Book Trade Ramblings

Archived Posts from this Category

February 4, 2012

After the Tsunami: Regaining perspective on the UK Christian book trade

Posted by Phil Groom under Book Trade Ramblings, Christian Book Trade, Christian Bookshops, Independent Booksellers, Musings... | Tags: , , , , |
[17] Comments 

SOMETIMES, IN RUNNING UKCBD/THIS BLOG, I want to make like Elijah: to simply run away, hide in a cave and wait for the inevitable. Unlike Elijah, however, I’m not being pursued by an angry Queen who wants to chop me into pieces: on the whole the Christian book/retail trade remains a very positive area to work in; and whilst the unrelenting tide of bookshop closures may feel like a tsunami overwhelming us, I don’t think God has finished with this trade yet. Refining and redefining, certainly; but finished? Far from it — and what I see happening here is far from whistling in the dark.

Allow me to offer some facts and figures:

The UKCBD database currently holds 801 records. Of those, 209 are flagged ‘Omit’, for various reasons: some are incomplete and have never made it to the live site, others are archived as businesses have relocated; only 79 (just under 10%) are specifically flagged ‘Ceased Trading’ — and only 26 have been flagged ‘Ceased Trading’ within the last 12 months. That’s not the full picture: I’m aware of a number of shops that have ceased trading (Chelmsford Christian Bookshop and Quench, St Albans are two examples) but I haven’t updated their entries yet, simply due to the constraints of time and other commitments.

On the opposite side of the coin, however, during that same period 23 new records have been added. Looking back over the last quarter alone, these include:

Some of these are brand new, launched within the last few months; some are relocated or ‘resurrected’ businesses, taking over existing premises from collapsed ventures; others are well established but had somehow slipped under the radar and never made their way into my listings; and some, quite clearly, are not ‘Christian bookshops’ as we’ve come to know them: they are all, however, part of the current Christian retailing reality, the reality that is now being refined and redefined.

Again, this isn’t the full picture: it’s rare for more than a couple of weeks to go by without someone contacting me to provide details of a shop or business that isn’t in the directory. As I prepare this post, I have records pending for several shops that I’ve only recently found out about:

On average, then, for every shop that has disappeared over the last year, another has popped up: some towns, such as Nottingham, are now without a Christian bookshop; others, such as Rotherham, have gained one; and elsewhere, more flexible ventures such as Richard Greatrex’s Windflower Books and Jenny Hickman’s Midlands Christian Books have emerged. The UKCBD database is growing, not shrinking.

Some of the chains — SPCK, Wesley Owen, Living Oasis — are broken beyond repair; others — CLC and FM Bookshops — are still in business, some branches struggling, some thriving, the strong supporting the weak. The collapse of Living Oasis and the failure of Koorong to make a go of Wesley Owen here in the UK perhaps tells us more about the shortcomings of their particular business models than it does about the trade in general.

Steve Mitchell is right in what he affirms when he says:

… it is a brave man to bet against the online business which is so rapidly growing… the charity or independent model is now the best option to maintain physical Christian stores.

But he is wrong in what he denies: because there are plenty of brave men — and women! — out there: not “betting against the online business” but integrating the online with their business models.

The future of Christian bookselling in the UK depends not upon pitting the online against the physical but upon bringing the two together. It’s a secret that lives at the very heart of our faith: “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female” — and to that I add, there is no longer physical or virtual — “for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.”

We who are Christ’s disciples should know these things better than anyone else. Throwing people overboard in the storm is not the way of Christ. Lopping off limbs when the head says to the foot, “I don’t need you anymore,” is not the way of Christ. The only time we see Christ breaking things up is when the temple of mammon attempts to supplant the temple of God — and, coming full circle now, the remnant of Israel that God promises Elijah he will save consists of “all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

The way of Christ is the Cross: is to face impossible odds, to take the pain, to bleed and die, and then — only then — rise to new life. There are no short cuts to resurrection.

To those now feeling like limbs lopped off; to those pursuing the vision of that “well-run and nimble independent sector” that Eddie Olliffe speaks of; to those following the way of Christ regardless of personal cost: I salute you.

 

January 10, 2012

Another twist in the post-STL tale as TMD enters private ownership

Posted by Phil Groom under Book Trade Ramblings, News | Tags: , , , |
[6] Comments 
Trust Media Distribution - The new name for STL Distribution

Trust Media Distribution - The new name for STL Distribution

IN A TRADE ANNOUNCEMENT issued late yesterday afternoon – just after 5pm – Trust Media Distribution (previously trading as STL Distribution), Carlisle, announced the sale and privatisation of the company to its CEO, Ken Munro.

