The Bookseller.com

2nd December 2008

H&H moves to central buying

23.07.08 Graeme Neill

Former Foyles commercial director Vivienne Wordley has joined Hughes and Hughes, as the Irish bookseller moves to centralise its buying operations and book distribution.

The 24-store chain has spent €7.5m over the past 18 months on a new IT buying system and building a new 20,000 square feet warehouse alongside its head offices in Finglas, Dublin, as well as opening new stores. Wordley said that the new approaches to buying and distribution would mean that stores would receive stock quicker and also increase the availability of titles to customers.

Wordley is working with the retailer to review its new buying policy as well as develop its marketing strategy. Her duties include looking at how to bring out further efficiencies in the buying team, as well as the chain's relationships with its suppliers.

The switch to centralised buying follows the resignation of head of buying Colm Ennis last month. Previously, stores would work alongside the buying team to select titles. Now all buying is handled centrally using the new IT system. "It's a streamlining of the operation," said Wordley. "The business has outgrown its previous systems and the business needs to grow for the future."

She added that the revamped buying team would be fully operational within the next four weeks. "Our role is to help stores get stock quickly and more efficiently as well as reflecting the local customer profile of each store," she said. "The stores are very different and there's no way we would wish to change the appeal of them to our customers."

Willie Anderson, former managing director of academic bookseller John Smith & Sons, has joined the bookseller's board as a non-executive director, and will be working alongside c.e.o. Derek Hughes to develop the future strategy of the business.

The chain has opened three stores this year, two in Heathrow Terminal 5 in March and another in Swords in Dublin earlier this month. The chain will open another bookshop in Dundrum, Dublin in October. Wordley refused to comment on whether further store openings were planned. "But we are extremely positive despite the current economic climate," she added.

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