Media—which recently acquired the discount “speed table” program of SAS & Associates—told during another session how he had developed his wholesale remainder business after finding how cut-price titles had benefited at the retail store he runs in Racine, Wisc.

Another trend that emerged at The Gathering—which drew representatives of church, chain and independent stores—was greater interest in and openness to inspirational gifts at church-based operations.

While church stores some carry ministry-centered items like greeting cards and products that can be given to others for evangelism and encouragement, many have to date been more conservative and focused on books and Bibles.But “they are realizing that book sales are down and people are finding other places to buy them,” said Geni Hulsey, president of the Church Bookstore Network. “They know they have to make that up somewhere and they are looking for high quality gifts that are ministry tools.”

Tim Belanger, a volunteer at the bookstore managed by his wife, Connie, at Faith Lutheran Church in Troy, Mich., said that having been primarily focused on books, it had recently been decided to “open it up to merchandise and apparel. Books are great, but with them you only have a certain segment of the congregation that will come in.”

Annette Atwood, president of Show Offs Arts, noted high interest from church accounts. Gifts “are what is going to keep them afloat, really,” she said. “I had some stores say they weren’t allowed to carry gifts so they placed orders to decorate offices in the church” to show how gift products could offer ministry value.

Many suppliers reported good business at The Gathering. The event was “very good” for Thomas Nelson, said Inside Sales Consultant for Christian Retail Sales Scott Etheridge, who noted that sales had been strong and consistent. There had been a good response to its new Jack Countryman gift book spinner rack to be available from the fall, he said.

“There has been a lot of interest,” Etheridge said. “A lot of stores do well with gift books, but don’t really have a home for them all in one spot. We have found if you can do that and call them out, your sales increase.”

Bob Spooner, marketing director for Robert Spooner Galerie, said that there had been a good response to the lower price points the company has introduced with new lines that aimed to continue its reputation for high-end and quality wall art while dropping prices to offer more value.

Stores seemed to be coming out of the worst effects of the recent, he said. “They are still trying to keep inventories low, but they are starting to buy again. We have had several people say, ‘We are empty, we need product soon.’”

STL Distribution North America President Glenn Bailey said that the company had signed up a handful of new accounts and that “all things considered, it has been definitely worthwhile being here.”

First-time Christian trade event exhibitor Darryl Shellhamer―whose SDS Designs Associates has recently added a faith-based line to its popular car magnet collections―said that though the show was small compared to some he had been to “I got more accomplished here than at some of the megashows I have attended.”

For new publisher Inspired Faith, debuting at The Gathering with interactive gift books containing inspirational movie DVDs, CBA Channel Director Chris Robinette reported a good response and appreciation that the new line was available only to specialty retailers.

Dottie Poythress, manager of The Bookmark at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga., said she had found “some new things I would not have seen if I had not been here” in Louisville. There was “a great spirit, a real sense of enthusiasm and excitement,” at the event, she added.

Other highlights from The Gathering included:

* Author and children’s market expert Mary Manz Simon emphasized how helping parents protect and nurture their children presents an opportunity for Christian stores to set themselves apart from the increasing competition they face.

More than ever, with unwholesome trends in entertainment content for the young, “parents are going to look to you to fulfill your traditional role as gatekeeper to their children,” Simon said in her keynote presentation on trends in the category.

* CBA Chair-elect George Thomsen proposed an industry summit to help build up Christian retail. “I would really love to see us work together,” he said when asked about his hopes for the future, during an informal question-and-answer forum.

“I’d like to see us tear down barriers―whatever barriers there are, let us rip them down because it is not Christlike,” Thomsen said. “And we need to work together; we need to love each other, as brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to operate with integrity; we need to not be mean with each other as we sometimes are. ... I think we need to get together as an industry and talk and perhaps even have an industry summit where we bring publishers together, where we bring associations together ... different entities, people who have a stake in this game.”

* Attendees were given a preview of the Not A Fan revival initiative that is to tour the country later this year, to be backed by a DVD small-group video curriculum and book featuring the message of the church’s teaching minister, Kyle Idleman.

The six-part series created by City on a Hill Productions and to be released in July features Southeast Christian teaching minister Kyle Idleman’s message about the need for Christians to move from being “just a fan, an enthusiastic admirer of Jesus” to becoming a true follower.