Sales at Southeast Christian’s store increase as listeners tune in on air

Readers of the Zondervan best-seller Not a Fan may be acquainted with Southeast Christian Church, where author Kyle Idleman is teaching pastor. Messages from Idleman and Senior Pastor Dave Stone are heard regularly on three local radio stations—with revenues from The Living Word store supporting the radio outreach. 

“We are on three different radio stations, WHAS Radio, WFIA and Shine,” said Dena Meade, ministry leader at The Living Word Ministry. “The intent is to get the gospel out into the city.” 

Throughout the week, messages are broadcast on air during morning and evening drive times, reaching commuters.

In part because of the radio ministry, The Story (Zondervan), subtitled “The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People,” has moved very well at the store. The Living Word sold and gave away more than 10,000 copies when Southeast went through an eight-month, church-wide study.

“There are people who have come by The Living Word bookstore as a result of hearing a message on the radio or on television,” said Cary Meyer, director of communications and creative arts. “They wanted to pick up a book because they wanted to follow along. These are people who aren’t church members, or attending, but they are listening to the radio.”

The store at the Louisville, Ky., church was built out of the vision of Judy Russell, former president of The Living Word. It opened during the Christmas season of 1998, after the church moved into its third and current home at 920 Blankenbaker Parkway. Russell and her husband, founding senior pastor Bob Russell, retired in June 2006, and Stone now serves as senior pastor of the 22,000-member congregation. 

Under the leadership of Pastor Russell, the radio ministry was established in the early 1980s and was followed by the opening of the store. 

Prior to the store’s opening, the church operated a resource ministry, which funded all of the radio broadcasts. The resource ministry sold recorded sermons and was able to generate ongoing funds to cover the radio costs. 

“Even if listeners never walk in the doors of our church, they will call in or get online to order a sermon to give away,” Meade said. “We have also seen a lot of people come forward, visit our church or come to know the Lord through our radio ministry.”

‘Gospel-Centered Publishing’ branding reflects Crossway’s purpose and mission 

In this, our 75th anniversary year, we want to express our great appreciation to the Christian retail marketplace. My wife, Ebeth, and I started Crossway in 1979 as the not-for-profit book publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. We know that Crossway would not exist today without the enormous support and partnership that Christian retail has provided. What has been true in the past is certainly true in the present—and will be equally true in the future.

It’s time to consider new opportunities that are emerging in this season of business

Change has been prevalent in Christian retail in the last several years, bringing truth to the old adage, “Change is inevitable and constant.” As an industry, retailers have a choice as to whether or not they will adapt.

To address the what, when and where of our business, we need to look at where Christian retail has been and how the trade identifies itself. Establishing these two facts will provide a path to where Christian retail is headed in the future.

RETAIL TIMELINE

Where has Christian retail been? The recession forced many businesses in the industry to make tough decisions. Even through the recovery process, retailers have had to make difficult decisions in regards to staffing, product lines, pricing and the number of SKUs offered in their stores. They have said goodbye to some old friends while creating new relationships. Churches have shifted their buying patterns, and new technologies have forced stores to view the world through a different lens. Competition from larger chains has affected the market, and some have stores experiencing traffic drop-off. Although unpleasant, the last few years has forced stores to look at things in a new way. 

Who is Christian retail? The trade is made up of store owners, managers and employees who are following a call and a passion. Their goal is to offer products that benefit the kingdom of God, drawing others into a deeper relationship with Christ. Christian retail is part of the body of Christ. 

Where is Christian retail going? Simply put, wherever Christian retailers believe He leads. I once heard a friend say, “When we accepted Christ, we went from collusion to collision with Satan, and that is why you never noticed him before.” The same holds true in Christian retail. When a business or person works for Him, they will run into Satan. The choices Christian retailers make before, during or after times of adversity determines the mind-set that directly affects their ability to overcome and move forward. 

As business people, we tend to get caught in the weeds of business and life, where we can miss God’s blessing. Rather than focusing on everyday struggles, let’s examine some of the positives from the past.

