Media
Print Media
Print Media
2025 Editorial Calendar
September 2025 Issue
Ad Close: August 4, 2025
Material Ad Close: August 11, 2025
Special Report/Focus: 2025 Pre-Show Issue; Five Emerging Markets for C-Stores
Category Management: Cigarettes & Cigars
Foodservice: Perfecting Breakfast Menus; Taking Your Coffee Program to the Next Level
Operations: Assessing the M&A Landscape
Technology: Keeping Pace with POS & Back-Office Evolution
Front End: Quick Bites
Back End: Product Showcase, Industry Perspective
October 2025 Issue
Ad Close: September 9, 2025
Material Ad Close: September 16, 2025
Special Report/Focus: CSD’s 2025 Show Issue; CSD Looks at Trends, Demographics and Key Players across U.S. Regions; Major C-Store Chain Profile
Category Management: Capturing Fall Snack Trends; Fall Tobacco Legislative Overview
Foodservice: Considering Customization; Embracing Grab-n-Go Food; Online: Fall Foodservice LTO Roundup
Operations: Regional Report
Technology: Debating Self-Checkout; Online Tech Column: Biometrics
Front End: Quick Bites
Back End: Product Showcase, Industry Perspective
November 2025 Issue
Ad Close: October 7, 2025
Material Ad Close: October 14, 2025
Special Report/Focus: 2025 Chain of the Year Issue; Announcing the CSD Product Contest Winners!
Category Management: Tracking Beer, Wine and Adult Beverages Trends;
Smokeless & Vape; Candy, Gum and Mints Outlook
Foodservice: Elevating the Basics: Roller grill, pizza & chicken; Chef’s Corner: Equipment Innovation brings efficiency to c-store foodservice
Operations: Hot New Products Contest Winners
Technology: Best Loyalty Program Awards
Front End: Quick Bites; Chain of the Year Pictorial; NATO Tobacco Outlook Update
Back End: Product Showcase, Industry Perspective
December 2025 Issue
Ad Close: November 3, 2025
Material Ad Close: November 10, 2025
Special Report/Focus: Next Generation Leaders: The 2025 40 Under 40
Category Management: What’s Ahead for the Tobacco Category in 2026?
Foodservice: The 2025 Pizza Power Report; Online: Winter Food & Beverage Roundup
Operations: Next Generation Leaders
Technology: 2026 Future Tech Outlook; Online Tech Column: Artificial Intelligence
Front End: Quick Bites
Back End: Product Showcase, Industry Perspective
2026 Editorial Calendar
January 2026 Issue
Ad Close: December 1, 2025
Materials Due: December 8, 2025
Special Report/Focus: Fuel Outlook Report – EV Charging trends and strategies for retailers, plus fuel and alternative fuels outlook
Category Management: Adult Beverages, Beer, Wine, Cocktails & Mocktails
Foodservice: Marketing Your Foodservice Program for Success
Operations: Economic Outlook: Inflation Watch-includes labor, wage challenges; Trends in C-Store Construction
Technology: EV Charging Report
Front End: NATO Tobacco Outlook Update, Quick Bites
Back End: Product Showcase, Industry Perspective – Loss Prevention
**2026 Leadership Issue
February 2026 Issue
Ad Close: January 6, 2026
Materials Due: January 13, 2026
Special Report/Focus: 2026 Foodservice Report
Category Management: Cold Coffee – Iced is Hot for 2026, Trends in Cold & Frozen Dispensed
Foodservice: Foodservice Awards: Best New Foodservice Launches, Managing Food Safety in Today’s Changing Regulatory Environment
Operations: Best New Store Design Awards
Technology: Delving into Delivery Programs: First Party vs. Third Party Considerations
Front End: Quick Bites
Back End: Product Showcase, Industry Perspective
March 2026 Issue
Ad Close: February 3, 2026
Materials Due: February 10, 2026
Special Report/Focus: 2026 Category Management Handbook
Foodservice: Burritos/Hispanic Foods, Bakery, Chicken, Hot Dispensed Beverages, Pizza, Roller Grill, Sandwiches
Candy & Snacks: Chocolate, Non-chocolate, Meat Snacks, Salty Snacks, Sweet Snacks and Nuts/Seeds
Beverages: Beer, Wine, Adult Beverages, Bottled/Flavored Water and Sports Drinks, Carbonated Beverages, Cold/Frozen Beverages,Energy Drinks, Energy Shots, Juices and Teas
Tobacco: Cigarettes, Modified Risk Tobacco, Cigars, Vape, Smokeless Tobacco, Tobacco Accessories
