Information for Newspapers
Classified Avenue Operating Guidelines for Participating Newspapers
All SNA member papers in good standing who want to participate in Classified Avenue as a Selling
Newspaper and/or as a Publishing Newspaper are eligible to do so. Participating
members will be required to sign an initial enrollment and participation form and
to update their records from time-to-time upon our request.
Only Selling Newspapers are eligible to earn a commission from each ad they've sold
into Classified Avenue. Only Publishing Newspapers are eligible for the shared membership dues
discount fund made possible from Classified Avenue revenues. Those who participate in Classified Avenue as
a Selling Newspaper and a Publishing Newspaper are eligible to receive both levels
of financial rewards (commissions and dues discounts from the shared rebate fund).
A range of 35-45 classified ads per week over the calendar year will be forwarded
to Publishing Newspapers each Friday via FAX. These ads MUST run during the week
indicated by the "run date" which appears at the top of the FAX. There is a two-week
window in which the ads may appear.
Selling Newspapers must forward or FAX the ad insertion order and payment information
by 5:00pm Eastern to Classified Avenue Headquarters on the Wednesday immediately
prior to the Thursday of the week before the ad is released to Publishing Newspapers.
Remember that payment from the Selling Newspaper (whether by check or credit card)
must accompany the ad insertion order. The Classified Avenue staff will make every effort to
verify your payment information and screen and approve ad copy during this time
period; however, we cannot guarantee verification and approval within this time.
All ads will be screened by the Classified Avenue Headquarters staff and/or a Screening Committee
and are subject to refusal. The Classified Avenue staff and/or committee will make the final
decision as to whether an ad is acceptable.
Please note that you are not required to publish Classified Avenue ads that may be prohibited
by law in your respective state. Since these laws may vary from state to state,
you are responsible for being cognizant of these laws and making the decision as
to whether to publish a particular Classified Avenue ad.
The following guidelines will be used to accept or reject ads:
- Ads requiring the sending of money through the mail will be rejected unless as part
of the ad they state: "For postage and handling." However, the ad may contain a
price advertising specific merchandise.
- "Work at home" ads, such as stuffing envelopes, may be rejected. Ads inviting information
regarding "self-employment" are subject to screening, but might be accepted.
- Ads of a personal nature, such as those seeking "companionship," as well as those
of a sexual nature, will be rejected. However, ads for "nannies" upon screening
might be accepted.
- 1-800, 1-888, and 1-900 number ads that advertise legitimate products and services
will be accepted.
- All political ads must, as part of the ad, state "Paid Political Advertisement,"
as well as the name of the person or organization authorizing the ad.
- Employment ads must clearly state the position available, and the salary (if stated)
is to be clarified as to weekly, monthly, etc. Likewise, if a fee is required, the
ad must include the word "fee."
- Ads for palm readers, fortune-tellers, astrology, psychics and hypnotists might be
rejected.
- Ads selling information regarding government surplus, government real estate, government
jobs and government vehicles must state exactly that: "Selling information." Due
to individual publication and state policies, this type of ad might not be run by
all Publishing Newspapers or guaranteed the full circulation.
- "Bingo" ads will be rejected.
Results to advertisers are not guaranteed; Classified Avenue's Publishing Newspapers serve only
as the carrier with no implied or written guarantees.
If, for any reason, a Publishing Newspaper does not run the ad(s) provided to them,
they must call the Classified Avenue Headquarters office immediately.
Circulation is estimated to be approximately 14.5 million households. Actual
readership and circulation could be considerably higher at no additional cost.
All ads must run in all the mastheads of each Publishing Newspaper that the Publishing
Newspaper signed-up to participate in Classified Avenue.
Tearsheets and/or a Publisher's Statement and/or an affidavit of some kind that
verify a Publishing Newspaper ran the ads they received within a given week will
be requested by Classified Avenue approx. four times a year (once per quarter). Therefore, Publishing
Newspapers should be prepared to fulfill this request at any time. A reasonable
deadline will be given to you in which to provide this validation.
The recommended advertising rate is $1,330 for a maximum 25-word classified ad and
$35 for each additional word over 25. A mandatory placement fee of $927 must be
paid to Classified Avenue. Any additional revenue generated from any ads longer than 25 words
must be forwarded to Classified Avenue as part of the placement fee. The mandatory words noted
in these guidelines are to be counted as part of the ad. Text that qualifies as
one word: Area code and telephone number; entire business name; first, middle and
last name; entire street address, city, state/province, zip/postal code.
Example of a 25-word ad:
Enjoy the beauty of a mountain Colorado resort property. Two bedroom cabin located
on two acres of secluded land. Only $275,000. Contact Smith Realty, 123 Maple Dr.,
Denver, 800-555-5555.
When placing a Classified Avenue promotional "house ad" in your publication, or publishing the
recommended marketing copy in your newspapers which promotes Classified Avenue advertising opportunities,
please note that these ads are not to be invoiced (billed) to either the advertiser,
Classified Avenue or SNA. These ads are run by participating newspapers on a voluntary basis
only in order to promote Classified Avenue and the opportunities it offers to advertisers.
Each publisher or appropriate delegate of each Publishing Newspaper and/or Selling
Newspaper should notify his/her personnel in all offices of this program and the
policies and rules thereof.
These are only guidelines. Classified Avenue reserves the right to develop additional rules and policies as circumstances dictate.