The change follows an extensive period of restructuring and consolidation within the company as it has sought to realign itself with the changing realities of Christian retailing in the UK, during the course of which it has reduced staffing levels whilst expanding its reach into the secular marketplace with an increased focus on gift product and, most recently, reduced its range of Christian publishers bringing its role as a Christian wholesaler to an end.

Exactly what the change of ownership might imply for Christian retailers remains to be seen, but the evidence of the facebook conversations thus far indicates a distinct sense of uncertainty and disorientation within the trade…

Update, 11/1/2011
Pete Barnsley responds: Business as usual at TMD

Join the facebook conversations…

TMD Links

 

October 24, 2011

How to Sell a Book: Radical thinking for authors, publishers and readers

Posted by Phil Groom under Book Trade Ramblings, Christian Book Trade, Musings... | Tags: , , , , |
[4] Comments 

THIS POST EMERGES out of a conversation in the Christian Authors, Booksellers and Publishers facebook group, in which we were discussing (amongst other things) the pros and cons of authors self-publishing v/s going with an established publisher. It’s a tough call for authors in the present economic climate, especially if your book doesn’t quite fit into a clearly-defined niche; and it’s a tough call for publishers: faced by the choice of investing in a debut work from an unknown writer or a new title from an established writer with a good track record, what would you do?

And if you’re a bookseller, how do you decide what to stock? Is the extra admin involved in stocking titles from self-published authors or smaller publishing houses really worth it? Is it better to wave them away, to tell them to go strike a deal with a distributor/wholesaler?

When I was running the bookshop at LST (a distant memory now) my approach was simple: if I thought a title from a small publisher / self-published author was likely to be of interest to my customers, then I’d take it, but initial stock had to be either 100% sale or return or 100% see-safe, carriage paid both ways by the supplier. It generally worked well enough — yes, there was some extra admin involved in dealing with small invoices and parceling up returns, but no big deal really, and I’d encourage any retailer to give it a go. Remember this, people: The Shack started off as self-published — by helping out a small publisher / self-published author in this way, you could be giving the next ‘Shack’ a kick-start!!

So far, not so radical; however…

For Authors and Publishers: Here’s a challenge for authors and publishers: do you believe in your book? Do you want to see it on booksellers’ shelves? Then start the ball rolling by sending them a complimentary copy and tell them it’s theirs to sell or give away; but if they opt to sell it, then when — when, not if! — it sells, they have to use the proceeds of the sale to buy another copy (less whatever your trade discount is, of course). Cost to you: one book + p&p; but potential winnings … who can say? And a straight win for them whether they sell it or give it away: either money for nothing or a happy customer gets a freebie and — another win for you — tells their friends about the lovely book…

It’s a risky strategy, of course: I can hear all the objections and questions already after so many publishers and suppliers have had their fingers burnt and worse in the last few years in the SPCK-SSG/STL-Wesley Owen/Living Oasis fiascos; but as someone far wiser than me once observed, faith is spelt r-i-s-k. If we, as Christ’s disciples, aren’t willing to trust one another, aren’t willing to live out our faith by taking such risks, then what hope is there for the rest of society? And what, exactly, is the point of running a Christian business? What message do our business relationships convey to the rest of society?

For Booksellers: Now the challenge for booksellers: would you be willing to take part in such a scheme? Would you be willing to accept complimentary initial stock from authors/publishers on this basis? Not sale or return; not see-safe; but sale and restock when sold or give away — to commit yourself to not simply relegating the book to a back room or obscure shelf somewhere but actively supporting this vision?

For Readers: And last but not least, a challenge for readers, for those like me on the outside looking in, watching the demise of bookshops around the country and wondering what we can do: adopt an author, a bookshop and/or a publisher! If there’s a book you’d like to see on sale in a particular bookshop, go to the author/publisher and pay for them to supply it to your nominated shop with your compliments.

Imagine, if you dare, the difference this could make if enough of us did it: not just me, not just you, but your friends too, the members of your church.

The future of Christian bookselling is in our hands, my friends: let’s seize the day!

