For More Information, contact:
Nancy Guthrie, Show Media Relations Office: (303) 228-8225
International Christian Retail Show Debuts in Denver
All New Show Replaces 55-Year-Old CBA International Convention
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (July 8, 2005) - A new tradeshow designed to meet the needs of today's Christian retailer will debut at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver July 10 - 14. Up to 11,000 people representing all segments of the Christian retail industry are expected to attend the international networking and buying event. Representatives from all 50 states and 55 countries will converge for the largest annual gathering of Christian retailers and product suppliers in the world. The show is not open to the general public.
"The International Christian Retail Show is the place where the industry comes together to work out the solutions, solve the problems, and identify the opportunities ahead," said Bill Anderson, President and CEO of CBA. "It is the event that drives the business of Christian retail." The exhibit floor will officially open Monday, July 11 at 10 a.m. when the ribbon is cut, which will feature Christian books, music, and gifts from over 410 different companies in 1,202 booth spaces, including 89 first-time exhibitors. Representatives from Christian retail stores from around the country and around the world will place orders, research new product and marketing trends, and glean ideas for merchandising techniques and store promotions. Throughout the week, attendees will hear from best-selling authors such as Max Lucado, Stormie Omartian, and Jerry Jenkins, and recording artists such as Michael W. Smith, Bart Millard, and Casting Crowns.
Numerous New Features Warrant New Name for Show
According to Anderson, the International Christian Retail Show was created by and for the retailer with extensive input from retailers via surveys and interviews. "It's all about developing the aspiring Christian retailer, and how we can help them succeed in a rapidly changing market." Anderson says that each word in the name of the new show was carefully chosen: "International" because of the world-wide scope and impact of the show, "Christian Retail" because that is what is center stage, and "Show" because it is designed to be a memorable experience in which retailers have the opportunity to see, touch, and feel what is new.
While some have questioned why CBA has taken the organization's name out of the name of the industry's largest and most important event, Anderson says the move illustrates that this event is not about an organization but is about and for the Christian retailer. "The reality is that the strong 'CBA' brand has carried over into multiple uses and become varied in its meaning," explained Anderson. "It is often used to talk about not only the trade association based in Colorado Springs, but as the name of the biggest annual event central in the industry's calendar, and to describe the entire Christian products marketplace."
In regard to the show's theme, "Success in Store," Anderson said that helping retailers succeed is what CBA as an organization and this new show is all about. "The International Christian Retail Show is where aspiring Christian retailers find ideas and inspiration that can be translated into very real success in their stores," said Anderson. "This is where big ideas are presented; the big picture is reinforced, where retailers are exposed to the next wave of retail trends and concepts that are going to shape our industry. There will be a lot of practical emphasis on what success looks like for Christian retailing in 2005 and beyond."
From the first time attendees step onto the exhibit floor, which follows a new, easy-to-navigate hub-and-spoke design radiating from an all-new Show Central, it will be obvious that much has changed. Show Central will provide a full-service convention meeting point that will include an information desk, cyber café and a CBA Members-Only Club with special author and artist guests scheduled throughout the week.
The educational menu offered at the show is focused on addressing the five critical issues facing the Christian retail channel (trust, traffic, efficiencies & systems, passion for excellence, and profitability & capitalization) as well as the top problems member stores tell CBA they face every day. Much of the training will be available outside of exhibit floor hours so that retailers will be better able to take advantage of the learning and refining opportunities without missing out on opportunities to find new products. "Retailers in this competitive environment can never afford to stop learning and need to constantly improve their store's performance in the basics such as financial management, merchandising, and customer service, as well as acquire new and innovative approaches to retailing. We're addressing the fundamentals with a new twist at the show so that retailers can keep up with the ever-changing expectations of consumers and ever-growing challenges from the competition."
Super Sessions Bring Entire Industry Together to Address Big Ideas
The exhibit floor will be closed on Monday and Thursday mornings from 8:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. so that everyone-retailers, suppliers, vendors, authors, and artists-can come together at the Super Sessions. Monday's session will address the critical issue of passion for excellence in business and ministry by focusing on the challenges and opportunities Christian retail has to make a difference in the culture and the world. Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, will help attendees to see the significance of the work they do that is bigger than individual stores and individual people. Thursday's Super Session will address the critical issue of increasing traffic and sales, which is the number one critical issue as rated by CBA retail members. Following a brief presentation on Christian retail benchmarks and forecasts based on the CBA Operating Statement Survey, a panel of industry leaders (Chuck Wallington of Christian Supply, Tom Betts of Zondervan's Office of the Consumer, Senior Pastor Al Pittman of Calvary Worship Center, and Kurt Bruner of Focus on the Family) and outside experts (including consumer researcher Britt Beemer and retail expert Jim Dion) will discuss how the habits and attitudes of Christian consumers have changed, and how Christian retailers can draw today's committed Christians into the Christian retail store.
