In response to feedback from retailers and suppliers, and to ease the cost of travel and lodging to attendees, next year's CBA Industry Conference will be offered in two locations on opposite sides of the country.

The conference has also been condensed to one day, so attendees don't have to be away from their stores or offices for an extended period, the booksellers association said. The eastern CBA Industry Conference .09 will take place Jan. 14, 2009, in Atlanta, following AmericasMart's Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market and just before the Christian Trade Association International's Marketsquare International, to be held Jan. 15-17 in Atlanta.

The western location for CBA Industry Conference .09 will be held in the Southern California area, although the specific site and date has not been finalized.

"We're all wondering what we'll need to do as Christian retailers to survive and thrive in the coming digital age," said Curtis Riskey, CBA strategic solutions executive. "This conference will be a key to uncovering and experiencing what that future will look like and how we can embrace these new realities together."

Held in Indianapolis last January, the first CBA Industry Conference—a slimmed-down winter event that replaced Advance, cancelled because of dwindling attendance—drew around 190 participants, identifying key issues of concern in the industry and emphasizing the importance of creating good consumer experiences, while promising follow-up resources to help attendees put into practice things they discussed.

The cost of the 2009 conference has been reduced to $35, which includes lunch—down from $600 for this year's three-day event.

For more information on CBA Industry Conference .09, click here.

• Prev
• Next