 

October 7, 2011

Two Worlds: A Shout Out to Christian Publishers and Suppliers

Posted by Phil Groom under Book Trade Ramblings, Christian Book Trade, Christian Music, Christian Publishers, Christian Suppliers, Musings... | Tags: , , , , |
[6] Comments 

Discussions Update
At some point within the next week or so I plan to post a summary of the recent discussions, working title “Kingsway: Discussion Summary and Unanswered Questions”.

A preliminary draft is available in the Christian Authors, Booksellers and Publishers facebook group: all group members are welcome to comment, suggest revisions and/or possible solutions, but I respectfully request that you refrain from taking the discussion into any public forums until it is finalised and published here. Thank you.

IN THIS EXCERPT from the recent discussions about Kingsway, the Spirit Break Out album in HMV and Kingsway’s RRPs, Luke Bunger (The Hub, Walsall) replies to John Robinson (aka ‘John the Areopagite’), presenting us with two possible ways in which things could turn out for the Christian book trade over the next few years.

Many publishers and suppliers offer their Christian retail partners wholly commendable and comprehensive support: I hear the praises of CWR, IVP and Lion Hudson sung most often. This shout out is not to them but to those who seem tempted to think, “Christian retailing is dead: let’s go elsewhere…”

No doubt there are many other scenarios between the two extremes in the picture Luke paints: we live not in a world of black and white but in a rainbow world, with myriad possibilities and God’s promise of grace arcing overhead; but rainbows only appear after the storm — and after the storm, by God’s grace, sometimes we get to choose the colours. Let’s choose wisely.

Obvious typos and minor punctuation/grammatical errors have been corrected, but otherwise these excerpts are exactly as written:

John Robinson said:

God forbid that Kingsway were to actually do their mission and spread the Kingdom message. I think it was high time that some Christian retailers were to understand that the messianic vision is for the world and not to be kept in the back streets – I heartily commend Kingsway for trying to spread the Gospel any way they can!

John the Areopagite

Luke Bunger replied:

John.

The simple fact of the matter is that no-one is criticising Kingsway for getting their stuff out there. In HMV, Amazon, iTunes or otherwise. Many of us (and I would suggest almost everyone who is commenting here) think that it’s good.

The thing we don’t like, however, is taking existing customers and encouraging them to shop elsewhere. Everyone receiving the email were existing Kingsway customers, primarily people who are already Christians, and many of whom already buy Christian music, who either signed up online, filled in contact cards at events, or responded to those cards which used to be placed in the front of CDs and DVDs.

This did NOT hit HMV’s sizeable database, nor did it hit every iTunes user. If it did, this would be amazing news, even given the unfortunate wording.

It hit Kingsway’s.

And as a result, in the main, it was read by people who already support Christian music. Many of these already use Christian bookshops (I know for a fact several of MY customers received it).

It encouraged these people to stop supporting their Christian bookshops and instead to use the secular HMV store for their Christian music needs, and that is what we take offence to.

The other issue is that does making the music available at HMV really spread the gospel, if as a result Christian businesses are closed down?

Let me propose two situations for you to consider:

In the first, Christian publishers and suppliers like Kingsway effectively abandon the Christian trade in favour of the secular trade. Their reasoning is simple: the Christian trade is dying, and focusing on retailers like HMV and Amazon reaches a wider audience.

As a result, their self-fulfilling prophecy comes to pass, the trend continues, and within the next few years, the Directory Phil manages reduces from a few hundred entries to a few dozen.

As a result, Christians still have access to music and books, and non-Christians have the possibility of stumbling across them while browsing through the Self Help sections of bookshops, or the Blues and Gospel section of HMV.

The second option is that suppliers and publishers make a continuing push to support the Christian trade, even if it risks alienating HMV, iTunes or Amazon. Their logic is simple: Christian bookshops exist primarily to support the Christians in the community, and spread the gospel to non-Christians and we should invest in that.

As a result, the trend of closures is slowed, and maybe even reverses. Christian bookshops become healthier, more vibrant and more appealing. Because of the commitment by suppliers, the bookshops become steadily more profitable, and are able to open up more branches, and move into more high profile locations. HMV, Amazon and others may kick up a stink, and may even decide not to stock the products (though that seems unlikely, if there is demand for it, and the possibility of making a profit).

Now. Picture a seeker. Someone who is interested in the bigger questions, but unsure whether they are ready to commit to anything by crossing the threshold of a church. The kind of person who I see most days at The Hub.

