Exclusive items are broadly popular among Christian retailers--as many as seven in 10 carry them--but not everyone agrees on their value or place in the Christian products market.

According to Christian Retailing's latest Vital Signs industry survey, books are the most popular exclusive product, according to our latest Vital Signs industry survey, followed by gifts, music and Bibles. Least popular are toys.

Most retailers place a higher value on the competitive benefits of exclusives than on the wider margins the items can provide. Almost two in three said that "making my store unique" was the main reason they carry exclusives.

Attracting shoppers who might otherwise shop elsewhere was the reason given by 30%, while just over one in four stocked (27%) exclusives because they provide "higher margins."

Only a small number of stores (20%) said that they used exclusives to boost average ticket totals. The vast majority of respondents (78%) said they did not provide incentives or goals to encourage staff to sell exclusives.

Read the complete Vital Signs report in the June issue of Christian Retailing magazine.

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