Who visits Christian bookstores?
So as you know based on my last post, I have been in Orlando the last two days at the International Christian Retail Show put on by the Christian Booksellers Association. More on day two visits later today.
But for now, I wanted to conduct an informal poll of sorts. This polling data quite possibly may end up in the hands of publishing executives at the Big 5 Christian publishers.
Here are the questions:
1. Do you visit/shop at Christian bookstores? Yes or No
2. If yes, how many times have you visited in the past month?
3. If no, how many times have you visited a Barnes & Noble or equivalent in the past month?
Easy enough. Respond away. Mine- No. 5.
1. Yes
2. Twice
3. Twice (I know, I didn’t answer no, but I still visited B&N)
That said, I rarely buy much at them. The prices are way too high compared to Amazon.
Also, I keep a list of books to read, and I can rarely find them in stock at the local stores. So I go there to browse. Or if I need a last-minute gift.
1. Yes, but only for minister’s discounts and if it’s on a church account. No for most things, I’d rather order it on Amazon.
2. I visit about once a month.
3. I visit B&N/Borders about the same amount.
If I can buy it online, I usually do.
1. Rarely
2 0
3. Barnes & Noble three times so far in July…Books A Million twice this month…mainly I order from Amazon.
Side note – Bookstores…Christian and non-Christian (hate those terms) are by and large are beginning to suck. They just don’t have most of the books that interest me in stock. The business books..yes…the good Christian stuff…no…unless you only read Max Lucado.
1. Once every 6 months or so.
2. I go to bigger stores Barnes and Noble or Books a Million about once a month, but generally just to browse, I mainly only buy from used bookstores or amazon.
Yes – but rarely and always because I am with my wife and kids, never on my own.
Zero
Once – typical is usually a couple of times a month, I buy usually one line. But I go to the B&N to browse, work and drink coffee.
1. No
2. 0
3. Barnes & Noble-none so far this year. I am going on vacation next week, so I’ll probably be there this weekend.
1. No
2. 0
3. Barnes and Noble – 4 times.
1. i cant tell you the last time i was in a christian bookstore, maybe i was 13?
3. yeah, i couldn’t tell you the last time i was in a b&n either.
4. there is a great little bookstore in dupont circle called kramerbooks and it has a delicious cafe attached to it. i would highly recommend it as a dc-must see.
1. only when i have to.
2. maybe once in the past 6 months.
3. probably once a month.
1. Yes
2. 2
3. 5-6
I spend a lot of time in bookstores of all kinds. I just enjoy the atmosphere and the sensations that a bookstore evokes in me. I mostly buy at B&N or Amazon but go to Christian bookstores when a title I want is not at a B&N.
Nope… order everything online… can’t remember the last time I was in a book store… wow, I sound illiterate and shallow…
1. Yes
2. 4
3. 10
Like many have previously stated, I visit all bookstores. One reason I mainly find myself at B&N or Borders is because they are open later, and have a wider selection. I love the Christian booklstores because I feel like I can acheive finding what I came for in the first place, on the other hand, sometimes I am highly dissappointed, and find myself still traveling to the other bookstores. Regardless, I know I will continue to visit both.
I am tracking on this so far. lots of online ordering. and not a ton of visiting of Christian bookstores overall, as a general rule.