Ice Cream & Dairy
Health & Beauty
Front End: Quick Bites
Back End: Product Showcase, Industry Perspective
April 2026 Issue
Ad Close: March 3, 2026
Materials Due: March 10, 2026
Special Report/Focus: The Human Resources Issue, HR Outlook Report: Driving Recruitment and Retention
Category Management: Spring Tobacco Trends Watch
Foodservice: Effective Training Elevates Foodservice Performance
Operations: HR Awards-Recognizing HR professionals, Managing Labor Costs & Wage Increases
Technology: Optimizing Your Workforce with Technology: Scheduling, Productivity Tracking & Communications
Front End: Quick Bites
Back End: Product Showcase, Industry Perspective
May 2026 Issue
Ad Close: April 7, 2026
Materials Due: April 10, 2026
Special Report/Focus: The Tech Issue, Techology Outlook Report – tracking tech trends in the c-store industry
Category Management: SNACKS: GLP-1 and its influence on Snacking Trends, CANDY: Gum, Mints & Chocolate
Foodservice: How AI is Changing Foodservice
Operations: Tech Innovation Awards
Technology: C-Store Tech Stack, What’s Essential in 2026 and Beyond?
Front End: NATO Tobacco Outlook Update, Quick Bites
Back End: Product Showcase, Industry Perspective
June 2026 Issue
Ad Close: May 5, 2026
Materials Due: May 12, 2026
Special Report/Focus: The 2026 Tobacco Report
Category Management: Cigarettes, Cigars & Accessories, Vape & Smokeless, Tobacco-free & Nicotine Free
Foodservice: Managing Foodservice Costs
Operations: The Latest Trends in Loss Prevention, Upping Your Merchandising Game
Technology: Opportunities With Retail Media
Front End: NATO Tobacco Outlook Update, Quick Bites
Back End: Product Showcase, Industry Perspective
July 2026 Issue
Ad Close: June 2, 2026
Materials Due: June 9, 2026
Special Report/Focus: Next-Generation & Transition Leadership Profile
Category Management: Boosting Summer Sales of Packaged, Cold & Frozen Dispensed Beverages; Snack Attack: Salty, Sweet, Meat and Healthy Snacks for Summer
Foodservice: Upgrading the Classics: Roller Grill, Pizza & Chicken
Operations: Community Engagement/ Philanthropy Awards — Honors two chains giving back to their community, Transitioning Leadership
Technology: Getting Started With AI
Front End: Quick Bites
Back End: Product Showcase, Industry Perspective
August 2026 Issue
Ad Close: July 7, 2026
Materials Due: July 14, 2026
Special Report/Focus: 5 Up-and-Coming Chains Under 70 Units to Watch
Category Management: Emerging Trends in Tobacco
Foodservice: Creative Ingredient Strategies for Menu Efficiency
Operations: Trends in Inventory Management; Competing with Car Washes
Technology: Modernizing POS & Back-Office Systems
Front End: Quick Bites
Back End: Product Showcase, Industry Perspective
September 2026 Issue
Ad Close: August 4, 2026
Materials Due: August 11, 2026
Special Report/Focus: 2026 Pre-Show Issue; Competing Locally Against Top Chains; Regional C-Store Chain Profile
Category Management: Tracking Beer, Wine, and Adult Beverages Trends
Foodservice: Breakfast Breakthrough: How C-Stores Are Winning the Morning Meal
Operations: Getting Started with Vertical Integration; Understanding Gen Z & Gen Alpha
Technology: The Case for Self-Checkout
Front End: Quick Bites
Back End: Product Showcase, Industry Perspective
October 2026 Issue
Ad Close: September 1, 2026
Materials Due: September 8, 2026
Special Report/Focus: CSD’s 2026 Show Issue; 5 Established & Growing Chains Over 70 Units to Watch; Regional C-Store Chain Profile
Category Management: Candy, Gum and Mints Outlook; Smokeless & Vape
Foodservice: Dinner to Go: Capturing the Evening Occasion; Dashboard Dining: Trends in Grab-n-Go
Operations: Future Proofing Your C-Store
Technology: Getting Started with Food Ordering: At the Pump, In-Store Pickup, Delivery
Front End: Quick Bites
Back End: Product Showcase, Industry Perspective
November 2026 Issue
Ad Close: October 6, 2026
Materials Due: October 13, 2026
Special Report/Focus: 2026 Chain of the Year Issue; Announcing the CSD Product Contest Winners!
