An industry-wide search is finalized, while other suppliers announce separate services

Details of an industry-wide platform to help brick-and-mortar Christian retail stores secure some of the growing e-book market were expected to be announced last month.

Speaking to Christian Retailing in September, CBA Executive Director Curtis Riskey said that the e-book wish-list solution drawn up following discussions with retailing and publishing leaders had been shopped to possible providers with hopes that the successful candidate might be announced in October.

The need to help stores offer e-book purchase options to customers was identified as a top priority at the International Christian Retail Show in June, since when the CBA-led working group has been looking to come up with a solution that fits as broadly as possible.

"The problem is not having a solution," said Riskey. "Everyone has one, it seems. Anyone can buy an expensive solution, but not all of our retailers—including some of the larger chains—can afford to do that. Our prayer is to provide an infrastructure that allows industry cooperation, while enabling individual stores to meet their customer needs and expectations."

The working group had to "determine if a cooperative solution is in the best interests of participating retailers and publishers," Riskey added. "Solutions have complexities that may not work for the entire industry. However, if the industry can aggregate its resources to develop a practical solution, and it makes technical and financial sense, we will move toward implementation."

Mark Kuyper, president and CEO of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, said that CBA had "done a great job pulling together a diverse group of companies with a broad range of offerings for review. Whatever direction they choose, it won't be for everyone, but it will provide a well vetted opportunity to participate in e-book sales for many retailers."

As discussions on the service continued, the industry's largest online retailer announced its entry into e-book sales.

Christian Book Distributors (CBD) launched a new e-book store in September through its Christianbook.com Web site. In addition to offering thousands of Christian digital books, the Peabody, Mass.-based company also introduced a CBD Reader for computers, smart phones or Apple's iPad.

"Instead of purchasing another expensive electronic device, our customers can read on their desktop and laptop computers as well as many popular mobile devices and dedicated e-readers like the (Barnes & Noble) nook and Sony Reader," said CBD President Ray Hendrickson.

CBD is also offering a handful of free e-books in addition to free samples of every digital book offered on its Web site. "Every day we are adding new titles to our already deep title selection," Hendrickson said. "We will have the best selection of Christian e-books available."

Meanwhile, the head of leading in-store digital product supplier Integra Interactive reported that the company plans to introduce an e-books service in the new year.

Chief Innovation Officer David Amster told Christian Retailing that the service would not be part of the company's existing myMEDIA BurnBar kiosk—currently in almost 400 stores and credited with boosting their music sales. That was because it was important that e-books not be restricted to a store's entertainment department, he said.

In-store merchandising and display would be a key part of the new service because browsing was an important part of the purchase decision, Amster said. "Most people that come into a store to buy a book don't have a specific title in mind. They often have a category in mind, but they make their decision through a browsing experience."

Once shoppers have decided which e-book they want, they will be able to buy it on a portable storage device such as USB thumb drive or an e-mailed link with the sale being processed through the BurnBar, he said.

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