Christian Retailing

Zondervan is top winner in Retailers Choice Awards Print Email
Sunday, 08 July 2007 08:00 PM America/New_York

The 2007 Christian Retailing Retailers Choice Awards were announced at a press conference today in Atlanta at the International Christian Retail Show, with Zondervan winning the most awards in the seventh annual competition.

The Retailers Choice Awards honored those Christian products released during 2006 that retailers said they most appreciated being able to make available to customers. This year, suppliers nominated more than 170 products in book, music and gift categories. Of the 25 categories, three were new-Audiobook, Bible Reference/Bible Studies and Personal Growth/Prayer-while Bibles were split into two, General and Devotional and Study.

Zondervan came away with six awards for products such as Rob Bell's DVD/video Rich in the "NOOMA" series and the Archaeological Study Bible. Audio Bible Inspired by... The Bible Experience topped other Audiobook finalists The Message Remix Complete (NavPress) and Philip Yancey's popular book Prayer (Zondervan). However, in the Personal Growth/Prayer category, Yancey's Prayer won the award.

Sheila Walsh was the only individual winner this year to be honored with two awards-one for a children's book and one for a Bible from Thomas Nelson, which won four awards in total.

Products were nominated by suppliers and voted on by retailers, with votes compiled by independent certified public accountants Osburn, Henning and Co. of Orlando, Fla.

All retailers who voted were entered in a random drawing, each winner receiving hundreds of dollars worth of nominated product. The winners are: Carolyn Evans, children's, youth & fiction manager, Potomac Adventist Book & Health Food Store in Silver Spring, Md.; Nancy Hines, manager, The Well Bookstore in Leawood, Kan.; Susan Peters, owner, New Life Books in High Point, N.C.; and Gail Davis, owner, On Eagle's Wings Christian Bookstore in Louisa, Ky.

The list of winners is available at www.RetailersChoiceAwards.com. See the Aug. 20 issue of Christian Retailing magazine for complete coverage.