Parable and Publishers Weekly Announce Joint Research Project

Survey Examines Christian Book Buying in General Market Stores

Monday, July 9^th—Atlanta, Georgia, CBA 2001—The Parable Group and Publishers Weekly together announce an unprecedented joint research project examining Christian book buying habits in general market bookstores. 1000 interviews with general Christian book buyers are currently being conducted and the results will be announced at the conclusion of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association’s (ECPA) Fall Seminar, Wednesday, November 7, 2001 in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The Parable/PW study is the fourth national consumer research project funded by The Parable Group; however, this is the first Parable-sponsored national study focused on the general market, says Jim Seybert, Vice President of Business Development for Parable. “Our previous national studies were focused primarily on attitudes and habits of Christian consumers toward Christian retail products and stores. With PW, we are talking to people who buy Christian books in secular stores. It is our goal to learn what we can do to attract this market to Christian stores.”

Parable and Publishers Weekly are well-suited partners for this national research project. PW has conducted many national surveys, including three major consumer studies, two major bookseller studies and its annual salary survey for the past 10 years for the publishing industry. Parable has been the leader for innovative research projects in the Christian retailing market since 1998. “It is always fascinating to see why people buy the type of books in a specific location,” says Susan Connolly, Publishers Weekly’s Associate Research Director. “With this project, we have targeted a large segment of book buyers—Christian book consumers—who have not been studied in depth. Parable understands what this type of market research can do for them and the entire book industry.”

Parable Christian Stores consists of more than 300 independently owned Christian retail outlets located in the U.S. The Parable Group provides diverse marketing tools for its member stores such as e-commerce sites, in-store merchandising kits, exclusive products, weekly bestseller lists and catalogs. In 2000, Parable shipped more than 29.7 million catalogs, newspaper inserts, and other promotional mailings in 25 marketing campaigns.

-more-

Parable/Publishers Weekly Research Project, page two

Publishers Weekly is the international news magazine of book publishing and bookselling. Since it was first published in 1872, industry professionals depend on PW for in-depth interviews with top authors, publishing industry news, bestseller lists, and early reviews of adult and children's books.

# # #

July 9, 2001