In world one, there is no Christian bookshop. They visit their local Waterstone’s, ask about Christianity, and are pointed to either the World Religions section, where they can buy three or four copies of the Bible, alongside dozens of other “Holy Books”, or the Self Help section, where they stumble across a Joel Osteen book, but not before picking up a handful of other books all advocating wildly different beliefs and opinions. They ask the staff member for advice, and the best answer he is trained to give is, “This one by Paul McKenna is very popular. You may have seen him advertising it on the TV recently”.

In this world someone interested in Christian music will be pointed to the Blues and Gospel section, and will think “I’m really more into Rock… I’m not really into Blues or Gospel music… I guess there is nothing in the Christian scene for me”.

They will probably save a few pounds on the books they buy, v/s the prices they would have paid in Christian bookshops, but that’s about the sum of it.

In world two, this seeker would hopefully be able to walk into a Christian bookshop in his or her town.

They would have the choice of dozens of translations of Bibles, in hundreds of different shapes and sizes. They would have a wealth of Christian teaching available, whatever background or circumstances they find themselves in, not to mention the wealth of information afforded to them by staff who have the time and knowledge to talk with them about their needs, and pray with them about their circumstances.

They would ask about music, and find that there are hundreds of CDs and DVDs available, in many different genres, that whatever music they like, there will be something in the Christian world for them.

They may have to journey into the backstreet to find it, but find it they hopefully will, and when they do, they will find a place where they can find out much more about the Christian faith than they likely ever would in HMV, Waterstone’s or at Amazon.

So I ask you this: in which circumstance is the Gospel of Jesus Christ really more effectively preached, and the lost more effectually reached?

Of course, we would all prefer not to have to live in an either/or world, but a both/and one. But if we do have to choose, I know which choice I would be making.

 

July 16, 2011

CTS – Are they actively working against physical bookshops?

Posted by unicorntreebooksboss under Book Trade Ramblings, Christian Book Trade, Christian Bookshops, Christian Publishers, Christian Suppliers, Church Resources, News | Tags: , , , , , , , |
[16] Comments 

Further to the post earlier this week on the situation from CTS in regards to the low trade discount more worrying news has been highlighted for the wider trades attention.

Comments posted by John Gaines of Footprints first raised the issue:

Shall we all apply to become Parish Distributors?
Then we would get 25%!!
So they will give Joe Public, who register as Parish Distributors, 15% more discount than retailers.
Come on CTS, we do not run our shops to become worldly rich, but serve our Lord. Why are you trying so hard to hurt Christian Booksellers in the UK?

and then followed up by Stephen Mosling of St Pauls:

… depending which combination of Altar Missals they purchase, they stand to get in excess of 12% discount. Therefore, parishes are getting a better deal than the trade. Thankfully, we have a number of very loyal customers who are purchasing thier Missals through us (in the full knowledge that they will receive no discount – and the reason for us not being able to give it) for which we are very grateful. They simply refuse to deal directly with CTS.

Not only was Fergal’s comment patronising in the extreme (as one retailer put it, we should “be satisfied with crumbs from the Master’s table”), if CTS is giving them 25% on the ancilliary materials, it shows no intention on their part to support the trade in any shape or form.

Pope Benedict wrote in his Encyclical Letter “Caritas in veritate”:
“Once profit becomes the exclusive goal, if it is produced by improper means and without the common good as its ultimate end, it risks destroying wealth and creating poverty.”

it would certainly seem to appear that CTS are not only not working with Bookshops in a favourable way but actually actively working against them. This really is a sad state of affairs and tarnishes the illusion of any sort of support of Christian Bookselling through physical shops across the UK – Today The Book Depository was still showing a 25% discount off an item claimed to be a non-negotiable 10% to the bookshop trade in the UK.

The sad thing is this worrying situation is just the short end of the long tail it would seem, as became apparent when the MPH hymn book situation was also raised by Andrew Lacey of Glo Bookshops earlier this week. One really begins to wonder when some of the publishing companies, be they books or other, are going to actually come out, be honest and actually admit that they no longer see the physical bookshops as a partner and instead see them merely as competition in the pursuit of  of profit.

I would again call on all publishers and suppliers to head over to the Christian Retailing facebook page and read the suppliers pledge, to look at the words and think long and hard on what it means to work together, to be stronger together as was once proposed.

