ST RAN ME DI A RO UP Th i du st a yo i ge ti ps at ww .chri sti anretailing.c om ARCH $7 .0 CHRISTIAN RETAILING Inspirational Gift Trends Sales rep tips, Top 100 gifts list and more in our special supplement, with this issue Retailers Choice Awards 2010 Retailers, help choose the best products of the win them for yourself, page 14 READ BY THE SUPPLIERS AND RETAILERS OF THE $4.6 BILLION CHRISTIAN PRODUCTS INDUSTRY results in challenging How stores and suppliers can make the most of the opportunities, page 42 IN EX INDUSTRY NEWS 12 VITAL SIGNS 19 BOOK NEWS 22 BOOK REVIEWS 24 TOP 50/50 BOOKS 24 CATEGORY LEADERS 30 PRODUCT BRIEFINGS 36 INVENTORY 40 DAY 42 INDUSTRY FORUM 45 MYSTERY SHOPPER 46 VIEWPOINT Faith gift niche remains strong New lines and a new shared showroom point to confidence in of inspirational products A NDY UTCHER onsumer habits may be changing, but Christian gift suppliers were looking ahead positively to the coming year when they unveiled new lines at the gift premiere showcase. They remained that while price point is more sensitive, current economic woes leave many people looking for meaningful expressions of view shared by a wide Molly Glory Haus offered bright colors and whimsical designs of Scripture-based items at AmericasMart. range of general market companies eyeing the inspirational category at the Atlanta International Gift Home Furnishings Market in Atlanta, Jan. 6-13. do very well with Christian products. a growing said Vicki Darrah, president of leading rep group Darrah Co. Several of the suppliers Darrah hosted at its large AmericasMart showroom had inspirational-themed products, including Custom Decor Inc. National Sales Manager Jerry White said MART, page 10 passed in hot bargain category Leadership and marketplace changes for A NDY UTCHER Inspirational Value Book Show may a new The spotlight remains on the growing mar- its majority interest in rep group Internaket for bargain inspirational books with the tional Closeout Solutions (ICS). The acquisitions were anexit of category pioneer SAS nounced in January by TreaAssociates and a likely shakesures Media President Jerry up of the buying focus for the Bloom, who said that the WCB area. and SAS services would conThe assets of the company, tinue to operate separately for whose promothe time being, with a rebrandtions have become increasing at a later date. ingly popular with stores in the SAS President Steve Slack Jr. past few years, have been sold said that the sale would allow he to Wholesale Christian Books and his founded (WCB), a division of Treasures the business in conMedia. Jerry Bloom centrate on a new business, The Racine, Wis.-based discount distributor has also taken over SAS REMAINDERS, page 45 Stores brace for e-book impact Survey reveals different levels of preparedness for shift The majority of retailers predict that digital books will have a big impact on Christian publishing in the near they differ in their level of preparedness. One in 10 stores sells digital readers, while one in four carries Symtio e-books, according to Christian latest Vital Signs survey. Meanwhile, one in retailers owns an e-book reader with most users citing than the main reason for digital reading. FULL REPORT, page 12 DIGITAL DRIVERS: E-book readers use the devices because of: Reading convenience Buying convenience Pricing ER SP ECT I VE CLICK HERE to view the Inspirational Gift Trends digital version. Making the most of movies A NDY UTCHER Christian Retailing DITOR Part of what makes being involved in Christian retailing both exacting and exciting at the same time, these days, is that there is no one easy out there. The changing times and market require awareness and action across a wide range of challenges and opportunities. But one area worth highlighting right now for some special thought and attention is PERSPECTIVE, page 46