For the first time, the ECPA Gold Medallion Awards will be presented in conjunction with the CBA Retailer Impact Awards at a new awards event to be held on Monday evening at 7 p.m. at the Convention Center Lecture Hall. Awards given out will include the Charles "Kip" Jordon Book of the Year and the Jim Carlson CBA Store of the Year Impact Awards. Authors will be on hand to accept their awards, and attendees will also hear from noted authors Charles Colson and Philip Yancey. On Wednesday evening, CBA, in partnership with W Publishing Group and Reunion Records will host "CBA Presents: Come Thirsty," a worship event led by Michael W. Smith and Max Lucado, designed as an evening of refreshment for the soul for the entire channel.
Standing on the Shoulders and Solution Centers New Floor Features
Down the main aisles of the exhibit floor, attendees will be able to take in the "Standing on the Shoulders" exhibit, which will feature nine men and women of the last century whose steadfastness for God set the stage for the ministry and mission the industry pursues today. "We are involved in an industry of not just products but communicators," said Anderson. "The Standing on the Shoulders exhibit provides our industry with the opportunity to take a step back and look at people who have gone before us and see how their impact continues. Looking at their lives and ministries challenges us in our own walk of service and faithfulness. On display will be personal artifacts including manuscripts, first-edition books, and media presentations by and about Francis Schaeffer, C.S. Lewis, Andrew Murray, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Fanny Crosby, Charles Spurgeon, D.L. Moody, Bill Bright and Kenneth Taylor.
At each of the four corners of the exhibit floor, retailers will find Solution Centers which are interactive resources for addressing challenges stores face. The Solution Centers will offer innovative design solutions for transforming and refreshing the retail environment of a store, strategies for reaching the 18-34-year-old customer demographic, ideas for using scrapbooking to create in-store events and traffic, and previews of upcoming movies and videos that will impact Christian retail product sales.
New CBA Size of the Industry Study Results Announced
Sales of Christian products grew to $4.34 billion in 2004, up from $4.2 billion in 2002, and $4 billion in 2000 according to the new Size of the Industry study conducted by CBA. The Christian Retail Channel continued to distribute the majority market share (53%) of a still-expanding marketplace of Christian products, while the General Market channels sold 31% and Other channels sold 16%. The study assesses the total volume of Christian product sales by CBA member suppliers through all distribution channels including the Christian Retail Channel, General Market channels (including warehouse clubs, mass merchandisers, and "big box" bookstore channels), and Other channels (including direct-to-consumer, church, and non-profit ministry sales).
The new study reveals that while dollar volume of sales through the General Market channels grew 22%, the market share decline in the Christian Retail Channel has slowed from a 5% drop between 2000 and 2002 to 3.5% between 2002 and 2004.
"This study mirrors the progress-and challenges-we are seeing in the industry," CBA President Bill Anderson noted. "As overall sales of Christian products have increased through all distribution channels, the Christian Retail Channel alone still sells the lion's share of these products, nearly 23% more than the various General Market channels combined. We've stemmed the tide, but we still have to be more aggressive in competing for market share."
Anderson added, "The good news is that as demand for what we sell continues to grow, Christian retail stores are experiencing increasing success in their efforts to maintain their position of being the primary and preferred distribution channel for Christian products even in a very competitive marketplace. This reality encourages us to continue our efforts in leveraging channel-wide collaborations to grow a healthy and successful Christian retail channel by outperforming our competition to better serve the customer."
Colorado Springs-based CBA is the trade association for the Christian retail channel, serving the interests and meeting the needs of 2206 member Christian stores. These stores provide Bibles, Christian books, curriculum, apparel, music, videos, gifts, greeting cards, children's resources, and other materials. CBA and their member stores also work with 623 associate member book publishers, record companies, gift companies and other product suppliers. Along with the Christian Trade Association International, CBA also serves the meeting and information needs of over 1,000 Christian stores and suppliers in over 50 countries around the world.
Comments