Providing services of bespoke book buying for the heritage, museum & galleries market.
With over a decade’s worth of experience working in the book trade I specialise in identifying relevant book ranges to sit alongside merchandise, streamlining current ranges, negotiating margins with suppliers & advising on all aspects of book retail management. By choosing my services I can improve your book sales and margins and I can create a custom-built range of books. These book ranges will narrate and anchor your merchandise offer as well as being targeted to your audience, all leading to higher turnover.
I collaborated closely with the retail team to build a custom range of books for the 3 new shops. The bespoke collection of titles highlights and complements the merchandise
Visual Merchandising by Aranxta Garcia
The National Portrait Gallery Shop
Reopened June 2023
About me
My career started as a bookseller in 2001 at a branch of Ottakars in Slough. I was instantly hooked on working with books and stayed as a bookseller for 9 years over 4 different London locations, all with their individual market challenges. Along the way I picked up many skills in customer service, stock management, product knowledge and buying. I loved buying for the diverse communities I worked in, and when a job at The British Library Shop came up in 2010, I was excited to take on the new challenge of heritage buying. Working at The British Library, with its varied exhibition programme that covered history, art, science and literature, was a fantastic way to hone my expertise as a book buyer and later as a merchandise buyer.
Understanding books and all the functions of the book trade is something I became adept at but I also learned to utilise books ranges alongside merchandise to make and exciting and engaging narrative.
After a career break, I have now become a book buyer and range consultant freelancer, who specialises in working with cultural centres, museums, and galleries. Over the last year I have worked with the The National Portrait Gallery including curating the book range for their historic reopening after 3 year refit, a wonderfully successful and collaborative process, which I curated a bespoke list for their new main shop and the two further exhibition shops. That new compact range of books covers art, history, British identity and politics.
Case Studies
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery: Shop Re-opening October 2024
This project involved working closely with the merchandise buyer and the retail team at Birmingham, to produce a bespoke Birmingham centric range of titles. Inspired by the museums varied collection and the Birmingham community. Book choices were also informed by the amazing merchandise selected.
Merchandise Buyer & Visual Merchandising by Aranxta Garcia
Hauser & Wirth New York 18th Street Gallery Shop: Range Refresh August 2024
This exciting transatlantic project required extensive research into the East Coast art scene and U.S art book publishing. Working to a tight brief I brought together a range of new titles as well as ensuring the Hauser & Wirth artists were fully represented. Further to the research, I also had to pursue new U.S publishing contacts and acquire the knowledge on ordering books in the state of New York. This was a fantastic opportunity to stretch my book buying skills.
The Time is Always Now
National Portrait Gallery February 2024
I worked closely with the NPG team to deliver a carefully researched and bespoke range of books for this exhibition. Sourced from new suppliers to guarantee the necessary breadth of titles. I ensured the titles complimented the inspirational selection of merchandise for this exhibition shop.
@artofbanksyexhibit
August 2023
Banksy Book Buying Project
Capsule project August 2023. Original site Regents Street
I had the responsibility for the initial ordering and the high level negotiation of over £40K worth of book stock for this non traditional book seller. Coordinated with the team on the payment and delivery from multiple suppliers. This project had a quick turnaround and was accomplished in two weeks.
Visual Merchandising by Aranxta Garcia
My Services
The Offer
Book buying can be daunting and time consuming, especially in busy heritage retail. But book ranges don’t have to be generic or even worse - left unmanaged. I can build a tailor made book list and recommend manageable reordering and returns procedures that work for your team.
Frequency
You may wish to use my service once to build a core range or I can arrange to work with you more regularly. I am happy to quote for any size job and I am prepared and delighted to research any topic.
Pricing
My standard day rate is £250 or for projects I can quote a flat fee for the job. These quotes are very competitive when compared to a permanent role in your retail team.
Travel expenses are negotiable, I am based near London. Please feel free to contact me for a chat about your requirements.