A major new study of the Christian products world predicts that further gains in the industry will be fueled largely by growth in demand for videos and software.

Audio, visual and software materials have overtaken inspirational gifts as the second biggest category behind books, according to market research group Packaged Facts' latest edition of The Religious Publishing and Products Market in the U.S.

Drawn from information from trade groups, existing research, news reports and in-store inspections, the sixth edition of the guide estimates sales from religious publishing and products will total $6 billion this year-a gain of less than 1% over last year.

But though the “glory days” of 2004 and 2005 may have ended, the industry has still grown 21% in the last five years, the report calculates, up $1 billion between 2004 and 2008.

Looking ahead, the team that compiled the report sees revenues declining in the next two years before "rebounding" to gain ground by 2013. "The booming frontiers ...are in video and software, segments where scores of small independents have recently entered," said Publisher Tatjana Meerman.

The biggest impact of changing market forces has been in the book area, where evangelical publishers have mostly topped the category. However, a recent "dramatic reversal" has taken place with "the mainstream giants suddenly on top, with the evangelical stalwarts struggling against a corporate juggernaut."

Read the full report in the Aug. 25 issue of Christian Retailing.

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