The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) has pulled the plug on its annual regional TradeShows, but the events are to be taken over by the Munce Group.

Citing a steady drop in attendance and sales at the events in the last few years, ECPA announced yesterday this year's five TradeShows will be its last, as the publishers' trade association instead focuses resources on “new communication models.”

Founded in 1994, the TradeShows served as “a vital connection between publishers and Christian retailers,” but in recent years both retailers and suppliers have found the events less necessary for conducting business, said ECPA President Mark Kuyper.

The last ECPA TradeShow will take place in Riverside, Calif., Jan. 31 to Feb. 1, but the events will continue next year in two venues-California and an East Coast location yet to be confirmed-under Munce marketing group's direction.

The events will be run similar to Munce's successful Christian Product Expo (CPE), launched in 2003, and held annually in the fall.

“The mind-set in the industry has been for a while that you can't write substantial numbers of orders at trade shows any more,” said Munce President Bob Munce. “We believe we have a model that proves the opposite, that you can have training, you can have fellowship, you can have a spiritual influence and can also write a lot of orders.”

Tentatively named CPE Regionals, the new shows will have similar features to the TradeShows and CPE-with travel and accommodation reimbursements available to stores writing a minimum number of orders. A third location may be added in 2008.

ECPA said it will focus its resources on “improved industry communication tools,” including its newly announced PubTrack data service, as it “continues to nurture the valuable partnership between ECPA members and Christian retailers.”

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