I had a few minutes to stop by our local Christian bookstore and noticed that they’d completely rearranged the Bible section. Frankly, I was very much taken aback by the new layout (in a good way):
- No surprise, the biggest layout was taken by the NIV, with 4 display units along the back wall, which is actually what your eye sees first when entering that section of the store. They’ve added very colorful and eye-catching graphic signage above each wall display unit with the translation abbreviation so you can easily find a specific translation area.
- Surprise, surprise, the second largest layout was for the NLT, with 3 display units. They’d moved the NLT from the back wall (where the NIV is now) to the left side wall (high visibility too), kicking out the ESV. That doesn’t include the current “write to the military” promotional area out on the main floor.
- The ESV section had been moved to one of the center islands (where the NIV used to be), meaning you have to go looking at the shelves themselves to find it. But more surprising is that it had only one display unit, sandwiched in between the NASB and HCSB, each also with one unit. I’ll be calling this display area “Literal Lane” from now on…
- I’m shocked that the HCSB was given so much display space. They’ve had them tucked into a corner previously and inventory was hit or miss. That said, it was mostly full of Apologetics Study Bibles and Illustrated Study Bibles, with a few of the themed pocket Bibles as well. None of the “standard” editions…
- The TNIV had one full display unit next to the NIV, giving it higher visibility than the ESV, though the inventory wasn’t much to take note of.
- The Message had a full display unit as well (next to the NLT) and I’m increasingly impressed with the editions that NavPress is producing… I may have to get one just to have it for reference!
There’s really not a point to this post other than these observations, but I found it interesting to see how the top two translations on the lastest CBA rankings had been moved to the highest visibility areas of the store. If nothing else, it’s good merchandising by the bookstore and shows that they’re in tune with what people are evidently looking for.
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I’m a frequent shopper at one of our local Christian bookstores. I note as well the dominance of the NIV in the display areas, and the near-absence of TNIV presence. This is sad, for the TNIV really has improved the accuracy of the sacred texts, imho. On another issue: what do you all think of the QUALITY of Bibles these days? My view is that most of the bibles produced are C-H-E-A-P-L-Y made. In most cases, I prefer a hardback copy to the bonded leather.
Very odd that the NIV is given such prominence, given its relative age.
How were the NRSV, KJV, CEV, and GNB displayed (if at all)? Those all tend to be staples in Ontario bookstores, in addition to the ones you mention. The HCSB and NASB aren’t so common, though. (Sadly, the REB is very rare.)
The NIV is still the translation of choice among evangelicals around here, I think. I’m not surprised to see it with the dominant shelf space and I wonder if part of this shelf shuffling was in anticipation of the “30 year anniversary” promotions that Zondervan is unveiling, including the revised NIV Study Bible.
The NRSV gets a little shelf space, maybe 1/3 of a wall unit. The KJV and NKJV have 3 display units, the same as the NLT. The CEV and GNB are shuffled off into the “other Bibles” endcap with very little representation. No REBs, though there once was an Oxford Study Bible (a hardback no less), which shocked me.
As for the quality of Bibles, I too prefer a hardback for a general reference copy of a translation, preferably with a sewn binding, though that’s relatively uncommon. That said, a more flexible cover is much easier to negotiate when reading, either at home or in the pew, so I’ve ended up with a mix of hardbacks, genuine leather and bonded/imitation leather. But honestly, I’m more concerned about page aesthetics than the binding/cover. And yes, there is a lot of cheap paper out there.
In one of the stores near me, there are four large Bible displays. Each display has about seven shelves. One of those large displays is all NLT. That is a change from a few years ago. The seller seems to be the NLT Life Application Study Bible.
Just wanted to comment that my local Mardels features the NIV prominently and has twice as much space devoted to it as any others. Also, the NRSV is the only major translation relegated to the small “Misc/Other” location.
ElShaddai, I’ve pretty much given up on our local Christian bookstore. They always charge full retail price, and they keep such a close eye on you if you’re looking at Bibles. (I’m 55, a gray and balding grandpa. I don’t think I’m going to steal a Bible.) The local Barnes & Noble often runs some great sales on Bibles, and they’re the only place in town if you’re looking for a TNIV. The Christian bookstore won’t even touch ‘em.
B&N has a hodge-podge of translations in quite a mess of styles and covers. NIVs and TNIVs, NLTs, HCSBs, KJVs, lots of NKJVs, ESVs, NRSVs, and Catholic translations, too. Of course the NIV is most prominent here, too. But I’m surprised at how many NKJVs B&N stocks! And they have a good choice of NRSVs. They carry study Bibles as well, though mostly hardcovers.
