Last week Parable Group, which is a consortium of independently-owned Christian bookstores throughout the United States, released their report, “2024 State of Christian Retail.” As I studied the results of their survey of booksellers, I saw lots of bookstore good news. As writers, we should care a great deal about the health of bookstores.
Defining the surveyed group
As you read these highlights, keep in mind this is very specific group–independent Christian bookstores. The results don’t apply to Christian publishing in general, or to bookstores in general (i.e., Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, etc.). These also are Christian retailers who have chosen to be a part of the Parable Group, which includes church stores. I believe the Group comprises most independent Christian stores, but I don’t know that for sure.
What is the health of these stores compared to their pre-pandemic sales?
- 76% of the stores states their sales are up!
- 15% found their sales were down.
- 9% reported flat sales.
This is, to me, stunningly good news. For decades independent Christian bookstores have experienced a steep decline of sales. Amazon, ebooks, and even the popularity of libraries have all taken a steep toll on these retailers.
We all know that during the pandemic, people turned to books for entertainment, solace, or both. Now that we’ve mostly returned to “normal” life, for sales to have improved by such a remarkable percentage is bookstore good news.
Christmas 2023 sales were strong
All bookstores need hefty Christmas sales to bring them through leaner sales months. 2023 showed the best Christmas sales for these retailers since 2019. This is another sign of bookstore health.
What the bookstores sold
In 2023, by units, the three most frequently bought items were:
- 30% gifts (this means merchandise–candles, bracelets, wall hangings, etc.)
- 25% adult books
- 16% cards
For the last several decades, as bookstores struggled to keep their doors open, they turned increasingly to stocking gifts. Gifts brought people into the store, and that’s what the owners needed. So I find it encouraging that books came in at #2. But even more encouraging…
What bookstores sold by dollars
- 27% gifts
- 25% adult books
- 24% Bibles
That books trail gifts by only 2% in terms of dollars, is very encouraging after years of my wandering into a Christian store and finding a plethora of gifts to choose from and a paucity of books. This is bookstore good news indeed. And a truer reflection of why most individuals go into the bookstore business to begin with–to minister to people through books.
What types of books sold?
Christian Living is, by far, the best-selling category. But I have to add a noteworthy explanation here–all nonfiction fits in this category for the survey except for devotionals, Bible study, gift books, prayer, pastoral helps, women, biblical reference, and church life. So marriage, parenting, memoir, spiritual growth, etc. all are part of Christian Living.
In the two largest categories, Christian Living and devotionals, sales flattened. Pastoral helps, biblical reference, gift books, and church life have all seen sales increases in 2023. But these categories also remain the smallest portion of stores’ sales.
New releases’ role in retail sales
Interestingly, new book releases comprise a much more significant presence on Christian retailing’s best-seller list, which is a separate list from Circana’s. Circana’s list receives reports from online sales sources and all retailers, including Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million. So Christian retailing’s list is much more narrow. It does compare more closely to the Evangelical Christian Publishers Bestselling lists, which report to Circana but are segmented out for their own lists. The ECPA list reflects not only physical bookstores’ sales but also sale of Christian books through all outlets so it’s actually a more accurate depiction of which Christian books are selling the most copies across the board.
Having put the bookstore owners’ list into context, I noted a surprising element:
- 50% of titles on the Christian Retail list are new releases
- 15% of Circana’s Top 20 religion books are new releases
- 45% of Circana’s Top 20 religion books are repeats from 2022
This is a pretty stunning difference. If you want to see what’s newly-released, you’re more likely to find that in an independent Christian store. New releases don’t make up as significant a part of the mix of religious books in chains, Target, Walmart, Barnes & Noble, etc.
Bookstore good news is good news for us
As writers, we should take a minute to rejoice in these survey results, which I find stunningly good. My conclusion: These independently-owned stores are the ones that have survived the onslaught of Amazon, digital reading, and a pandemic. Many, many others cannot say the same. These truly are the retailers who figured out how to do good business regardless of what was thrown at them.
Now that we’re a little distance from the worst of the pandemic, how have your reading habits changed permanently? In what ways did you revert to pre-pandemic habits? What about other family members?
I don’t think I read more during the pandemic, I just read a lot in general 🙂
Positive news for Christian bookstores would mean positive news for Christian traditional publishers, right? Was there any positive news for Christian fiction?
Felicity, yes, good news from any bookstore is good news for publishers. That such a significant number of the stores surveyed saw an increase in sales is excellent. One part of the survey I didn’t mention in my post is that more than 70% of the owners see a strong future for their stores.
Fiction experienced a bit of an uptick in sales. Not much, but still, it’s headed in the right direction.
The Christian voice is rising,
and our bookstores link us ‘cross the land.
To some it is surprising,
but me, I think I understand.
It’s time for getting tribal,
and here’s the reason why:
if you buy a Bible,
it’s noted by the FBI,
and that is why we really need
to support our retail brethren,
for if we nurture not that seed,
our faith will be Remember When,
and we’ll be forced to have politicians’
faces on our dec’rative dishes.
Unfortunately our independent Christian bookstores both “losed during the pandemic and have not returned. I think the worm is beginning to turn back to Christian fiction. The small independent publisher I work with is actively soliciting “clean” romances because they are garnering lots of support. Mine are clean and have a Christian message too. I think this report is encouraging for all of us–writers and readers!
When my husband and I moved into our current city in 2000, two Christian bookstores and three general market stores had a vibrant presence. Today, we have Barnes & Noble and a chain of locally-owned bookstores. Both Christian stores closed. One was a national chain, the other an independent. Books are also available in Target and Walmart, including some Christian books.
Fiction is having a wee bit of an upsurge in independent stores. We’ll take any growth, of course, but it’s not a noteworthy increase.
This is good news! Thanks for sharing it.
This is so so fabulous! I adore our local Indie Bookstore. It isn’t a Christian one, but does carry a few Christian books (including mine, yay!) and knowing that there is a real bookstore within 30 minutes of us is so delightful. Ours will order in anything we want and then we don’t have to pay shipping and we get a book credit with each purchase that builds up until we can use it for buying more books. So glad that other bookstores are finding ways to reach readers!
Oh, I forgot to answer the question, ha! Since the pandemic, I buy more ebooks since I have discovered Bookbub and their glorious sales!!!
I love receiving notifications from Bookbub when a favorite author has a new release too. Bookbub makes me happy.
I love that you’re an avid supporter of a local bookstore, Kristen.