" ‘You are the light of the world. ... Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.' "
Taken from Matthew 5:14, 16 (ESV)

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"It's a great point about greeting cards being a great ‘entrée' for new customers to a CBA store because cards are a highly penetrated category (90%+ of U.S. households have bought at least one greeting card in the last 12 months), have a low purchase price and are often (if the store is smart strategically!) located in maximum viewing places in the store.

We suggest retailers face their seasonal card section toward the main traffic aisle to trigger seasonal/impulse purchases and to draw shoppers into the rack. Suggestive selling of greeting cards is probably the No. 1 way the Christian store staff can:

• engage shoppers
• introduce shoppers to another department
• grow market basket size ($ per transaction)
• grow ministry (Greeting cards are the only item in the store that absolutely are guaranteed to touch at least two people-sender and receiver-for every one purchased.)"

Jim Hauskey
Consumer Insights
DaySpring Cards

April 18-20
Petoskey Gift Show
Petoskey, Mich.
586-775-3326
www.petoskeygiftshow.com

April 19-21
Minneapolis Mart Gift & Accessory Show
Minneapolis Mart
Minnetonka, Minn.
952-932-7200
www.mplsmart.com

April 19-21
Northern Michigan Gift & Souvenir Show
Boyne Highlands Resort
Harbor Springs, Mich.
231-526-1270
www.nmgiftshow.com

April 25-27
The Charlotte Gift & Jewelry Show
Charlotte Merchandise Mart
Charlotte, N.C.
704-365-4152
www.CharlotteGiftShow.com

April 25-27
Mid-South Jewelry & Accessories Fair
Memphis-Cook Convention Center
Memphis, Tenn.
630-241-9865
www.gift2jewelry.com

April 26
The Buyers Cash & Carry
Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center
Marlborough, Mass.
717-796-2377
www.marketsquareshows.com

April 26-28
April Market
Columbus Marketplace
Columbus, Ohio
614-876-2719
www.thecolumbusmarketplace.com

June 3
Market Wednesday
AmericasMart Atlanta
Atlanta, Ga.
800-ATL-MART (285-6278)
www.americasmart.com

June 24-30
Holiday & Home Expo/Total Home & Gift Market
Dallas Market Center
Dallas
800-DAL-MKTS (325-6587)
www.dallasmarketcenter.com

"(Licensed products) associated with live events draw consumers both before and after the event. The average woman drives over five hours to attend a live event. I can tell you from experience thousands show up for the conference in (event) T-shirts they purchased in stores. They also return to their local store to buy after the conference experience because it is not always possible to get a chance to buy at the events because of the volume of people wanting to buy there."

Lorri Carter, vice president of creative development, Kerusso (Extra Care: Making the most of ancillary products by Sherri Litza, Inspirational Gift Trends, June 9, 2008)

List based on sales data for March 1-31, 2009, provided by Christian Books & More Gold and used with permission.

John Paul Brownlow, vice president of sales, Brownlow Gifts

With Mother's Day fast approaching, what types of products are not-to-miss? "Obviously, cards are a primary focus, but you also want to consider a variety of other items, including plaques, books and even personal care items."

Are there any trends in color or theme, for instance, retailers need to be aware of for Mother's Day? "There are several directions to go with color, but a fairly easy route is pink! It has an obvious feminine slant to it, and you can find pink products from many different suppliers."

In terms of pricing, what do you expect consumers will be buying for mom this year? "We all know spending will be down somewhat, but that doesn't mean you have to roll over and give up. Make sure you have many different items with retails under $20, and a few with higher retails."

How can stores add on to sales per customer this season? "Go to the craft store and try to find some cheap baskets so customers can make their own custom gift basket of items for mom. If you provide the basket-not free, but a modest charge-and make it easy for them, they will find it hard not to put several smaller items together. Imagine a book for moms, plus a plaque and a candle, all in a nice basket. This concept can also be done with paper gift bags and tissue for sale right at the display of mother items."

What recommendations do you have for merchandising/display of Mother's Day products? "This is something we all know as well, but it is worth repeating: Put it in the store where everyone sees it when they come in. Take whatever gift fixturing you already have and dress it up. This can be a floor display or a tabletop version. Go buy some pink fabric and weave it through the products and fixturing to get people's attention. Add some potted silk flowers and some interesting props, such as a colorful hat or watering can. Add some signage to it, such as ‘Wellspring Christian Store, your source for great Mother's Day gifts.' Most of your customers walking through the door have to get something for mom, so why shouldn't they buy it from you?"

Lighthouse mugs for women are eco-friendly
Lighthouse Christian Products Co. is launching "Reflections of Nature," a new line of ceramic mugs. The four mugs feature nature images and themes and verses related to God's creation and His power: God is Good, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, My Hope Is in God and Faith-All Is Possible.

The cream-colored mugs have earth-tone interiors and feature feminine styling to appeal to women. Each mug comes with three Scripture cards that focus on God's creation.

The mugs come packaged in a recycled cardboard box, and the cards are printed on recycled paper. Suggested retail price is $10.99.

Seasonal decorations buying expands, study says
Americans are decorating their homes year-round, not just for Christmas, according to Unity Marketing's Christmas and Seasonal Decorations Report 2009.

Though seasonal decorations comprise an $18 billion market, the percentage of households that purchased decorations for specific holidays declined from 2004 through 2008, according to the results of the survey among 1,049 individuals who recently bought holiday decorations.

Explaining the apparent dichotomy, Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing and author of the report, said: "People tend to collect decorations from year-to-year and re-use them with each passing season. Marketers must give the best potential customers-people who passionately decorate their homes-a compelling reason to buy new decorations every holiday and each passing season."

Danziger added that presenting "the same-old product year-in, year-out" can be a costly mistake for retailers and marketers.

Ann Arbor, Mich.-based apparel company Living Epistles is supporting South Africa with its Promise Olives T-shirts.

With the sale of each tee, retailing for $15.99, the company will donate 50% to support sustainability in the African nation by donating to Monte Christo Ministries. The ministry plants olive trees, which live a long, productive life of up to 100 years.

For more information on the cause, visit www.promiseolives.com.