Veteran workshop leader sees an invasion of apps and homeschool customers trading up for better value

Best-selling children’s author and educator Mary Manz Simon delivered the latest news in children’s trends, coupled with the wildly popular supplier product giveaway, Tuesday afternoon in her 18th consecutive CBA international convention program.

Emerging technology dominated the talk, but while ebooks are surging in the general market, Simon says the app invasion is a big thing in the Christian market’s new kid products. 

“It’s an ‘appy’ time,” she said.

The Beginner’s Bible from Zonderkidz is coming soon with a free app and free initial story pack. Also, “Five Love Languages” author Gary Chapman made his first appearance at a children’s trend seminar, introducing his first Northfield Publishing children’s book, A Perfect Fit for Peyton, where five pets discover their personal love languages, with a free app and digital pop-ups. 

Simon pointed out that reaching new forms of families is a strong trend with “grandfamilies,” involved grandparents who live miles away from their grandchildren; “mombassadors,” moms who are engaged in product information through various technologies before they even enter the store; and next-generation dads, who are spending more time than ever with their kids, being catered to with marketing strategies and product releases.

Bill Reese, owner of the Working Title Agency, recommended that retailers implement 360 branding. 

“Christian product companies sometimes have the shotgun approach to selling; they throw it out there and see what sticks, and if it does, they go after it,” he said of the practice that is “not healthy.” 

Reese suggested that retailers pick a product or a brand and get behind it, leaving it on display for more than two weeks. 

Today’s economy is dictating many trends, Simon said. Products that have resale ability are wildly popular, especially for moms looking for a good deal. One example given was Baker Book House in Grand Rapids, Mich., which buys books from customers, integrates them into the store shelving and resells them for 40%-70% off retail. 

“Today’s consumers factor resell value into the purchase price,” she said, adding that today’s homeschoolers are an excellent example of “re-commerce” or reverse commerce, where they trade up or trade off products. 

“Homeschoolers zip through books, and when they start the first book, they may read every book in the series,” she said. “They might not be able to afford two new books, but might buy one new and one used one.” 

Simon encouraged retailers to take part in their own version of a growing trend available in 24 states called Little Free Libraries. The concept is for people to pay it forward and take a book for free and then return another book. She envisions stores using it to promote outreach or evangelism by suggesting customers buy a single copy of a book for themselves and donate one for a library or ministry. 

“It’s a form of upselling that is growing,” she said. 

Simon reported strong general market interest in books that combine adult and teen interests, as well as interest in dystopian or counter-utopian titles. The Christian market has positive alternatives to The Hunger Games and other general market books, but customers need to be able to find them, she said. 

Simon said the core Christian message is still that “we are passionate about connecting children to Jesus Christ.”

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