Promotion Guide

Partnership Sales

Single-Copy Sales: Additional Requirements and Example

The following elements are required for all single copies obtained via a partnership sale. These elements are additive to the seven requirements previously noted for all partnership sales transactions. The circulation generated shall be classified as “Partnership sales – Deductible” under the single-copy category of circulation on ABC reports.

For single-copy partnership sales to qualify and classify as paid circulation, the following ABC requirements apply:

• There must be a point-of-purchase notice to the consumer that a single issue of a magazine is included in the purchase of the product or service, the title of the magazine included, and the value of the single issue.
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  • The single copy included with the purchase must be the issue of the magazine currently on newsstands.
    
    
• Promotional materials at the point-of-purchase must inform the consumer that the magazine may be declined and that a reduction in purchase price of the product or service will occur if the magazine is declined. The price reduction is equal to the stated value of the single issue.
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  • A refund/rebate approach is not acceptable for single-copy partnership sales. To meet the “deductibility” requirement, the reduction of purchase price must be executed at the point of sale.
    
    
• The product or service must be available for purchase at the reduced price (without the single copy of the publication) at every location where the package including the single copy is made available.
  
  
  • All point-of-purchase materials must be presented to the consumer in a clear and conspicuous manner (prominence, likelihood consumer will see it, clarity of language). For information regarding a formal definition of “clear and conspicuous” please consult the Federal Trade Commission Web site.

Point of Purchase Notification

Included with your $12.00 purchase of SUN Sunglasses is the June issue of Summer Magazine (valued at $3.00).

* The sunglasses may be purchased separately for $9.00.

For this example:

• The sunglasses are positioned as the primary item purchased.
• Consumer is notified of the magazine’s inclusion prior to the completion of the sales transaction.
• Magazine is positioned as included in the purchase price of the product or service.
• Title of magazine, term of subscription and subscription value (at least one cent) are clearly stated.
• Magazine is not stated nor implied as free, complimentary, or other synonymous language.
• Point of purchase notification informs the consumer that the purchase of the product/service may occur without the single issue of the magazine for a reduced rate (reduced by the value of the single issue).