Professional attendance at the 2010 International Christian Retail Show in St. Louis was 1,593, or flat, as compared to 1,605 in professional attendance in 2009, according to audited numbers reported by CBA (formerly the Christian Booksellers Association).
CBA is the trade association for the Christian Retail Channel, serving Christian bookstoires, including independents, regional and national chains, church-owned stores, franchises, and marketing groups. These stores provide Bibles, Christian books, curriculum, apparel, music, videos, gifts, greeting cards, children’s resources, and other materials.
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Barnes & Noble is up for sale, and insiders say it’s going to go for bottom dollar. The chain, with all their superstores, used to strike fear into the hearts of mom-and-pop booksellers. Even their religious section often had greater depth and range than the average Christian bookstore.
Retailers have picked 22 Thomas Nelson, Inc. titles as finalists in Christian Retailing magazine’s 2010 Retailers Choice Awards program. Products nominated in the competition were judged on three criteria: the impact they have had on staff and customers, their ability to speak to hearts and minds, and the potential to affirm Christ-like living. The winners will be announced at “The Gathering 2010,” a Christian bookselling event sponsored by Christian Retailing magazine. It will be held April 21-23 at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY.
Amazon.com has notified all of its affiliates in Colorado that it is terminating its relationship with them because of a recently passed state law designed to make online retailers report sales tax on sales in the state. This action will affect Christian web sites based in Colorado that are Amazon.com affiliates.
Sales of religious books dipped 14.6% in January 2010 (the last month for which figures were available) according to the Association of American Publishers (AAP). This is in addition to the 14.6% decline reported in January 2009 when the overall decline became dominant.
