(August 12, 2019) – In an effort to provide a comprehensive and current representation of the scope and scale of independent Christian retailing, the Get It Local Today team has launched an interactive map identifying more than 1,800 existing retail locations who sell mostly Christian products. This database represents the largest online directory of verified independent Christian retailers today. Every one of these locations has been included in the Get It Local Today program and are now featured on the customer-facing map on GetItLocalToday.com/Map.
“These 1,800 retailers are important lighthouses—their communities need them, as do their Christian publishers and vendors,” says Greg Squires, President of The Parable Group. “This research demonstrates that there is a substantial group of indies that should not be overlooked or abandoned. As a consortium of industry advocates, we are inviting retailers and vendors to support each other by supporting this program.”
Christian publishers can drive consumers to these 1,800 brick and mortar locations by including Get It Local Today buy-links online and in email marketing. GetItLocalToday.com/Map helps the public find Christian retailers near them and confirm stock at nearby locations. For Christian publishers and vendors, the list may be used to identify new accounts, find regional hotspots for author visits, and prompt indie-first initiatives or offers.
“This is a new day in Christian retailing. Though CBA and LifeWay stores have disappeared, we are working in partnership with many different industry leaders from both the marketing group and service provider areas to carry this important industry initiative forward,” says Chuck Wallington, President of Covenant Group. “To strengthen the industry, retailers need to come together more to offer vendors greater scale; and vendors need touchpoints like this to integrate retailers while serving the shopper.”
Christian retailers are encouraged to view their free listing on the retailer-facing version of the site—GetItLocalToday.com/Store-Map—to confirm their store’s information including providing a key contact to receive and respond to customer “reserve online, pick-up in-store” orders. In addition, retailers can also elect to display their current on-hand quantities to help encourage local customers to choose their store for purchases over online competitors.
The Parable Group is a Christian marketing agency based in San Luis Obispo, California. Since 1985, they’ve served over 1,000 Christian brands; including publishers, independent retailers, churches, non-profit ministries and more. Today, they pair decades of Christian consumer data with proven business practices and digital technologies to drive measurable results for those they serve.
Covenant Group provides a host of retail marketing services and promotional tools for leading independent Christian retailers. Their offerings currently include both print and digital catalog programs, branded e-commerce websites, in-store merchandising materials and more.