Category Management: Capturing Fall Snack Trends; Cigarettes & Cigars
Foodservice: What’s for Lunch? How C-Stores Are Redefining the Midday Meal;
Hot or Cold: Brewing Coffee Success in C-Stores
Operations: Hot New Products Contest Winners
Technology: Best Loyalty Program Awards
Front End: Quick Bites; Chain of the Year Pictorial; NATO Tobacco Outlook Update
Back End: Product Showcase, Industry Perspective
December 2026 Issue
Ad Close: November 3, 2026
Materials Due: November 10, 2026
Special Report/Focus: Next Generation Leaders: The 2026 40 Under 40
Category Management: What’s Ahead for the Tobacco Category in 2027?
Foodservice: The 2026 Pizza Power Report
Operations: Next Generation Leaders
Technology: 2027 Future Tech Outlook
Front End: Quick Bites
Back End: Product Showcase, Industry Perspective
Sponsored Editorial Reports
CStore Decisions’ primary content mission is to provide unique, high-value reports for the convenience store industry.
You have the opportunity to combine your message with one of these report downloads, including:
- Fuel Outlook Report
- 2026 Foodservice Report
- Category Management Handbook
- HR Outlook Report
- Technology Outlook Report
- 2026 Tobacco Outlook
- Future Proofing Your C-Store
Contact your sales representative for pricing and details
Sponsors enjoy lead generation of all download contact information; branding on the cover of the report, download page, and marketing emails; and 8 pages of your own branded content.
SEGMENT MARKETING
SEGMENT MARKETING: Be Part of the Story
Segment marketing sections are aligned with events and magazine features and offer the perfect audience and the perfect medium for your marketing message. When you purchase a full-page display ad, you will receive at no additional charge an adjoining editorial profile about your company and the opportunities it offers.
2026 Segment Marketing Issues include:
February: Foodservice
May: Convenience Equipment & Technology
June: The Tobacco Report
Product Features
- 500-word branded content piece (left side of spread)
- Distributed in print in CStore Decisions magazine with facing display page
- Published on cstoredecisions.com with banner takeover
- Promoted in CSD Daily
- Available as PDF download
- Strong lead generation
Print Rates and Specs
Please submit ads via the WTWH Ad Portal at ads.wtwhmedia.com.
LIVE (SAFETY) AND BLEED
Keep all live items (not intended to trim) 1/2” inside trim edges. If an ad is designed to bleed to the edge, an 1/8” bleed is required outside of trim. Please make sure to output the pdf accordingly to include the bleed, as this is generally not the default setting. Two-page spreads must be created as two separate full page PDFs
MEDIA
- File format: Ads must be PDF/X-1a files
- Fonts: Embed all fonts. All fonts sized 12 points or smaller should be 100% black—NOT built as 4-c black
- Color space: CMYK — No RGB, LAB or embedded color profiles (such as ICC profiles). No files with PMS colors will be accepted without prior notification. Otherwise, all PMS colors MUST be converted to CMYK
- Resolution: 300 dpi
- Maximum file size: 100 MB
Artwork submitted is assumed that color, images, and copy are proofed and correct from client. Any necessary artwork or copy preparation may be billed to advertiser.
PROOF
Client also has the option to submit a SWOP 3 certified proof via mail, as well. By choosing not to supply a SWOP 3 certified proof, the color reproduction of the ad will be based on industry standard best practices to achieve as accurate color as possible from the supplied digital file. If sending a SWOP certified proof, please contact your Customer Service Representative for details.
QUESTIONS
For ad production questions, please contact:
- Annie Paoletta, Customer Service Representative
- (216) 952-0650
- [email protected]
- Printing Process: Offset, computer-to-plate (CTP)
- Binding Method: Perfect bound
PRINT RATES:
- Full page…………..$7,300
- 2/3 page …………..$5,935
- 1/2 page…………….$4,742
- 1/3 page …………….$3,581
- 1/4 page ……………$1,800
- Full & 1/3 Page……$11,594
- 1/2 Page Spread….$8,928
- 2 Page Spread……$11,900
- 1/6 Page……………….$1,590
- 1/12 Page……………….$795
