ABSTRACT
Bulk purchase of items for resale in a consortium of museum shops was developed by a museums’ co-operative forum. Unit costs on a range of items were reduced, and the museum shops were able to stock a wider range of items than they would have been able to do individually. One museum took a lead role in co-ordinating the administration of the project for a small handling fee. The forum later entered into a range of merchandising projects, and established a joint trading company to run and develop a purchasing programme. Later still, the company began a web-based retail service and mail order catalogue, and distributed the museums’ shop goods very widely.
