Supply Chain

Supply chain management deals with all activities, processes, and logistics to plan, source, deliver, and return products and materials from suppliers’ suppliers to retailers to consumers.

The Christian Retail Channel began to address supply chain issues broadly at CBA’s 2003 Future of the Industry conference, when James Tompkins of Tompkins & Associates outlined how companies prepare for supply-chain excellence, what capabilities are required, and ultimate outcomes in performance, efficiency, and cost savings. He said in today’s competitive environment, it’s no longer company versus company, but supply chain versus supply chain. In recent years, this has become strikingly apparent as more mass merchandisers and big-box booksellers aggressively sell Christian merchandise at very competitive prices driven by low-cost operations.

A Critical Industry Issue

In 2003, a Christian Retail Channel strategic summit identified operational efficiency and integration as critical industry issues. In early 2004, a white paper outlined the issues, and the Supply Chain Management Committee formed to address them. In 2005 , the committee merged with the Christian Products Standards Group to create retailer-driven initiatives aimed at improving efficiencies, reducing costs, and increasing sales.