Late arrivals boost attendance for key buying session for overseas markets, new exhibitors pleased

The winter buying convention for the international Christian products world ended on a sunny note after getting off to a cold, slow start.

Attendance at the fourth annual Marketsquare International, hosted in Atlanta Jan. 11-13 by Christian Trade Association International (CTAI), was down from previous years as a result of the storm that all but shut down the city for several days.

Most international travelers made it in, but domestic journeys for many were delayed or even canceled with Atlanta-based authors Cecil Murphey and Cindy Trimm among those unable to make it for scheduled appearances, as local roads were closed.

B&H Publishing Group, Whitaker House and Anchor Distributors were among several exhibitors missing, while some companies experienced delays in the arrival of their booth materials at the Hope for the Nations event at the Renaissance Concourse Atlanta Airport Hotel.

More than a dozen late arrivals boosted attendance for the second day of the event, many of them U.S. retailers—to whom the overseas-focused event was opened last year—arriving in the city to also visit the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, held Jan. 12-19.

“I’m very encouraged,” said CTAI President Jim Powell at the close of Marketsquare, launched in 2008 to provide a vital winter buying forum for the overseas market. “Yes, we haven’t had quite the experience we had hoped for, but we had more buyers in the room than we had last year ultimately, and our exhibitors have been kind and considerate of all the circumstances. I’m getting some positive feedback.”

Though registrations were down on their respective events last year for both CTAI and the Inspirational Value Book Show (IVBS)—held in tandem with Marketsquare—the 153 international and U.S. buyers and suppliers in Atlanta was more than for either individual 2010 show, Powell said.

More than a dozen countries were represented, with first-time participants from Germany and Estonia. The largest delegation was from Nigeria, a major market for Christian products. Among the contingent was first-time buyer Chidi Ogboku, who opened his Topmost Bookshop in Lagos, last year. He had a “wonderful” show. “I have been developing relationships and making contacts,” he said.

First-time exhibitor Melissa & Doug—maker of educational children’s toys and puzzles, including several faith-based items—had “an incredible show,” said sales representative Chris Cofoni. “I came here hoping to write a few orders,” but said he had well exceeded his goal.

Also debuting at Marketsquare was Genesis Marketing, representing half a dozen gift companies after hearing of the success of two of its clients, Christian Tools of Affirmation and African American Expressions, at previous CTAI events. Overseas interest in gifts was “an area that is expanding,” said Genesis sales representative Joel Wagner.

Powell agreed, noting one obstacle. “There’s a tremendous opportunity for gift products as Christian stores outside the U.S. learn how important (the category) is. The challenge is that many of these places outside the West are poorer and so gift products are not as high on the priority list.”

Powell also observed that e-books are not as much of a factor in some parts of the world as they have become to brick-and-mortar retailers in the U. S. in recent times, because restrictions on credit card use meant that Internet sales were not as common. “In other parts of the world, Christian stores continue to be the place that you go to get these products,” he said.

With more than 30 companies represented on the exhibition floor, Marketplace also featured workshops and presentations. In a retailers’ forum, Stella Oluyomi told how regular advertising had helped build her Bible Wonderland stores into a 10-strong chain in Nigeria. “If you don’t do that, they easily forget about you,” she said.

While radio and TV advertising was prohibitive, it was relatively inexpensive to pay for billboards and leaflets, and she hired high school students to hand out the literature at Christian events, she said. “God is in advertising,” she said with a smile, referencing Is. 55:1, in which God invites people to come and buy without money.

Oluyomi also stressed the importance of having a close personal relationship with God, and good relationships with customers and staff. Business honesty was essential, too. “God will not bless unrighteousness,” she said. “God is your supervisor. He sees everything.”

Cherie Gregory, co-owner of The Potter’s House Parable Christian Store in Valdosta, Ga., told how counting the number of customers who entered the store had helped in analyzing how well visits were converted into purchases, enabling her to better schedule staff according to busy shopping times.

“We are constantly looking for new things that will differentiate us from the big-box stores that are selling most of our other products,” she said. “We can’t just keep doing things like we have always done.”

Domestic visitors to Marketsquare included Rebecca Gorczyca, executive director of the Association of Logos Bookstores. “It was a very valuable show,” she said.