Job Description

Position Overview: The Adult Book Buyer is responsible for the strategic selection, purchasing, and inventory management of all adult book genres across our two locations. This role requires a deep understanding of frontlist and backlist titles, ensuring that bestsellers, themed selections, and planograms are consistently stocked. The Adult Book Buyer must be highly analytical, understand the unique demographics and customer preferences at each store location, and use this knowledge to optimize inventory and maximize sales. 

Key Responsibilities

Book Buying and Reordering:

• Select and purchase adult frontlist and backlist titles for two locations, utilizing industry tools such as Edelweiss+ and POS system.
• Manage the entire inventory control cycle of the Adult categories, from purchasing to reordering to returns.
• Work within budget guidelines across all purchases, ensuring all purchases fall within the guidelines and benchmarks set, including sign-off and approvals. 
• Maintain regular communication with publishers and reps to stay informed on new releases, discount schedules, and policy changes.
• Maintain regular communication with owners and all other department leads regarding any plans, key titles, or publisher initiatives that would benefit the stores.
• Analyze daily sales reports and trends to ensure popular titles are always in stock and adjust purchasing strategies accordingly.
• Monitor inventory levels daily, ensuring that bestsellers, themed selections, and planograms are always fully stocked.
• Identify and flag slow-moving titles for returns, collaborating with the receiving department to manage returns efficiently.
• Utilize POS system to analyze sales trends, turns, and overall inventory performance.
• Review sales data regularly to assess the performance of titles across both locations, making data-driven recommendations for inventory adjustments.
• Communicate all key trends, sales, and details necessary for all other departments to provide top customer service.
• Proactively report on forecasted sales trends and inventory needs outside planned budgets for sign-off.
• Collaborate with store manager and event coordinator to ensure appropriate inventory support for special orders, author events, and promotions.
• Work with Events Team to ensure that post-event stock is accounted for and managed for on hands or returned in a timely manner.

 Key Skills and Behaviors:

• Analytical Thinking:Demonstrates the ability to interpret complex sales data, identify trends, and make strategic purchasing decisions that align with customer demands.
• Communication:Exhibits excellent verbal and written communication skills, effectively liaising with publishers, reps, and internal teams.
• Strategic Planning:Shows a proactive, strategic mindset, always thinking ahead to anticipate inventory needs and capitalize on market opportunities.
• Financial Acumen: Understands budgets and forecasts and can manage and communicate bottom-line P&L responsibilities.
• Customer Focus:Deeply understands the customer demographics at each store location and tailors inventory to meet their specific needs and preferences.
• Problem-Solving:Takes a hands-on approach to resolving issues related to inventory, sales trends, and special orders.
• Attention to Detail:Displays meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that inventory is managed efficiently, and that sales data is accurately analyzed and reported.
• Adaptability:Able to pivot quickly in response to market changes, sales trends, and customer preferences.

 Qualifications

• MUST HAVE: 2 years min prior experience in book buying, preferably in an independent bookstore setting OR 2 years experience in a sales or purchasing capacity within publishing.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret sales data and market trends.
• Financial Acumen and experience with budgets and forecasts.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Strategic thinking with a proactive, problem-solving approach.
• Ability to organize and prioritize competing daily and long-term demands.
• Understanding of different adult genre categories and customer preferences.
• Physical ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Relocation assistance may be available for the right candidate.

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