This especially at a time when the the PA and IPG have started to work together to oppose the Amazon takeover of The Book Depository and  according to The Bookseller are:

Going further, Mollet said more should be done to investigate the fairness of the market share internet-only retailers have in comparison to physical bookshops. He said: “Whatever the decision in this particular case, we feel it is high time that competition authorities took a closer interest in the developments of the book retail market”

Though the particular situations we are discussing here do not totally revolve around internet only retailers the ethics at the heart of the situation surely remains the same and is something that must be questioned by any that espouse to believe in fairness, right doing and integrity I would propose.

 

July 14, 2011

Concerns rise as Trade Terms situation crosses denominational boundaries.

Posted by unicorntreebooksboss under Announcements, Book Trade Ramblings, Christian Book Trade, Christian Bookshops, Christian Publishers, Christian Suppliers, Church Resources, News | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |
[9] Comments 

In a comment under the post on the low discount to trade from CTS on the new Altar Missals a concerning trend has been found, highlighted and raised – one that crosses denominational boundaries and publishing houses and is perhaps of even more concern than the very low discount being given from CTS.

Andrew Lacey of Glo Bookshop posted:

A further addition to the Church Hymnary pot….

It seems that the new ‘Singing the Faith’ Methodist Hymn book, shortly to be distributed by Hymns Ancient & Modern for the Methodist Publishing House, will also not be available with any trade discount either! Apparently there is an introductory discount of approx 15% being offered direct to churches & online, but there will be no further discount AT ALL provided to Bookshops.

https://secure2.cyberware.co.uk/~cb537/acatalog/Singing_the_Faith.html

(just as an aside, note that customers cards will be charged NOW, rather than when the goods are despatched in SEPTEMBER- anyone tried that with a retail customer recently? What response did you get?!

A very helpful lady at MPH apologetically explained to me that no decision had yet been taken on any trade discount after the introductory offer expired in December 2011. This, of course, follows the pretty meagre discounts that were offered by HA&M on the Church of Scotland Hymnary 4th edition- although, in fairness to HA&M, they did help us once so we could match advertised prices.

It is hugely frustrating that these captive markets are effectively being creamed off by publishers, and bookshops are being very efficiently sidelined. Especially when we are the people who often do the work for the customer in making phone calls and trawling the web- and the only people who will benefit is the publisher.

It will also be interesting to see whether the Methodist Hymn Book turns up on the Book Depository lists at even larger disounts in due course……..

This is, as Andrew has said, deeply concerning as it effectively shows that bookshops are not only being sidelined but actively excluded from being in a position to serve their local communities and supply them – communities that in many cases want to support their local bookshops and that the local bookshops have spent years working alongside them through changes of all types and in every day times as well – to see the publishing houses of these institutions and those chosen to represent them now seemingly actively sidelining these shops is  more than a deeply concerning issue and brings so many questions to bear – not least what has happened to the trade at large and how can we actively and corporately resolve this troubling trend and crisis.

This at a time when US based Christian Retailing Magazine have on their Facebook Page put out a call for Suppliers to sign up to the Supplier Pledge alongside Christian Retailers signing up to the Retailers Pledge posted of earlier.

The pledge reads:

I have been called to be part of extending God’s kingdom through the creation of Christian products that can change lives. While this calling means that I want to see these resources distributed as widely as possible, I believe that I enjoy a unique partnership in this endeavor with Christian retailers. Independent, church and other Christian retail stores are community lighthouses that share my ministry goal. I believe in the ministry of Christian retailers and want to work with and support them as much as possible. I will seek to honor my Lord in my business with the efforts of my hands, my heart, my staff and my commitment to His Word. I love Christian products and I thank God for my calling.

So far Caritas Music Publishing has signed up – maybe it’s time we actively call on all our UK Suppliers and Publishing Houses to also make a public commitment of support for the Christian Retailers trying to so hard to support them and the local Christian communities they actively work alongside of.

 

July 12, 2011

More Upset over the Restrictive Trade Terms on the New Catholic Altar Missals from CTS

Posted by unicorntreebooksboss under Announcements, Book Trade Ramblings, Christian Bookshops, Christian Publishers, Christian Suppliers, Church Resources, News | Tags: , , , , , |
[40] Comments 

FURTHER UPSET over the very low discount being offered to Christian Bookshops by the Catholic Truth Society on the New Altar Missals that all Catholic Churches will soon require was again raised when Internet Bookseller, The Book Depository, was seen to be offering the Missals at 25% off – an offer no other bookshop could seemingly match.