I like the NIV and I love my NIV SB. But do you think they really needed to do a 25% revision on the SB? I’d like to see some of the changes.
Our local Christian store is kind of weird in its representation. There are 2 racks for the NIV, but most are NIV study Bibles. There is one rack for KJV and one rack for NLT (almost all Life Application Bibles with a few gift and 1-year Bibles mixed in). There is less than one shelf devoted to the ESV, one shelf for the HCSB (all apologetics) and one shelf devoted to all of the rest. Then ther is a rack half full of spanish Bibles and Bible covers. The TNIV has a grand total of 3 copies of the companion to the Bible experience and 4 copies of the new notetaker new testament. It surprising that almost all of the audio Bibles are the Bible Experience, though with a couple of the ESV Bible Experience copy-cat audio Bibles thrown in (Word of Promise, I think?).
The strangest thing to me is that they now stock a Pitt-minion bonded leather and widemargin hardback from cambridge for the KJV, NIV and NASB. Even more odd is that two of the local stores have hardback cambrige NRSV’s with the Apocrypha. I can’t even find that on Amazon!
Dave
EE, I was looking at the link to the revised NIV Study Bible you gave. This quote is kind of depressing:
“The NIV has been a tremendous success, but with your help, the last 30 years will only be the beginning.”
So much for focusing on the TNIV…
I’m confused about what the web page is showing, though. There have been what I thought were NIV 30th anniversary study bibles in the christian store for the last few months. Maybe they weren’t study bibles
This is the one I was referring to:
http://www.amazon.com/NIV-Study-Bible-30th-Anniversary/dp/0310611229/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217628376&sr=1-1
@Gary: Yes, we’ve talked about B&N before - they do an excellent job of carrying a wide range of titles, the HCSB and TNIV excepted up here in the metro. Those two just don’t seem to have made inroads in Minneapolis. Then again, Piper is based here, so the ESV has strong local support. And our church, of course, still uses the NIV.
@Dave: Yes, study Bibles are in abundance at this store as well, especially the NIV and Life Application. I don’t know all the details about the 30th Anniversary promotions, but I haven’t seen it explicitly referenced in the store, so I had assumed they hadn’t started yet. But the link you gave says April as the publication date, so I’ve probably not looked close enough (or rather, see this link).
I agree that the NIV quote doesn’t spell out long term support for the TNIV, except as a fringe youth/young adult title, perhaps with the audio Bible Experience as the entry point. Maybe they’re hoping that buyers will want to get the same text as what they heard on their iPod, or whatever platform the Bible Experience is presented on.
There is one rack for KJV and one rack for NLT (almost all Life Application Bibles with a few gift and 1-year Bibles mixed in).
I will say that I almost bought a NLT Reference thinline tonight - it’s basically the same size as the TNIV Thinline I already have. If I find the NLT translation useful in my NIV church, I might make the switch.
Ah, If could only see the future, it would make it much easier to settle on a translation!
It seems that a lot of people out here are going back and forth from the TNIV and NLT. If I knew the NLT would reign supreme in the near future I would go ahead and make the switch too, but for now I’m sticking with the TNIV. All of my study resources are currently NIV (my previous translation, except for a brief flirtation with the ESV), and my church primarily uses the NIV as well so the TNIV is an easier fit.
I can’t deny that I’m pleased to see the NLT get so much exposure. I’m become convinced that functional translations are as every bit authoritative a Bible as formal translations or even the original Greek/Hebrew texts. It seems to me that the original languages and more formal translations like the NASB and ESV are appropriate tools for studying the context of the original receivers, but idiomatic English translations are more appropriate for maturing the application of the Biblical message in today’s lives.
Do you think your Christian bookstore will still be there in five years? It seems that with online retailers and the spread of chains such as Barnes & Noble and Borders that the service offered by Christian bookstores is less in demand.
It’s a fair question, Iyov. It’s a small chain, so they have some diversification in their favor. And I think that there’s enough hypocritical buying habits among American Christians to support the evangelical bookstores: “we can get everything for the house at Target, but Faith stuff should be bought at.” That said, I prefer eBay or the Amazon Marketplace myself… which isn’t helping the industry, since I typically buy used.
@ Iyov: It also doesn’t help that every Christian retailer I’ve been in sells everything at the MSRP. Almost anywhere else has discounts. The only real advantage is that they have a larger selection of uncommon editions compered to other brick and mortar stores. They really can’t compete online, though.
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A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Bible Retailing…
ElShaddai Edwards at He Is Sufficient notes some recent changes in the layout of the Bible section of his local Christian bookstore.
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