Returns Processing
Magazines not sold during the on-sale preiod must be claimed as returns on the Are Direct Returns Portal prior to the close off date of the publication / issue. You will not be required to physically return the front magazine covers or mastheads to Are Direct unless advised that you are being audited.
We still require full copy returns for Partworks and Collectibles.
Please read below for further instructions.
Key Process Overview
- All unsold Partworks and Collectables must be returned as full copy to claim credit(s).
- Weekly returns of unsold magazines or front covers must be held 48 hours after the return’s claims have been submitted online on the Are Direct Portal in case an audit is requested by Are Direct NZ Ltd.
- You are required to rip front covers of all unsold magazines prior to disposal or audit.
- Random audits will be advised via email by end of business day Tuesday of that week. When audited, front covers need to be sent to Are Direct NZ Ltd with the returns sheet corresponding to the audit to Are Direct NZ Ltd Returns Audits, 122 Kerrs Road, Wiri, Auckland 2104
- If not contacted for audit by end of business day Tuesday, copies are to be securely destroyed as per agreed guidelines (see below).
- Your compliance of this process will reduce the frequency of auditing required. Non-compliance will result in increased frequency of audits until such time compliance is satisfied.
- Are Direct NZ Ltd reserves the right to reverse credit claims due to failure of returns audits. That is, your full or part returns claims can be rejected if the quantity of your mastheads returned is less than what you have claimed for.
- Returns processing close 21 days from the recall date (no change) so please ensure you process returns as promptly as possible.
Exceptions explained:
- Unsold “Partworks and Collectibles”: Partworks and Collectibles are not classified as magazines. You will still be required to send FULL COPY returns of unsold Partworks and Collectibles to receive credits, to Are Direct NZ Ltd Returns Audits, 122 Kerrs Road, Wiri, Auckland 2104
- If you are being audited, you will receive an email from Are Direct NZ Ltd by end of day Tuesday. you are required to rip the covers from the unsold magazines and send to the same address in point 1 above, returns sheet corresponding to the audit.
Disposal of unsold magazines
Secure destruction or recycling of unsold magazines is critical to ensuring publisher confidence and that contractual agreement with the Publishers, Are Direct NZ Ltd and you are not breached. The current process of ripping the front covers renders the magazine un-saleable, and by securely destroying or recycling at store level, this will ensure they do not make their way back into the market.
- Unsold magazines are NOT to be kept or given to others once the returns have been claimed.
- As a credit has been given for the unsold copy claimed, the ownership of this product now reverts to Are Direct NZ Ltd Retail Distribution and its Publishers, therefore passing copies on to others will be, seen as, theft.
Failure to implement effective in-store processes will result in a store being required to complete the audit process with 100% of returns submitted.
IMPORTANT: This process must be done weekly to ensure compliance with auditing.
Process:
- Take all titles to be returned off the shelf
- Process the return as usual
- Rip the front covers off the magazines
- Securely dispose of the ripped magazines
- Hold ripped covers until end of day Tuesday
- If you are not emailed by end of day Tuesday that you will be audited, securely dispose of the ripped covers
- If you are emailed to be audited, follow the instructions as per the audit email from Are Direct NZ Ltd.
If you have any questions about the process, please contact Are Direct NZ Ltd Call Centre at thecallcentre@aredirect.co.nz
Current list of active “Partworks and Collectibles”:
FORMULA 1 CAR COLLECTION 365506
MARVEL GRAPHIC NOVEL 365110