Stephen Moseling, Operations Co-ordinator for St Pauls Bookshops was quick to raise the issue with Mr Fergal Martin, the Society’s General Secretary, on behalf of all concerned booksellers.

Dear Fergal,

I am disappointed that you have not had the courtesy to reply to my email of 24th May, in which I expressed my dissatisfaction that you were not willing to meet with the signatories of the open letter sent to you to even discuss the discount policy of the CTS on the forthcoming Altar Missals. I understand that the other signatories to our original letter have received no further communication from you either.

What we have now seen on the website of The Book Depository http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/Altar-Missal/9781860827297 makes us even more aggrieved. The Book Depository are offering their online customers each of the three editions of the Altar Missal at a 25% discounted price, with free delivery.

As you well appreciate, an online retailer does not have the same level of overheads that a high street retailer does.

We understood the policy of the CTS was to offer a “non-negotiable” 10% discount to the trade. This unacceptable level of discount prohibits bookshops from stocking these books and thereby making them available to their customers.

In the light of what The Book Depository are offering, how can you now justify the discount policy of the CTS to bookshops?

Yours in Christ,

Stephen T Moseling
Operations Co-ordinator
ST PAULS by Westminster Cathedral
Morpeth Terrace
London
SW1P 1EP

The Book Depository has itself been in the news recently of course when it was announced last week that an agreement had been reached between themselves and Amazon that would see them come under the ownership of Amazon – thus giving market share indeed to Amazon here in the UK and also increasing Amazon’s reach into Australia and Europe.

 

March 5, 2011

News Roundup: 3 for 2 on Commentaries at Eden | Christian Focus enters the Blogosphere | Easter with IVP | Living Oasis: Where is the humanity? | St Andrew Press now with NBM

Posted by Phil Groom under Book Trade Ramblings, Christian Bookshops, News | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
[2] Comments 

GOT NEWS? If you have news you’d like to see included in the next News Roundup, please get in touch.

Eden.co.uk: 3 for 2 Bible Commentaries Offer

Eden Commentaries Offer

3 for 2 on Commentaries at Eden

AFTER REPORTING Wesley Owen’s 25% off all commentaries last time around, I feel almost morally obliged to give Eden’s latest offer a mention too: 3 for 2 on selected commentaries; but it’s a fantastic offer in and of its own right, and if you go there and make a purchase via this link, you’ll help raise funds to support this site as well.

If you’re an independent bookseller/retailer wondering how you can possibly compete with this sort of offer, my suggestion is get together with a few other independents and form a buyers’ group: you are stronger together, weaker apart; but the only way to turn that into a reality is by actively doing something about it. Discuss…

Christian Focus enters the Blogosphere

LAUNCHED LAST MONTH and aptly named Christian Focus BookNotes, the new blog from Christian Focus is all about their books. It’s a blog worth watching:

Never a company to settle for half-measures, you’ll also find Christian Focus on facebook, twitter and, of course, YouTube. Go on, hit that facebook Like button: you know you want to!

IVP Easter Sale 2011

IVP Easter Sale 2011 (pdf download)

Easter with IVP

IF THERE’S ONE THING you can always rely on in the UK Christian book trade, it’s outstanding seasonal offers from IVP, and their latest Easter offering doesn’t disappoint.

The offer runs from 1st March to 30th April 2011: take any mix of 20 or more titles from a selection of Easter bestsellers and benefit from special trade prices set to allow you to offer your customers reduced prices (ranging from £2 to £8 off) whilst still retaining a standard trade margin. Full details available from the trade section of their website: pdf download.

Living Oasis: Where is the humanity?

THIS COMMENT, left late on Thursday evening by Mrs Diane Hellyer, seems to epitomise everything that’s gone wrong with Living Oasis:

I have been associated with the Christian book trade for over fifteen years and have worked as a volunteer in five different shops in that time, most recently in Sutton Living Oasis. From what I understand of the situation, it is totally shocking how this closure has been handled by the Chairman and the Trustees. That no HR support was offered and no face to face meeting arranged, but that staff were informed of the impending closure by telephone is surely a lack of care and an undervaluing of the staff, the company’s greatest resource. It may not have been commercially viable to maintain a Christian witness in the high street, but under any circumstances the manner of the closure could, and should, have given a clear Christian witness as to the value placed upon the individual.

