A message from Geni Hulsey, president of the Church Bookstore Network:

The first Virtual Christian Retailing Show is about to come to a conclusion, having been extended to mid-September to meet the demand for the service. And what a great experience--to be able to go online and shop just as though I were at a physical show ... but without the hotel room or airline ticket.

There are specials, presentations about new products, links to company catalogs and Web sites. There are also Webinars where I've heard great sales and merchandising tips about apparel from the folks at Kerusso and better ways to display wall art from Carpentree.

Beginning Sept. 30, you also will be able to visit the Virtual Christmas Showcase, once again hosted by Christian Retailing magazine. Vendors will have virtual booths, and through a variety of media, will show you new and exciting products for Christmas.

Buying for Christmas was always one of my favorite things. Customers are always excited to see what is new and unique in your store for this time of year. They want to find that special gift-be it a book, a CD or a nativity set.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

CBA Chairman-elect George Thomsen will be among the speakers, Monday, Oct. 19, at Cottonwood Church in Los Alamitos, Calif. He is manager of the Harvest Store at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif.

Topics for the event will include "Retail Essentials-Developing a Bookstore," "Building and Maintaining a Volunteer Team" and "Merchandising Your Store."

Contact Cottonwood Church bookstore manager Rose Seeley at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or call 714-947-5356.

The Munce Group's Christian Products Expo (CPE) takes place at the Embassy Suites, Murfreesboro, Tenn., Sept. 13-15.

The event opens with a Bible conference featuring Kay Arthur. Keynote speaker will be Dr. David Jeremiah, with Stan Toler and Ernie Hause and Signature Sound among the authors and artists in attendance.

Workshops will include "Common retail myths debunked, "Children's/youth department," "Controlling expenses while increasing profits and margins," and free Bookstore Manager Training.

Attendees placing qualifying orders at the event are eligible for travel and accommodation reimbursements.

For more information, go to www.cperegionals.com.

by Carl Massa

Many church bookstores offer a fixed percentage discount--often around 10%-to paid employees, and some also offer this perk to volunteers. Additionally, an employee discount can be an enticement for potential paid or volunteer staff.

Before deciding on a standard employee discount, evaluate your profit margins. Then, develop a clear policy on who can take advantage of the discount. Consider whether the same discount will be available for paid bookstore staff, bookstore volunteers and non-bookstore church staff members.

After you develop a policy that you believe to be fair and clear, run it by the pastor who oversees the bookstore. Once the policy is approved, communicate it to the staff in writing.

Since vendors sometimes offer free products to retailers, consider using these items for staff giveaways. However, as with discounts, a clear policy should be established at the outset to avoid confusion or the appearance of favoritism.

Displaying wall art and other inspirational gifts in a setting that lets customers visualize what it might look like in their own home can dramatically enhance presentation. Featured paintings, prints or designs could be switched out regularly. This faux hearth spot at the Harvest Bookstore at Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadows, Ill., also provides a relaxing spot for shoppers to sit and study a book.

There's one regular ‘customer' who comes in every week to read our books, and not only doesn't he buy them, but he also ‘bookmarks' where he has got up to and bends the covers. How should I deal with him?

All of us have dealt with customers of this nature. Many times it is hard to do something about them because you can't catch them "in the act." As unpleasant as it may be, eventually you will have the chance, and the action must be addressed.

Start out by involving them in a conversation about the fact that you see them often in the store. Let them know that you know what they read when they come in for their little visits.

You can take the "casual" approach and tell them that you hope they found the book to be satisfactory. You might even show them the book where they have bent the cover and bookmarked their place. Let them know that this prohibits another person from purchasing this book, so that if another customer was thinking about buying the book, you would have to get another copy.

Hopefully, the customer will take the hint and not continue the practice. If this does not work, then you will have to be tough and confront them face to face after one such reading episode. Hopefully, he will realize the error of his ways and you can save a customer.

Got a question for Betty Bookstore? Write to her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Some churchgoers' resistance to the idea of a retail operation at their place of worship might be challenged by what seems to be an emerging new trend--worship at places of retail operations.

As one report said, "Never the most popular commercial tenants because of their Sunday-only customer traffic, churches are now the darlings of shopping-center landlords stuck with empty movie theaters and big-box retail stores."

Through what he calls "adaptive reuse," churches are moving into vacated retail spots, Matthew D. Messier, a faith-based and nonprofit real estate specialist in Orlando, Fla., told the local Sentinel. The International Council of Shopping Centers has no data to support the trend, "but said it's apparent throughout the country," the newspaper added.

Upstart churches have leased empty storefronts for years, the report noted, but they tend to move out when they outgrow the space. But among those reversing the trend has been the city's C3 Church-short for "Connecting the Community with Christ"-which sold its buildings and 20 acres in 2007 and now leases space at a cinema complex.

As a result, the church is debt-free and has been able to give more of its money to those in need, said pastor Byron Bledsoe. No word on whether there are plans for a bookstore.

Source: The Orlando Sentinel

Read the complete article at http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/realestate/orl-commercial-site-churches-082909,0,19724.story.

Online shopping doesn't have to mean a lost sale if you don't have the shopper's needed title in stock. They may be happy to wait and pick the item up from you when they come to church next week, provided you have an efficient special-order system in place. In fact, the service can become a strong selling point for your store. How do you promote the option in your store, and how do you ensure that it runs smoothly? What are your systems and practices?

Share your experiences, ideas and comments with others at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

"Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance."
Prov. 1:5, New International Version