PUBLISHERS' DISCOUNT GROUP CODES
BIC has defined and administers a standard method of communicating publishers' discount group codes as part of an EDI message. A discount group code, which is an attribute of a product, is converted to an actual discount rate by means of a look-up table which is specific to an individual trading agreement. The look-up table is communicated directly between the trading partners by non-EDI means.
The discount group code must have a component which identifies the publisher, or more generally the issuer of the code if a number of publishers are included in a single discount group scheme; and it must have a component which identifies the discount group. To ensure uniqueness, the publisher/issuer component must be assigned by a controlling agency. The discount group component is then at the discretion of the publisher/issuer.
Proposed format
The format for a BIC publishers' discount group code is a fixed-length eight character code in three parts:
| Character position 1 | Block code: a single letter identifying a block of codes managed by a designated controlling agency. In the present case, A = BIC. The inclusion of this initial character allows for the possibility that the code might be taken up more widely, and that (e.g.) a US agency might emerge. |
| Character positions 2 to 5 | Publisher code: a four-letter code, mnemonic as far as possible, assigned by BIC. This format allows 264or some 450,000 unique codes. |
| Character positions 6 to 8 | Discount group code: a three-character code, which may be numeric, alphabetic or alphanumeric, determined and assigned by the publisher/issuer. If a one or two character code is used, it should be left justified and the remaining character position(s) should be space(s). |
| Example: AMACM122 | Macmillan discount group code 122 |
Administration
Publisher/issuer codes are assigned on application to the BIC office. The following information is required for code assignment:
- Name of publisher/issuer
- Name and contact details of responsible person at the publisher/issuer
- Expected scope of application (e.g. "All imprints of XYZ group", "All overseas imprints distributed in UK by ABC".)
BIC maintains on its website a list of publisher/issuer codes as they are assigned. This is held separately from the BIC Tradacoms code lists so that there is no need to treat new publisher/issuer codes as requiring a new BIC code list version number.
Use in EDI messages
There is an existing data element in the Tradacoms Price & Availability Update message (in RPR TERM) which can carry a publishers' discount group code in the correct form. Similar provision is made in the EDIFACT PRICAT message and in ONIX.
