Peabody, Massachusetts, June 11, 2019: Christian Book Distributors, also known as CBD and with a website of www.christianbook.com, will consolidate all various company brands to Christianbook.
President and CEO Ray Hendrickson explains the background of the decision: “When we started the business 40 years ago out of Mom and Dad’s house, we came up with the name ‘Christian Book Distributors’ as we felt it described what we did—distribute Christian books. We had no graphics department or brand consultants but thought using the initials ‘CBD’ as our logo at the top of the catalog would work well—and it did, for many years. In the late 1990s, we acquired an additional brand name when we launched our Internet site, www.christianbook.com. We decided to drop the word ‘Distributors’ because we felt the entire name was a bit too long, susceptible to misspelling, and caused some confusion about us being a wholesaler. So, for more than 20 years, we’ve maintained three distinct brand names: Christian Book Distributors, CBD, and Christianbook.com.”
Over the last 12 months, there has been a rise in popularity of a medicinally used product derived from the cannabis plant—cannabidiol, commonly referred to as “CBD.” Across the country, people see signs for “CBD sold here,” which creates brand confusion. In the past, a Google search for “CBD” would place our company at the top of the results page. Now “our CBD” is nowhere to be found in the search results, only sites for the cannabis product are listed, and paid ads are no longer allowed. As this wave of popularity over the “other CBD” is not likely to subside, we will stop referring to ourselves as “CBD” and will also drop the word “Distributors” from our company name. Going forward, we will operate under the name of “Christianbook.”
Some of our customers have begun to notice the transition in the logo and terminology we’ve used in our most recent catalog mailings. Some have even wondered if we should use “Christianbook.com” for everything. But Ray offers this reasoning: “We see ourselves as more than just an e-commerce company; we’re completely committed to the catalog side of our company, where it all started 40 years ago. We have no plans to change the way we do business and serve our customers; we will concentrate all our efforts on the brand name ‘Christianbook’ and the tagline ‘Everything Christian for Less’. We’ll be providing the same products (books, Bibles, homeschool materials, gifts, toys and games, church supplies, academic resources, etc.), all at the low prices and exceptional service on which we’ve built our solid reputation in the industry.”
Our History and Mission
In 1978, two teenage brothers started Christian Book Distributors, Inc., which would become the world’s largest seller of Christian products. Through its online presence, Christianbook.com, and 65 unique catalogs, the company offers the lowest possible prices and maintains an inventory exceeding 500,000 items. The wide selection includes books, Bibles, DVDs, music, homeschool materials, toys and games, gifts, academic resources, and church supplies. Christianbook.com provides a depth of information on our products, including author profiles and interviews, detailed product descriptions and excerpts, music clips, articles, reviews, specialized search engines, and video content. The company offers not only great value but also exceptional customer service and support. The company is proud to be the recipient of the Bizrate Circle of Excellence Platinum Award for 18 years and also is an 8-time recipient of the Boston Globe’s Top Places to Work award. Employing over 600 people from the surrounding communities, Christianbook is committed to the spreading of the gospel both through the products we sell each day and in our philanthropic support of missions around the globe. In particular, we seek to have an exponential impact on the kingdom by equipping overseas pastors and Bible school students, who then have a lifetime of impact in their ministries. We are also a proud supporter of the City of Peabody and many local charities.
For more information, please contact Bridget Timmins at (978) 573-2201 or btimmins@christianbook.com