For the record, I have already raised similar concerns directly with both Andy Twilley and Simon Hole, Nationwide Christian Trust’s Resource Manager, and have now forwarded this comment personally to Ray George himself. As yet I have received no reply…

Newcastle Cathedral Gift Shop Closure

Also on a sad note, the demise of Newcastle Cathedral’s gift shop. I’m told that the shop had just begun to extend its range of books but alas, financial constraints win out yet again. The closure does seem, however, to have been much better handled than the recent Living Oasis closures, with public tribute paid to the shop staff and volunteers. From the Dean’s February newsletter:

There is on the other hand a great deal of sadness over the closure of the Gift Shop. I would want to pay tribute to the staff and volunteers who over the years have shown enormous commitment to this enterprise, played an important part in welcoming visitors to the Cathedral and done their level best to make it work. However the sad fact is that the Shop has been losing money for many years and Chapter felt such a situation was no longer sustainable. The move to Mosley Street certainly did nothing to revive the Shop’s fortunes but was not the cause of its demise. Chapter is not ruling out re-opening a shop in the future. The issue is what, when and where? We will keep the situation under review and assess the feasibility of any new enterprise in the light of the success of the wider development programme. In the meanwhile there will be sale of stock and any shop furnishings that can’t be used will be “mothballed” . Some souvenirs and small items will continue to be sold in the cafe. Meanwhile there will be a party to celebrate the hard work of our shop volunteers and all that the shop has done on February 18th.

St Andrew Press now with Norwich Books & Music

LAST BUT NOT LEAST: if you’ve been used to ordering St Andrew Press (Church of Scotland) titles from Marston, those days are over. St Andrew Press is now part of the Hymns Ancient & Modern stable of church publishing houses and stock needs to be ordered from Norwich Books & Music.

 

December 22, 2010

2010 and the Christian Book Trade: A Year according to the Web Stats

Posted by Phil Groom under Book Trade Ramblings, Musings... | Tags: , , , |
[2] Comments 

2010: how was it for you? The question’s a little premature, of course: we’ve still got a few days to go. But from a web stats perspective, here’s how it’s been in this little corner of the blogosphere, with the top ten posts as follows, set out as post date, title, page views.

  1. 26/01/10 Living Oasis: A new and exciting vision for your local Christian Bookshop: 2101
  2. 21/01/10 Nationwide Christian Trust Confirmed as Bidders for Remaining Wesley Owen Stores: 1047
  3. 31/05/10 Kingsway Polls: Because the questions won’t go away…: 948
  4. 08/01/10 Wesley Owen: Beginning of the End as Nottingham Branch Ceases Trading: 860
  5. 28/5/10 Kingsway: John Paculabo Responds: 824
  6. 02/03/10 Living Oasis: 20 Shops, Meetings and Openings: 820
  7. 17/05/10 Kingsway, Cross Rhythms and the cost of Christian music: are retailers being priced out of the market? 789
  8. 03/01/10 Wesley Owen and CLC: Looking to the future…: 758
  9. 10/08/10 For I am ashamed of the Gospel? Concerns raised as Living Oasis declares plans to “de-Christianise” shop windows: 727
  10. 24/02/10: Living Oasis: Nationwide rollout plans gather momentum: 713

Two stories have clearly dominated: the rise of Living Oasis following last year’s collapse of Wesley Owen, and the shenanigans over Kingsway’s pricing practices. Thankfully, of course, Kingsway came to their senses before it became necessary to refer the matter to the OFT, but I must confess that I found the whole episode deeply disheartening and have yet to understand how a Christian organisation could treat both government guidelines and its trading partners with such contempt: a very strange attitude indeed.

As for Living Oasis, the questions I raised a few weeks ago about their future plans remain open. Andy Twilley has stated that he will “happily give [any enquirers] the actual position” but has yet to actually do so openly. The apparent plan to grow the business “by a minimum of 20 sites each year” seems an idealistic fantasy at best but until such time as Living Oasis are willing to speak more freely of their game plan the rest of us can only watch and wonder.

The post stats tell only part of the story, of course. The top five pages over the past year are:

  1. Home page: 62,621
  2. Wesley Owen: 6,838
  3. About: 932
  4. Belfast: 908
  5. Manchester: 820

Once again, then, the topic that has dominated visitors’ interest has been Wesley Owen / Living Oasis.

