AN ALTERNATIVE TO AUDITING

Singapore's Chic magazine, published by Immedius Press, has adopted an innovative method to guarantee value for money for its advertisers.

Its Cost-Per-Reader (CPR) method of calculating advertising costs ensures that, according to the publisher, advertisers are only charged for paying readers.

A third-party report from Singapore Press Holdings that details the exact number of copies sold is included with every advertising invoice. Unsold copies, browsing or damaged copies, marketing copies or copies passed from one reader to another are not counted - only copies that are paid for.

The advertising costs are, presumably, based on accurate sales estimates and the publisher will issue a credit note if the number of sold copies does not reach the billed number. 

I think any publisher with decent single copy sales would be willing to try something like this, although obtaining accurate and comprehensive sales data in Thailand would be difficult and very slow.

The one drawback which Chic is the credit note can only be used for further advertising in the same magazine. If the advertiser was entitled to a cash refund then I personally feel it would add even more credibility to what the publisher is trying to achieve in terms of transparency.