Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung (BIBB)

Designation of occupation

Bookseller (m/f)
Recognized by ordinance of 5 March 1998 (BGBl. I, p. 462)

Duration of traineeship

3 years
Training is provided in one of three specialist areas:

• retail book trade
• publishing trade
• antiquarian book trade

The venues for training are company and vocational school (Berufschule)

Field of activity

Booksellers are employed in retail bookstores, publishing houses, antiquarian bookstores, and in the wholesale book trade.

Booksellers' duties are commercial, though their work acquires a cultural and educational significance through the products distributed. The main areas of activity include sales, procurement and marketing.

Occupational skills

Common core skills

Booksellers

• select an assortment of books and other media appropriate to the market,
• present their product range,
• advise customers on books, magazines and electronic media,
• sell products and services,
• monitor the market and assist in the development of marketing concepts,
• implement marketing concepts using public relations and advertizing tools,
• carry out accounting procedures,
• use work and organization media,
• compile bibliographies and carry out research.

Specialized skills

Booksellers specializing in the retail book trade

• compile a selection of products appropriate to the market from the wide range of publication products available,
• plan and implement product procurement,
• calculate prices for products not subject to fixed pricing arrangements,
• manage stocks,
• conduct counselling and sales meetings.

Booksellers specializing in the publishing trade

• develop projects in association with authors and publishers,
• draw up publishing contracts and assist in the purchase and awarding of licences,
• appraise and process manuscripts,
• attend to the design and production of books and other media,
• calculate production costs, number of copies, and retail prices,
• supply information and goods to the retail trade.

Booksellers specializing in the antiquarian book trade

• appraise and purchase antiquarian print products,
• carry out searches on behalf of customers,
• draw up catalogues of titles,
• store print products and manage stocks,
• sell antiquarian print products in retail outlets, through their own catalogues or at trade fairs and auctions.

Last modified on: December 12, 2006