Christian Stores and Suppliers Report Strong Cyber Monday Sales

Christian stores and suppliers are reporting strong sales for Cyber Monday, considered the official start of the online Christmas shopping season.

Online merchants raked in a record $1.47 billion in sales Cyber Monday (Nov. 26)--the first Monday after Thanksgiving, up 17% from a year earlier, according to research firm ComScore, the Los Angeles Times reported.

According to a survey conducted by BIGinsight for Shop.org, Cyber Monday shoppers spent an average $194.46 online, more than the average person spent online Thanksgiving weekend ($172.42).

Blessings Christian Marketplace, a chain of four stores based in Chilliwack, British Columbia, saw success with its Cyber Monday sale, which offered free shipping and a 10% discount on all purchases.

"Cyber Monday sales were up by 35% year-on-year," Mark Hutchinson, president and CEO of Blessings, told Christian Retailing. "Sales for Black Friday [the day after Thanksgiving] were up by 25% year-on-year. Black Friday was the single largest sale day of the year for Blessings."

Good sellers for Cyber Monday were personalized engraved candles; Sarah Young's Jesus Calling; Todd Burpo's Heaven Is for Real; Max Lucado's Grace; Dee Henderson's Full Disclosure; Beverly Lewis' The Bridesmaid; October Baby; Stephen Curtis Chapman's Joy; and VeggieTales: The League of Incredible Vegetables.

"We were very encouraged by the growth of online sales this year," Hutchinson said. "We kept our offering very simple and straightforward, offering a discount on the entire order and free shipping. We are currently on track to have a similar Christmas season to last year. Our first two weeks of [Christmas] sales were a little slower than last year, but we have now picked up speed and moving forward well. The key is keep the stores looking fresh and well-stocked and ensure we are interacting with our customers providing great customer service."

Berean Christian Stores' 18-outlet chain also saw good sales.

"We were very pleased with our Thanksgiving results," said Bill Nielsen, chief operating officer of Berean. "Black Friday was up over 13% in comparison store results, but the overall weekend sale was even better coming in at just under an 18% comparison store sales increase. Cyber Monday continued the trend, and was up 13% on a comparison store basis."