How to Start a Christian Bookstore Business

Who hasn't dreamed of owning their very own bookstore at some point in their life? Starting a Christian bookstore fulfills the need that many people have of owning their own business. Read more to learn how to start your own bookstore. The article will outline the business essentials you will need to succeed.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Business plan
• Financing
• Computer
• Accounting software

How to Start a Christian Bookstore Business

1. Create a business plan to outline goals and as much information about the bookstore as possible.
2. Decide whether you will work from a “brick and mortar” storefront or the Web. Set up and market your business accordingly.
3. Decide the type of Christian bookstore you want. For example, will it be an Internet business? This will allow you to peddle your books via an official website, eBay or Half.com. You may even opt to run an Internet business until you can build the capital necessary to open an actual location.
4. Explore the option to start a pre-made bookstore. A third party will supply all of the inventory. All you have to do is maintain your site. This kind of bookstore can run anywhere from $300.00 and up for the initial upfront costs, depending on what features you want your store to have. Just type "start a Christian bookstore" into your search engine for a list of sites.
5. Draft a mission statement. The mission statement should be between three to five sentences in length, and convey a clear summary of the type of service your customers can expect from the business.
6. Invest in a good accounting software program to track sales, taxes, and other pertinent information specific to the business.
7. Research wholesale stores that sell the particular items, goods and merchandise that will make up your inventory.
8. Complete the necessary paperwork. Allow yourself time to complete the paperwork, as it takes up to a month to apply and be approved for wholesale pricing. For places like Zondervan, Concordia Publishing, and other major Christian publishing companies, it can take an additional two to four weeks before you receive your first shipment.
9. Consider buying clearance items from a place like Christianbook.com, or any other on-line distributor that offers discount pricing for bulk orders.

Tips & Warnings

• Take the time to do a business plan.
• Make sure you have the proper licensing to conduct business in your state.