Finally, for those who may be wondering where the traffic has come from, the top 5 referrers over the past year have been:

  1. christianbookshops.org.uk: 10,608
  2. facebook: 1,462
  3. wordpress.com: 777
  4. twitter: 758
  5. Google Reader: 448

There’s much more data available of course, such as the search terms people have using to find their way here: feel free to ask if you’re curious.

 

November 19, 2010

Living Oasis: Expansion Plans or Chinese Whispers? More Questions than Answers

Posted by Phil Groom under Book Trade Ramblings | Tags: , , , , , , |
[3] Comments 

IT SEEMS AN OBLIQUE WAY to announce your plans for world domination, but according to an advertisement placed in last week’s Church of England Newspaper, that appears to be the way forward for Living Oasis:

Project Manager: Nationwide Christian Trust

We currently have 19 sites in the UK and this will increase by a minimum of 20 sites each year.

The Nationwide Christian Trust’s aim is to provide a Christian presence on our High Streets. Our shops will be selling Christian books, coffee, giftware and provide space for community initiatives.

We are seeking to appoint a project manager preferably with experience in the retail industry. We currently have 19 sites in the UK and this will increase by a minimum of 20 sites each year. We are seeking to move most of these shops to new locations on the High Street and therefore the person selected will be co-ordinating the opening of new shops throughout the UK. This is a full time position with attractive salary and car.

Given that plans for the Croydon store have apparently been placed on hold, aiming to grow the business “by a minimum of 20 sites each year” seems a tad overambitious and begs the question of whether the ad is a casualty of Chinese Whispers: should it not rather state “We currently have 19 sites in the UK and this will increase to a minimum of 20 sites this year”?

If, on the other hand, the plan is indeed to expand operations “by a minimum of 20 sites each year” then important questions need to be asked both by anyone considering applying for the post and by the wider trade — what, for instance, is Living Oasis’ view of the wider trade? Is the plan to reach out into towns where there is not already a Christian presence on the high street — or to establish branches of Living Oasis in direct competition with existing Christian bookshops? To plant or to supplant?

Living Oasis statements both online and in print seem to suggest that many Christian bookshops already trading have simply failed by retaining “a very narrow focus … on Christian books and resources”:

Part of the Problem
Up until now, many of the struggling Christian bookshops have retained a very narrow focus, namely they have simply focussed on Christian books and resources, and hereby the predominance of customers have been Christians. This has greatly reduced their viability on the High Street because no matter how attractive the shop front, and no matter how well laid out the stock is, the fact remains, there is little reason why people would chose to go in.

It’s a view that simply isn’t borne out by the evidence, however, as this review of the former Wesley Owen Manchester testifies:

There I was, wandering round Deansgate, nosing into stores which might sell gifts suitable for my friends and family, when I spotted this lovely little bookshop and café. But as you might notice from the photos (apart from the one I took of the hidden little sign that says ‘Formerly Christian World’), you would not know, as I did not, that this is in fact a religious shop. My first clue was when I flounced in and took in my surroundings. Where were the Clarkson tomes, the Barbara Windsor bios, the crime thrillers, the self-help books? They were absent, well, aside from self-help books – there were plenty of those, albeit with a Christian flavour…

… But Wesley Owen? Well, I really want to know why they don’t seem more proud of the fact that they are a Christian bookshop. Is it to draw people in? And in that case, why would they feel that their religious status would put people off? I think that’s such a shame if it is indeed the case, because what Wesley Owen reminds me of is not the darker side of religion which myself and my father experienced in our young lives, it reminds me of primary school, when faith was used as a means to teach children to treat one another equally, to explain empathy and to instigate a sense of belonging. You walk into Wesley Owen and no matter your beliefs, you don’t feel like anything is being pushed upon you or shoved down your throat…

Without doubt there are some Christian bookshops with an especially narrow focus (see the reviews posted by Mr Charmley to get a feel for the variety of Christian bookshops out there) but as a sweeping generalisation, it simply isn’t true: the vast majority of Christian bookshops aim to serve as wide a marketplace as their remit permits, and the ideas being put forward by Living Oasis such as incorporating a café or offering use of premises to local churches/parachurch organisations outside of normal opening hours are nothing new.

Last but not least, I personally remain mystified by what appears to be a contrary vision: to provide a Christian presence on the high street whilst simultaneously “de-Christianising” the shop windows. Which is it to be? Undercover evangelism or an identifiable Christian presence?

I have invited Andy Twilley to clarify and am awaiting his response…

 

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