RETAIL PATTERNS

Recently I have noticed the following patterns in most Christian retail stores:

• Staffing is more in line with bottom-line revenue, creating the opportunity for refocused attention and rebranding of the retail store image to the buying public via store remodels or shifts in business strategy, for example. 
• Inventory levels have been adjusted properly, and retailers are more capable of ordering product without credit limit issues.
• New “niches” have been discovered, making up for lost revenue.
• New pricing models make individual items more profitable. The use of loss-leader items has become more strategic. In some cases, lower margins actually translate into greater profit due to increased sales.
• Some publishers and distributors are helping stores plan endcap and floor display strategies, to assist stores that have recently experienced staff reductions.
• Sales reps from all publishers are working more closely with retailers to help lower the cost of products with partnership programs.
• Some publishers have opted for new order processes, offering a guaranteed return of unsold product that benefits the retailer.

Overall, Christian retail stores have been and always will be a place of destination for core customers. Each store offers its own personalized blend of customer service and support. 

Nowhere else can you find a broader knowledge base of authors, subject matter and Bible expertise than in a Christian retail store. Christian retail carries the largest selection of backlist products and can special-order most any product at a moment’s notice.

Christian retailers also have portrayed a family-like atmosphere in the way they conduct business and handle relationships with their staff personally and professionally. Christian retail stores can and should continue to do this. 

RETAIL FUTURE

What else can Christian stores do as they look to their future?

• Consider taking a new look at specific markets, reaching out again to churches that have started and families who have moved into your area in the last few years. 
• Market the fact that Christian retail stores are a destination point for their communities. Marketing comes in many forms, some with little cost like word-of-mouth, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
• Develop in-store gathering places.
• Continue to look for ways to cut inventory levels without affecting overall revenue. This can be accomplished by better inventory management systems.
• Lower the amount of inventory that does not turn in an acceptable time.
• Look for new “niches,” which can come in the form of fresh product lines. 

Christian retail stores are moving ahead with the same calling once placed in their hearts when they began in this industry. They are moving forward knowing that if God is for them, no one can be against. They move forward knowing that if God changes their destination, such as He did with Paul when the Holy Spirit withstood him, then He has a greater plan for them. They are moving forward in partnership with their communities. They are moving forward in partnership with each other.

Christian retail is community.

Christian retail is moving forward.

Christian retail is strong and will continue to be needed as retailers live out their calling and serve their neighborhoods and broader community. 

Saddleback store changes location, product mix

Saddleback Church Bookstore is a store on wheels. Last July, the Orange County, Calif. church led by Rick Warren made some changes to its open-air operation, moving to a patio location outside the doors of the worship center. 

“We have A-frame carts that we use to display products and we have them set up in rows,” said Bookstore Supervisor Kyle Wilke. “On top, we have toppers that say Bibles or Small Group Curriculum, and others. We also have flat-top carts for accessories and jewelry. The whole bookstore we push out. It is all on wheels and mobile.”

The advantages of having the new, long narrow set-up of 75-100 square foot by 25 square foot is that it allows a lot of people to move through the store at the same time. When a service lets out, customers can get in and out quickly, store traffic flows easily and people don’t feel claustrophobic. However, the only overhead covering is an awning, which can be a downside when it rains. Although, it’s sunny 99% of the time, the church is exploring permanent options such as an enclosure.

The old store space is now being used as a family pavilion. Previously, the approximate 100-by-100-square-foot store was outside, but under a roof.

“The reason for the move was we found out that a lot of families were sitting outside during the service,” Wilke said. “This reflects on a new parenting trend, with parents not wanting to drop off their kids at the children’s ministry, which is a bummer, because we have an outstanding children’s ministry. But, instead of having them sit out in the middle of nowhere, we created a family pavilion with couches, televisions and a play area so parents can watch the service, while they hang out with their children. There are volunteers stationed there who are knowledgeable about the different children’s ministries, and they can direct families to the appropriate places.”

The move meant that store inventory had to be streamlined. The store now rarely stocks new release books, unless the church hosts a guest speaker who is an author. Saddleback’s store funds a food pantry and benevolence fund at the church, and they haven’t suffered a loss as a result of the changes.

“We had to refocus,” Wilke said. “To give you an idea with the A-frames, we downsized to about half. I have nine or 10 carts now, and I used to have 20. We eliminated a lot of material, especially books, with the move, but our sales haven’t changed that much.”

