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In the first six months of 2003 Christian retail stores saw an 8 percent sales increases in books and 2 percent in Bibles, according to a survey released by the Christian Booksellers Association.
Founded in 1950, the CBA is the international trade association of Christian retailers and product suppliers. The CBA serves more than 2,500 U.S. member retail stores and 1,000 stores in 540 countries. These stores provide apparel, Bibles, children's resources, Christian books, curriculum, gifts, greeting cards, music and videos.
According to a CBA survey, Christian-product sales by CBA member suppliers through all distribution channels were just under $4.2 billion for 2002 - up from $4 billion in 2000. The survey showed that $2.4 billion of the $4.2 billion total is sold through Christian retail with $1.1 billion sold through general retail, and $725 million sold direct-to-consumer and through ministry sales channels.
According to a random sampling of 240 independent Christian retailers, books made up for 3.4 percent of a store's products sold during 2000. Bibles accounted for the next largest segment of sales at 21.2 percent; gifts, 19.2 percent; music, 15.2 percent and apparel/other, 9.1 percent.
The CBA reports that the average shopper in Christian retail stores is between 30 to 49 years old, Caucasian and well educated with a $40,000 a year or more income. About half are Baptist or non- denominational, and more than 77 percent are women.
CBA president Bill Anderson reported that about 76 percent of the people who claimed to be interested in Christian products don't know where a Christian store is located.
Such...