Voucher Subscription Sales - National Newspapers

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Voucher Subscription Sales

A single copy sold to an individual who pays the publisher in advance to obtain the publication via a retailer, by means of a voucher, for a contracted period.

Principles

1. There must be a contractual arrangement between the individual purchaser and the publisher

2. Copies are purchased by an individual in advance

3. Copies are supplied to the individual through retailer distribution via the redemption of a voucher

4. For a contracted period and for a minimum number of issues (at least two)

5. There must be an auditable incentive for vouchers redeemed to be reported to the publisher

6. The price paid for the publication by the purchaser must be clear and conspicuous

7. Reported by rate, comparing price paid by the purchaser with standard rate

Requirements

1. There must be a contractual arrangement between the individual purchaser and the publisher

1. You must be able to provide evidence of the contractual arrangements between the individual purchaser and the publisher, including the issues/period, the quantities purchased and the price.

2. Copies are purchased by an individual in advance

1. An individual can purchase gift subscriptions (maximum 12 subscriptions per subscriber). The recipient(s) details must be known.

2. Payment in arrears is acceptable only where this is due to payment being collected by direct debit or continuous credit card billing arrangements.

3. Copies are supplied to the individual through retailer distribution via the redemption of a voucher

1. The number of copies claimed should relate to the number of vouchers redeemed in the reporting period.

Guidance Available

4. For a contracted period and for a minimum number of issues (at least two)

1. You cannot claim sales of back issues.

5. There must be an auditable incentive for vouchers redeemed to be reported to the publisher

No additional requirements.

6. The price paid for the publication by the purchaser must be clear and conspicuous

No additional requirements.

7. Reported by rate, comparing price paid by the purchaser with standard rate 

1. Ignore the value (or perceived value) of gifts or other incentives (including bundled publications or media products that are not claimed for ABC purposes). However cash reimbursements to the consumer must be taken into account.  

2. If a subscription promotion includes a gift or product that is being claimed for ABC purposes (for example a bundled copy of a publication or access to a paid website) then the price paid must be allocated according to the following, moving down the list until one can be applied:

   1. According to the specific terms of the offer. 

   2. Where specific terms are not clear, by pro-rating the price according to the relative prices of the ABC claimed products.

   3. Where the specific terms are not clear and in the absence of a means of pro-rating the price paid, it should be divided equally between the number of ABC claimed products included in the sale.

Reporting

You will report Voucher Subscription Sales combined with Single Copy Subscription Sales, which will be broken out on the ABC Certificate as follows:

1. By geographical type:

1. United Kingdom

2. Scotland - as a subset of UK

3. England, Wales & N. Ireland – as a subset of UK

4. Republic of Ireland (ROI)

2. By rate band:

1. There is only one rate band.

3. By total average circulation over the period.

Guidance

G3. Copies are supplied to the individual through retailer distribution via the redemption of a voucher

1. Given the possible delay between the redemption of vouchers by individuals and the notification to the publisher it may be appropriate in some circumstances to make an estimate of possible voucher redemptions to reflect a fair and reasonable figure for the number of sales in the reporting period.

2. Information that may be required for audit might include a record of current subscribers, details of schemes and the total number of vouchers received by or on behalf of publisher.