preferred start

Periodical subscription begun with an issue other than that currently being assigned to new subscribers. An advance start (future issue) may be requested by a subscriber who has already purchased the current issue on the newsstand or who will not be at the subscription address until a later date-for example, a college student receiving her subscription at school who requests a September-issue start. A preferred start might also be a preview issue requested by a subscriber who wants to read a particular issue (see back dating). The publisher may also assign a preferred start to better manage sack-issue inventories or to control the circulation by issue.