On-sale Date
An on-sale date is the specific day when a magazine becomes available for purchase by the public at newsstands, bookstores, and other retail locations. This is a crucial timing concept in magazine publishing that affects everything from content planning to advertising schedules. It's different from the cover date (which is usually ahead by a month or two) and the subscriber delivery date (which is usually earlier). Publishing professionals use this date as a key milestone for coordinating various aspects of magazine production, distribution, and marketing.
Examples in Resumes
Managed content calendar and production schedules to meet On-sale Date deadlines for monthly fashion magazine
Coordinated with distributors to ensure accurate On-sale Dates across national retail chains
Developed marketing campaigns aligned with magazine On-sale Date targets
Typical job title: "Magazine Production Coordinators"
Also try searching for:
Where to Find Magazine Production Coordinators
Professional Organizations
Job Boards
Industry Networks
Example Interview Questions
Senior Level Questions
Q: How do you handle conflicts between advertising deadlines and on-sale date requirements?
Expected Answer: A senior professional should explain their experience in balancing advertiser needs with production schedules, including contingency planning and communication strategies with both advertisers and the production team.
Q: Describe how you would optimize a magazine's production schedule to ensure consistent on-sale dates across different regions.
Expected Answer: Should demonstrate knowledge of distribution logistics, printer coordination, and how to manage multiple deadlines while accounting for different regional delivery requirements.
Mid Level Questions
Q: How do you coordinate between editorial, production, and distribution teams to meet on-sale dates?
Expected Answer: Should explain their experience in managing timelines, tracking deliverables, and ensuring clear communication between different departments to meet deadlines.
Q: What factors can affect on-sale dates and how do you plan for them?
Expected Answer: Should discuss various challenges like printing delays, shipping issues, weather problems, and how to build buffers into schedules to accommodate unexpected issues.
Junior Level Questions
Q: What's the difference between an on-sale date and a cover date?
Expected Answer: Should explain that the on-sale date is when the magazine is actually available in stores, while the cover date is typically a month or two later for reader reference.
Q: How do you track and monitor on-sale dates?
Expected Answer: Should describe basic scheduling tools and methods used to track magazine delivery to different outlets and ensure timely distribution.
Experience Level Indicators
Junior (0-2 years)
- Basic understanding of magazine production schedules
- Tracking on-sale dates and deadlines
- Communication with distribution partners
- Simple schedule coordination
Mid (2-5 years)
- Managing complex production calendars
- Coordinating with multiple stakeholders
- Problem-solving distribution issues
- Deadline management across departments
Senior (5+ years)
- Strategic planning of annual publishing schedules
- Multi-title coordination
- Crisis management and contingency planning
- Team leadership and process optimization
Red Flags to Watch For
- No understanding of magazine production timelines
- Lack of experience with distribution networks
- Poor grasp of how advertising relates to on-sale dates
- Unable to explain basic publishing schedule concepts
Related Terms
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