 Stores pursue discount opportunities, urged to develop category systems
Bargain books remain a strong emphasis at Christian retail, with the category drawing attention at two recent industry events. Though attendance was down at the Inspirational Value Book Show (IVBS) in Atlanta, held Jan. 11-13, business was good, according to organizer Jerry Bloom, president of Treasures Media. Buyers’ pre-registration for the event—held in conjunction with Christian Trade Association International’s Marketsquare International for the first time—was down on last year’s show in Nashville, with the winter storm that hit the region keeping away a couple of discount exhibitors and some additional retailers. “When you factor in what we faced, I think we have done fantastic,” said Bloom, noting that the attendance of a couple of buyers for major general market chains. There were slowly growing interest in that area, he said, while in the Christian retail channel overall sales were flat. “Nobody had a fantastic year last year,” Bloom told Christian Retailing, “but business is growing. We have seen an increase in the number of start-up stores that, right out of the gate, are deciding to create bargain sections, which is great.” At the Munce Group’s CPE (Christian Product Expo) in Hershey, Pa., held Jan. 16-18, Mark Schoepke, owner of Tree of Life Christian Outlets and Stores in the Northwest, gave attendees a peek into his sales reports to show how discount and remainder titles had worked well for him. With discounts of up to 80%, the category made possible a 35% increase in inventory for the same cost, he said, but bargain books needed careful management. It was also important to have a schedule for marking down closeouts, so that the section remained fresh and new titles could be added, he said in his workshop presentation. Listing 10 reasons stores should consider bargain books, Schoepke said that available products did not have to be books “that no one wants to touch.” He told of obtaining copies of Gary Chapman’s perennial best-seller The 5 Love Languages (Northfield Publishing/Moody Publishers) at a discount rate when the publisher changed the cover. He also spoke of success with Frank Peretti’s Monster (Thomas Nelson). He had bought copies of the hardcover for $2.50 each, selling them for $9.97. “That is 75% gross profit, and it hasn’t been printed in five years.” Among the eight discount suppliers at IVBS, Sherri Goodknight, president of International Closeout Solutions, said that she had been “very busy.” Business was better than in 2010 for Swanson Christian Products, whose Sales Manager Paul Beauvais had 400 gift products available. “A lot of retailers I’m talking to are looking for perceived good value at a discount price,” he said. A first-time exhibitor was OM Ships International. U.S. Operations Literature Manager David Waugh said that the ministry was starting to offer a discount book distribution service to retailers it had developed contacts with through its floating bookstore. “We have been in the remainder business for a good number of years ourselves, but we realized that we could help many different shops throughout the world,” Waugh told Christian Retailing. Bloom said that he planned to return to Atlanta next year to run IVBS in conjunction with CTAI’s event.
|
