Distribution Glossary

The amount of magazine newsstand terms can be overwhelming for someone new to the industry. To make life a little easier for our customers, whether you just started your magazine or are a long standing magazine publishing veteran, we will help you navigate through the terminology of magazine publishing. This glossary will help you learn the terms or give you a refresher.

A

Affidavit returns

Returns claimed by wholesaler by sworn statement that the unsold copies have been destroyed

Allotment

The total number of copies of a single issue scheduled for shopping to a wholesaler or distribution service

Audit

A formal unbiased check of circulation by Audit Bureau of Circulations or Business Publications Audit

Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC)

An independent, non-profit organization of advertisers, agencies, and publishers which provides audits of the circulations of business publications, general magazines and newspapers

Audit Report

Annual official findings of an audit bureau

Authorization

Refers to your title being approved by a specific retailer for sale in some or all of its locations

Authorized list

The list of titles authorized by a given retailer for a specified period of time

Average Net Paid

Average paid circulation per issue arrived at by dividing total circulation of all issues during audit period by number of issues for the audit period

B

Bipad

The 5-digit code that uniquely identifies the magazine

Bi-weekly

Publication issued every two weeks

Bleed

Artwork that goes to the edge of the paper

Bulk sales

1. Definition applicable to Audit Bureau of Circulations: Single copy sales in bulk-sales of copies of a single issue of a publication in quantities of five or more to one purchaser. 2. Definition applicable to Business Publications Audit of Circulation: Two or more copies of a publication (whether or not individually wrapped or addressed) sent to a single addressee

Business Publication

A business publication is one dealing with management, manufacturing, sales or operation of industries or businesses, or some specific industry, occupation, or professions, and which is published to interest and assist persons actively engaged in the field it covers

Business Publications Audit of Circulation (BPA)

An independent, non-profit organization of advertisers, agencies, and publishers which provides audits of circulation, primarily of business publications, but also consumer

Buyer's Guide

An issue of a publication that lists manufacturers and suppliers by product

C

Checkout Display

The display space at the checkouts of retail outlets. In addition to a per-copy discount off cover price and the RDA, publishers at checkouts generally pay per-pocket display fees

Circulation

Refers to your total net paid subscriptions AND single copy sales

Company Prefix

The 6-digit code preceding the bipad in a magazine UPC. It includes the small digit to the outside left of the barcode.

Control

In newsstand testing, the price or package against whose results other packages are compared

Cost-plus or Cost-to-serve model

A proposal payment structure for wholesalers in which publishers have the primary relationship with the retailers. Wholesalers would be paid for delivery and other services based on their costs plus a margin

Cover Month

The month for which the issue is dated or coded

Cross-merchandising

The joint display of magazines and other consumer goods, usually in the area of the store in which related goods are displayed (such as music magazines near the CDs)

Cutline

A cover line

D

Demographics

Characteristics of one's readers, including sex, age, income, and so on. Used for targeting newsstand distribution

Direct Distribution

Refers to the system of parcel-shipping specific numbers of magazine copies to individual stores

Draw

The number of copies each issue of your title that is distributed to specific retailers and/or wholesalers

F

4/1 (Four over one)

A sell sheet printed using 4 color on front and one color (usually black) on the back

Frequency

Number of issues published per year

Full-cover display

Display at the front where the entire cover of the magazine is visible

I

Initial Audit Report

The first audit made for a publication, may be for any consecutive six-month period

Insert

Page or pages, printed or for the advertiser, bound into the publication, usually in colors and on heavier stock than the periodical

Issue

All copies of a publication distributed at the same time and with the same date

Issue code

The 2-digit code following the bipad in a magazine UPC

M

Mainline

The display rack in retail outlets containing an assortment of titles and generally not positioned at the front of the store

Makegood

A retailer that fails to meet their promotion commitments (eg. display at checkout for the promotions period) may offer a makeup promotion later in the year

Manufacturers code

Also know as Company Prefix

Masthead

A summary of a publication's identification and ownership, usually appearing on page carrying table of contents

Month Before Cover

Most monthlies go on sale the month before cover

N

Net Single Copy Sale

Sale of a publication through any retail outlet including newsstands but excluding mail, with the returns deducted

O

On-Sale Date

The date that an issue of your title is scheduled to go on display in retail outlets

Off-Sale Date

The date that an issue of your title is scheduled to be removed from the shelves

P

Perfect Bound

A spine that resembles the spine of a paperback novel

Pink sheet

The ABC paid consumer publisher's statement

Pocket Fees

The extra fee paid to retailers to gain checkout display space, on a per-issue basis

Point-of-sale

Publication in-store marketing activity

Polybag

A clear, sealed plastic bag that the magazine is placed into. This allows other items, such as catalogs or CDs, to be included

POP (Point-of-purchase)

Promotional display materials used to encourage single-copy sales

POS (Pay on scan)

Only copies scanned as sale at checkout are paid for Prematures: Copies returned to the retailer before the off-sale date

Prematures

Copies returned to the retailer before the off-sale date

Publisher's Statement

Statement of circulation and distribution for a six-month period, but subject to audit

R

Remit

The portion of a sale remitted to a publisher after distributor, wholesaler, and retailer costs are deducted

Returns

Single copies that are distributed to retailers but not sold. Unsold copies are returned to the distributor and are generally destroyed once processed for credit. Return figures appear on your regular statement from the distributor

S

Saddle Stitch

Stapling along the fold

Scan-based trading

Also known as Pay-on-Scan (POS)

Secondary Wholesaler

A wholesaler that services retail accounts outside of supermarkets, convenience stores, drug stores and other major, mass-market outlets for magazines

Sell-through

Refers to the percentage of newsstand copies that were actually sold and did not come back as returns. Also called efficiency

Serif

The line projecting from the tip of type characters in certain faces; faces without these adjuncts are called sans-serif

Single-copy sales

Magazines sold at retail

SIP

Special Interest Publication. An off-shoot of another magazine; sometimes they are one-time special issues, but usually they are on-going

Shrink

A side effect of scan-based trading. Unaccounted for inventory neither sold nor returned

T

Tip-on

Inserting something onto a magazine cover by gluing or stapling

Trade Publication

Serving a specifically definable industrial, business, service, or professional audience; not incompatible with sales on the newsstand

W

Wholesaler

The companies that physically distribute magazines to single-copy retail outlets, process returns and engage in marketing and in-store service

Withholds

Shipped single copies that never reach the newsstand racks

Special Thanks to John Harrington for helping improve this glossary.