Posted by x-retail boy on January 15, 2001 at 17:46:42:
Hello Crossover friends, here is a little of the current dialogue concerning the Christian retail industry in America. Although there are some good things going on in the marketplace for the most part it is a cesspool. Am I bitter? No! Just smart enough to know the game.
ON JESUS JUNK:
A: Xian merchandising is waaay out of control.
B: Amen brother! My favorite piece of Jesus junk is the God Loves You
Dinosaur Ninja Dart. It is sort of a a Chinese star with suction cups
and inside the middle there stalks a scary lime green or hot pink
tyrannosaurus rex with God Loves You emblazoned on his pecs. Pretty
nice for the kids in Bible School huh! Now they can really assault
each other and the kids at school with the gospel right. No, right
between the eyes. It's so militant! I mean it--tyrannosaurus is a man-
eater and ninjas, well think about it! Yes, the God Loves You
Dinosaur Ninja Dart reigns supreme in my cosmos!
ON THOMAS KINKADE'S ART:
A: As I sit here with my Thomas Kinkade mouse pad (xmas present)and drink from my Kinkade Mug (xmas present) and look at the Kinkade calendar I gave to my mother for xmas!! IT'S
EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!!!!!
B: Kinkadism reigns! It's funny, but people are sucked into Kinkade as
much as they are sucked into the Oprah Book Club. I don't say that
either of these things is bad, I just don't like that groupthink
involved.
A: I am sure there is someone out there that wants wall paper to go with their
throw pillows. I do not have anything against Kinkade but could he
put his stuff on anything else?
B: I was waiting for bikini underwear and designer slap bracelets. Oh I
forgot, they already have the slap bracelets. Well, I'll settle for
just the underwear. They have to be the shiny kind though. So his
bright colors will reflect everytime you walk around. Hey how about
this, if you slap your friend on the butt, all those cute little
lamps and porchlights turn on!
ON CHRISTIAN RETAIL'S RELIANCE ON GIFTSELLING AND JESUS JUNK:
A: I have thought seriously about opening a Xian bookstore and doing it
a bit differently. But the truth is Xian 'junk' sells. People buy
this stuff and retailers are selling it so that they can survive in
this market.
B: It's so true. The gift type stuff has become the bread and butter so
to speak. CBA should change their name to CGA--Christian Giftsellers
Association. And they should have a little book section.
Just a little of the ongoing diaolgue about Christian retail in America. From a former and prospective retailer.