Rules & Resources
Consumer Magazine Support Center

Promotion Guide

Combination Sales

The ABC term “combination sale” refers to the sale of two or more different publications together as a package and where the price for the combination package is less than the sum of what each publication may be purchased for separately. This may occur in both a subscription and single-copy environment.

There are several different types of combination sales, each with their own unique requirements to qualify and classify all publications in the sale as paid circulation on ABC documents. See Rule F 8.4 Subscriptions/Single Copy Sales in Combination. The different types include:

NOTES:

  • If each publication in a package can be purchased separately, and the sum of those individual prices is the same as the package price, then the sale is not considered a combination sale.
  • In situations where a publication consists chiefly of reference data rather than general reading material, premium rules apply. In addition, no matter what their content, publications with a frequency of less than quarterly are also considered a premium and are subject to the applicable premium rules.
  • When a premium is offered in conjunction with a combination sale, the minimum price collected must be a qualifying price for the combination sale plus the full value of the premium.

Subscriptions: Two or more magazines sold together

When subscriptions to two or more magazines are sold together, the following requirements apply:

  1. A minimum of one cent per magazine must be collected.
  2. The contractual portion of the offer must present all magazines for the full term (length of time or number of issues) and total purchase price.
  3. 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.
  4. The promotional materials for the combination package are not required to provide the consumer with an option to purchase each magazine separately. However, subscriptions for each magazine must be available for sale separately in the general consumer marketplace.

Example of Acceptable Offer

____YES! I'd like to subscribe to Prototype Magazine and Magazine Today for the low price of $12.00 per year.

Name__________________
Address___________________
City, State, ZIP______________

A contractual agreement must state that all magazines received are included in the amount charged (and neither is free). In this example, the contractual agreement states both magazines are being purchased for the total cost of $12.00.

Subscriptions: A magazine and a business or farm publication sold together

When subscriptions to a magazine and a business or farm publication are sold together, the following requirements apply:

  1. A minimum of one cent per publication must be collected – as the business and farm division of ABC also define paid circulation as a subscription sold at one cent or more, net of all considerations.
  2. The contractual portion of the offer must present all publications for the full term (length of time or number of issues) and total purchase price.
  3. 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.
  4. The promotional materials for the combination package are not required to provide the consumer with an option to purchase each publication separately. However, subscriptions for each publication must be available for sale separately in the general consumer marketplace.

Subscriptions: A magazine and a newspaper sold together

When subscriptions to a magazine and a newspaper are sold together, the following requirements apply:

  1. A minimum of one cent for the magazine, plus no less than 25 percent of the newspaper’s basic prices must be collected.
  2. The contractual portion of the offer must present all publications for the full term (length of time or number of issues) and total purchase price.
  3. 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.
  4. The promotional materials for the combination package are not required to provide the consumer with an option to purchase each publication separately. However, subscriptions for each publication must be available for sale separately in the general consumer marketplace.

Single Copy: Two magazines sold together (Effective Jan. 1, 2008-dated issues)

When two magazines are sold together in a newsstand environment, the following requirements apply:

  1. A minimum of 100 percent of the cover price for the highest priced magazines and 25 percent of the cover price of other magazine must be collected for the combination package.
  2. 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.
  3. Magazines included in the package must have editorial affinity (homogeneous in content)
  4. Issues sold in combination must be the current issue available in the newsstand marketplace.
  5. A maximum of 50 percent of the draw for the magazine with the smallest newsstand draw may be offered in combination.
  6. ABC must receive advance notice of the publisher’s plan for a combination sale for pre-evaluation. The standard form to submit to ABC is available on our Web site.
  7. The publisher must commit to providing ABC full access to detailed of results of the combination sale test for ABC board monitoring purposes.
  8. Full disclosure in the ABC Publisher’s Statement will be made, including identification of the publications sold in combination, issues sold, quantities sold, and the combination price.

Example:

  • Magazine A – cover price $3.50
  • Magazine B – cover price $3.00

Minimum price for this combination package is $4.25. (This represents the full cover price of $3.50 for Magazine A, plus 25 percent of the $3.00 cover price of Magazine B.)

Note:
Two magazines sold together in a newsstand environment on or after Jan. 1, 2008-dated issues, and not adhering to the criteria described above, are also required to adhere to the three-stack policy.

Single Copy: A magazine and a business or farm publication sold together

When a magazine and a business or farm publication are sold together in a newsstand environment, the following requirements apply:

  1. The sale must comply with the “three-stack policy.” This means that each magazine in the combination package must also be available for purchase separately at the same location where the combination sale is sold. This three-stack policy applies to all locations where the combination package is sold.
  2. A minimum of 100 percent of the individual selling price for the highest priced publication and one cent for each additional publication must be collected for the combination package.
  3. 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.
  4. The price at which each publication is sold separately must be no less than one cent each.

Example:

  • ABC Magazine – individual selling price $3.50
  • XYZ Business Publication – individual selling price $3.00

Minimum price for this combination package is $3.51. This represents 100 percent of the $3.50 individual selling price for the highest priced publication, plus one cent for the second publication.

Single Copy: A magazine and a newspaper sold together

When a magazine and a newspaper are sold together in a newsstand environment, the following requirements apply:

  1. The sale must comply with the “three-stack policy.” This means that each publication in the combination package must also be available for purchase separately at the same location where the combination sale is sold. This three-stack policy applies to all locations where the combination package is sold.
  2. A minimum of 100 percent of the individual selling price for the highest priced publication and 25 percent of the basic (cover) price for each additional publication must be collected for the combination package.
  3. 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.
  4. The price at which each publication is sold separately must be no less than one cent for the magazine and 25 percent of basic price for the newspaper.

Example:

  • ABC Magazine – individual selling price $3.50
  • MNO Newspaper – basic price $1.00

Minimum price for this combination package is $3.75. This represents 100 percent of the $3.50 individual selling price for the highest priced publication, plus 25 percent of the $1.00 basic price for the newspaper.



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