Magazine media paid promotional programs
Related rules: F 8.4/108.4
There are two types of combination sale programs:
Subscriptions Sold in Combination
The sale of two or more different publications such as magazines with a business/farm publications or newspapers, together as a package, where the price for the combination package is less than the sum of what each publication may be purchased for separately.
Requirements
- A minimum of one cent per publication must be collected, net of considerations.
- The contractual portion of the offer must identify the subscription term for all publications and total purchase price.
- None of the promotional materials may state or imply that any of the publications are free, no additional cost, no extra charge or synonymous language.
Note: For an upgrade to an existing magazine the consumer must opt-in to the added publication by paying an incremental amount for the additional subscription or have the option of reducing the amount paid if they choose not to take the additional subscription. Please refer to your audit manager for further review.
Examples
Two Magazines Individual Subscription Combination Sale:
Magazine details:
- Both Basketball Today and Top Sports magazine sold separately in the marketplace.
- Basketball Today has a one-year (12 issues) subscription basic price of $75.00.
- Top Sports magazine has a one-year (12 issues) subscription basic price of $60.00.
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Buy one year (12 issues) to Basketball Today and one year (12 issues) to Top Sports magazine for the low price of only $50.00! __ Yes! Sign me up and bill me later for one year (12 issues each) to Basketball Today and Top Sports magazine for only $50.00! |
Magazine and Newspaper Individual Subscription Combination Sale:
Magazine Details
- Both Top News magazine and The Gazette newspaper are sold separately in the marketplace.
- Top News magazine has a one-year (12 issues) subscription basic price of $75.00.
- The Gazette newspaper has a one-year (7-days a week) subscription basic price of $60.00.
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Buy one year (12 issues) to Top News magazine and one year (7-days a week) to The Gazette newspaper for the low price of only $50.00! __ Yes! Sign me up and bill me later for one year (12 issues) to Top News magazine and one year (7-days a week) to The Gazette newspaper for only $50.00! |
Combination “Forced” Single-Copy Sale - 100%/25% Program
The following qualification requirements apply for combination sales of two magazines in a newsstand environment using the 100%/25% policy.
Requirements
- Single-copy issues sold in a forced combination must be the current issue on sale separately within the newsstand marketplace.
- The magazines included in the forced combination must have similar editorial content.
- A minimum of 100% of the cover price for the higher priced magazine and 25% of the cover price of the other magazine must be collected for the combination package.
- None of the promotional materials may state or imply that either of the publications are free, no additional cost, no extra charge or synonymous language.
Note: For a forced single-copy sale using the three-stack program, each publication in the combination package must also be available for purchase separately at the same retail location where the combination sale is sold. Contact your audit manager for program requirements.
Example
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Single-Copy Offer at General Store: Combination package of Cooking Magazine and Today’s Cooking Lite Magazine sold together for only $12.00 with each magazine sold separately within the store. Details:
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