The mood of retailers and suppliers for this week's Munce Group's Christian Product Expo (CPE) was "upbeat, yet realistic," according to officials for the marketing group.

"The reality is that it is still a tough economy," Munce Group Chief Operating Officer Kirk Blank told Christian Retailing. "There was a great variety of retailers and vendors who were either up, flat or down. Through it all, every retailer is committed to their ministries, businesses and communities.

"Every message from the speakers and artists reinforced the importance of independent Christian retailing--and the impact that independent Christian retailers have in their communities," Blank added.

Held Sept. 13-15 at the Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro, Tenn., CPE opened with a Bible conference featuring Kay Arthur. The keynote speaker was author Emerson Eggerichs, with Stan Toler and Ernie Haase & Signature Sound among the authors and artists in attendance.

Blank said retailer attendance was nearly identical to last year's CPE, a Munce Group members-only show. "We did experience an increase in exhibiting vendors," he said. "The increase in vendor attendance is due to the fact that typically one sales rep cannot handle the amount of order-writing alone. The Munce Group stores write significant amounts of orders on the exhibit floor."

Paul Dlouhy, manager of key accounts for EMI CMG, said the music company "received strong orders" at the event. "This has been the best show I've ever attended. CPE is well-organized," he said. "The Munce Group retailers are the nicest and most excited retailers that I've seen."

Jennifer McClelland of Danville Christian Store in Danville, Ky., agreed. "The way Munce has structured this show, it's easy to write orders, and the reimbursement plan is fantastic," she said.

Munce emphasizes order writing at CPE by motivating retailers with a reimbursement program that helps to offset travel, food and hotel expenses, based on reaching order-writing goals. Munce serves more than 600 member stores in 49 states and in Canada.

Formerly called CPE Regionals East, Munce Group's CPE Hershey is scheduled for Jan. 17-19, 2010 at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey, Pa. Open to all independent Christian retailers, the event will feature best-selling author David Jeremiah--who dropped out of the Murfreesboro CPE due to his wife's surgery--as the keynote speaker.

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