Christian Retailing

Thomas Nelson International's virtual tour specials Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Monday, 30 November 2009 02:26 PM America/New_York
Thomas Nelson International's best-selling titles are spotlighted in the Virtual Christmas Showcase, an online exhibition and training event hosted by Christian Retailing magazine and focused on the holiday season.

More than 20 suppliers--including Kregel Publications, Integrity Music and Warner Press--have so far signed on for the Virtual Christmas Showcase. In addition to highlighting products and specials, the online event also includes interviews, new release spotlights and other offers. The virtual show has drawn more than 3,000 visits from 66 countries since it began Sept. 30, with nearly 9,000 page views.

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Oasis Audio signs with Noble Marketing Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Monday, 30 November 2009 02:32 PM America/New_York
Oasis Audio has signed with Noble Marketing for representation in the Christian retail market.

"We worked with Noble a few years ago, so we are very familiar with their work," said Oasis Audio Publisher Dan Balow. "Because of the companies they represent, it was an easy decision to go back."

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Crowns, 'Ultimate Gift' atop SoundScan charts Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Monday, 30 November 2009 02:38 PM America/New_York
Until the While World Hears by Casting Crowns supplanted the band's own Peace on Earth (both Beach Street Records/Provident-Integrity Distribution) for the top spot of the SoundScan's Christian/Gospel music Christian retail chart for sales the week ending Nov. 22, while The Ultimate Gift (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment/Word Distribution) remained atop the Christian Videos list.

Following Until the While World Hears and Peace on Earth were: 3. Glory In The Highest: Christmas Songs of Worship by Chris Tomlin (sixstepsrecords/EMI CMG Distribution); 4. Heaven and Earth by Phil Wickham (INO Records/Provident-Integrity); 5. Wow Hits 2010 by various artists (Word Records/Word); 6. Beauty Will Rise by Steven Curtis Chapman (Sparrow Records/EMI CMG); 7. This Moment: Cinderella Edition by Steven Curtis Chapman (Sparrow Records/EMI CMG); 8. Hello Love by Chris Tomlin (sixstepsrecords/EMI CMG); 9. Casting Crowns by Casting Crowns (Beach Street Records/Provident-Integrity); and 10. You Deliver Me by Selah (Curb Records/Word).

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Connecting with congregational consumers Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Monday, 30 November 2009 02:46 PM America/New_York
Many Christian retail stores are missing out on an opportunity to develop business links with local churches.

Almost two-third of stores with no known church-based retail operations in their area seldom or never supply local pastors with product samples, according to the latest Christian Retailing Vital Signs survey.

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Industry veteran Don Noes joins Integra Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Monday, 30 November 2009 02:59 PM America/New_York
Industry veteran Don Noes has come out of retirement to join Integra Interactive as senior vice president of business development. Noes, who has 27 years retail and music industry experience, retired in July 2008 from Provident-Integrity Distribution as senior vice president of sales, marketing and distribution in the Nashville area.

Noes will lead all business development for Integra and direct all aspects of sales and marketing. "Over the past year, Don and I have had many discussions about the digital world," said David Amster, Integra's chief innovation officer. "He and I share a common philosophy regarding the function of sales and marketing in today's business world.

"Don is an outstanding addition to our already strong management team, which includes board members Rod Huff and Bob Steele, both well known in the industry," Amster, added. "Together we see new opportunities to greatly expand the use of the myMEDIA platform."

The myMEDIA BurnBar (MMBB) in-store burning system carries the world's largest catalog of Christian media content for digital sales, Integra officials said.

MMBB is now in more than 360 stores and sells more than $275,000 of music, audiobooks, video games and software applications, company officials said.

Integra will launch "on demand" products through MMBB next year--including representations of the items, which will be visually displayed on product shelves for shoppers to view. Other products will be custom packaged, combining content already available. "Don has already been very instrumental in the development of this," Amster said.

 
Christian stores' 'Cyber Monday' specials Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Monday, 30 November 2009 03:03 PM America/New_York
Christian stores and suppliers are looking to boost Cyber Monday traffic today by cutting prices by more than half.

LifeWay Christian Stores' Cyber Monday Sale e-mail offer to online shoppers includes Hope Rising by Fee (INO Records/Provident-Integrity Distribution) for $5 instead of $15.98, while Minnesota Cuke and the Search for Noah's Umbrella, VeggieTales (Big Idea/Word Distribution) is reduced from $14.99 to $5, among others.

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Christian video games selling fast at Wal-Mart Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Monday, 30 November 2009 03:18 PM America/New_York
Inspired Media Entertainment, the inspirational video game company that makes games based on the "Left Behind" book series, reports that Christian video games are selling beyond the company's expectations at the world's largest retailer.

Three PC games--including Charlie Church Mouse, retailing between $19.96 and $29.96--by the company formerly known as Left Behind Games were offered last month in approximately 100 Wal-Mart stores in Dallas and Houston as well as in other Texas markets.

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Cook goes public with debt relief program Print Email
Written by Eric Tiansay   
Monday, 30 November 2009 03:22 PM America/New_York
David C. Cook has gone public with a behind-the-scenes financial assistance program intended to help struggling bookstores stay in business.

The Colorado Springs, Colo.-based publisher is promoting its Debt Retirement initiative that helps Christian retailers behind in their bills pay down what they owe while continuing to service church accounts.

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