If the Franchisor owns outlets in an area subject to a Branding Cooperative, how do they participate in the 1-800-GOT-JUNK? cooperative?

According to 1-800-GOT-JUNK?'s 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, if the franchisor owns outlets in an area subject to a branding cooperative, they will participate in the cooperative in the same manner as franchised outlets. This means that any franchisor-owned outlets will pay into the branding cooperative and have voting rights, just like the franchised locations.

This arrangement ensures that the franchisor's corporate-owned stores are aligned with the interests of the franchisees in the branding cooperative. By paying into the cooperative, the franchisor contributes financially to the local marketing efforts. By having voting rights, the franchisor gets a say in how the cooperative is run and how its funds are spent. This can help ensure that the cooperative's activities benefit all members, including both franchised and company-owned outlets.

It's worth noting that the branding cooperative fee can be up to 5% of gross revenue in aggregate, and it's only imposed if 1-800-GOT-JUNK? authorizes franchisees in a particular area to establish a branding cooperative and if 65% of the involved franchisees (calculated on a gross revenue basis) consent to paying the fees. Franchisees will not be required to contribute more than 5% of their Gross Revenue in the aggregate for all branding cooperatives to which they belong.