The Global Bookstore at Mariners Church gives back

The Global Bookstore at Mariners Church, a 3,500-square-foot shop in Irvine, Calif., serves a 12,000-member congregation. For the past 10 years, the store has been able to help fund a variety of outreach initiatives. 

Global Bookstore does more than
$1 million in annual sales, said Bookstore Director Andrea Devin.

The store was founded when Mariners Outreach Founding Pastor Laurie Beshore came up with the idea of starting a bookstore that would give its proceeds to outreach. There are four major initiatives: meeting needs that are both critical and practical; standing in the gap for the poor, marginalized and forgotten; challenging, equipping and empowering the people of Mariners Church; and engaging a global movement. The store’s signage, bags, hangtags and logo convey these initiatives. Customers may also visit the website www.marinersoutreach.org to learn more about the store’s emphasis.

The name “Global Bookstore” is more about the mission and purpose of giving all of the net proceeds to outreach ministries than it is the product mix. 

“One of the reasons our customers shop in the store is to support all of the outreach ministries,” Devin observed. “They are given a bag stuffer at the checkout that explains the four initiatives and it tells where their money is going.

The store’s inspirational boutique evolved out of knowing customers’ needs and what they would want to wear or give as a gift. It started with Christian apparel and jewelry. However,  now customers want more of a mix, including tops, cardigans and pull-on skirts. Accessories like scarves, handbags, make-up bags and headbands as well as Christian and costume jewelry are also popular.

“A customer may be purchasing a birthday gift for a friend who is not a believer. The boutique gives her a place to shop for that gift. If it’s a scarf, she can also purchase a greeting card with scripture, and the hangtag on the scarf will let her know that the gift was purchased at the Global Bookstore, ‘Where all the net proceeds go to Outreach,’ ” Devin said.

Initiative with break-even sales pays off in souls saved through staff’s ‘non-offensive approach’

Manager Robert Villegas of Calvary Christian Store and his team have discovered an effective way to evangelize—by starting a kiosk at the mall. An outgrowth of the store at Calvary Chapel Oceanside in Oceanside, Calif., the kiosk began operating at Westfield Plaza Camino Real Mall in Carlsbad, Calif., in 2011 and has grown its business since then.

Stocking the kiosk with popular items served as a tool that opened the door for store staff to talk with shoppers about Jesus. It put them in front of thousands of shoppers in a high-traffic area that typically reaches several million people a year—and it paid off in spiritual and financial terms. 

In November and December 2011, more than 115 people prayed to receive Christ at the kiosk. In terms of the bottom line, sales in 2012 averaged about $26,000, which Villegas said was break-even. He believes the life-changing impact had far greater value than the sales. 

“I would tell my staff to smile, wish people ‘Merry Christmas’ and say, ‘Hey, can I show you something really cool?’ Then bring them over to the cart and use the product and the Word on the product to share the gospel. That becomes more of a non-offensive approach,” Villegas said.

Eye-catching items drew shoppers to stop at the kiosk. Among them were baby bodysuits from Little Disciples with phrases such as “Jesus Loves This Baby,” or “Born to Worship.” The cart was also stocked with Christian T-shirts on mannequins with big, bold messages; Spirit & Truth Christian Jewelry Designs’ products with scripture, popular books and music. 

Villegas said there was interest in the products from the first day the kiosk opened.

“We had shirts from NOTW that said ‘Know Jesus Know Peace,’ and shirts with ‘God is Good All the Time, All the Time God is Good,’ ” he said. “The catchy messages stood out. You see this one little cart in the midst of the other stores and carts that screams Jesus and it threw people off. They are walking, they see it, boom, and said ‘What is this?’ This was a great way to minister to people in the midst of the craziness and commercialism at Christmas time.”

Serving a church of 2,500 to 3,000, Calvary Christian Store continues to grow its annual sales to more than a projected $500,000 this year. The 2,700-square-foot store recently added Saturday hours, 9 a.m.-8 p.m., and it has become the second-largest selling day of the week.

In working with the church leadership, the goal has been to solidify business, make it strong and minister to the church body. Additionally, the store wants to branch out, build the brand of the store and the church within the community and share Christ. In the future, they hope to work with the local Chamber of Commerce, and reach out to tourists and the military.

“The idea is to get outside of the church walls and use the vehicle of retail,” Villegas said.