How to build a book range that sells

With so many books available, from so many different publishers, it can be difficult for retailers to know where to start when it comes to selecting the right titles for a range. At Bookspeed we’ve finely tuned our instincts for selecting the right books for customers, as the result of working with retailers of all types and sizes for more than 30 years. 

So, whether you want to breathe new life into an existing book range or are seeking to introduce books, our Senior Key Account Manager Angus shares some tips to get you started.

It starts with your customers.

When we’re working with retailers, the first question we always ask is ‘who are your customers?’. Once you establish the key demographic for your retail offering, you can better understand the themes, price points, and formats you need to prioritise when selecting books. Whether you attract regular repeat customers or one-off visitors will influence how you approach building and developing your range too.

Consider your retail and design themes.

Not surprisingly, retailers based in museums, galleries or visitor attractions are driven by the themes of the institutions they represent when selecting products, whereas independent gift retailers can be more design and trend led. Books can provide a convenient shorthand for those retail narratives, and part of our service is to find books that help tell those stories both visually and through the content they offer your customers.

But keep an open mind and stay customer focused.

However, we often encourage our museum customers to think beyond their specialist themes too. It always comes back to who is visiting your retail space and why, so it often makes commercial sense to include books that will appeal to a broader audience, not just the subject enthusiasts. Many of our bestselling children’s games and books do just as well in specialist museums or galleries as they do in high street gift shops.

Keeping things fresh.

How often you change your range will depend on how many repeat customers you attract. Use the changing seasons as a prompt to seek out new books on the themes that will more closely match what your customer is looking for at different points in the year. For cultural and heritage retailers in particular, time-limited exhibitions and one-off events can provide new opportunities for adding some new books into your ranges.

Be data driven.

At Bookspeed, we love books, so it’s always tempting to be swayed by a stunning cover or compelling blurb from a publisher. However, we are guided by our own sales data when deciding what to list. When we’re working with our customers, we’ll always look at their sales history to inform our choices. Set a minimum standard for how many copies each book should sell in a set period. And if books aren’t hitting the sales at the rate they should, cut it from your range. It’s simply taking up the space of something that could perform better. We’re always available to recommend alternatives!

Sometimes less is more.

It may seem counter-intuitive but sometimes we advise customers to slim down their book ranges, particularly if the volume of books you have is getting in the way of effective visual merchandising. We always recommend displaying books face out and integrating them with other product ranges, even if this means offering fewer titles on the shop floor. We know that too much choice can be overwhelming for customers.

It’s ok to judge a book by its cover.

We know that in physical retail spaces, customers are seeking a tactile experience. So, it's important to consider a book's appearance. We're always drawn to beautifully produced books with stunning illustrations or photography and any special details on the cover that can attract attention and increase dwell time.

Work with us

You don’t have to tackle your book buying alone. We work with retailers of all levels of experience, from seasoned book buyers for large organisations to sole traders juggling it all. Through Bookspeed you’ll have access to the best books from across the market and support to curate book ranges tailored towards your customers. We’ll also take care of the sourcing and delivery so you and your team can focus on creating inspiring retail experiences for your customers.

Get in touch

• O131 467 8100
• sales@bookspeed.com