Can Apricot Lane modify standards and specifications regarding merchandise carried in the Franchised Business?
Apricot_Lane Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ducts at all times.
We may establish and modify in our sole discretion standards and specifications regarding the merchandise that may be carried and the services that may be provided from the Franchised Business, including approved vendors and the type, brand, amount and variety of merchandise to be carried. You must abide by all such standards and specifications. We can in our sole discretion require you to discontinue offering for sale any merchandise or services not specifically approved by COUNTRY VISIONS or the merchandise of any vendor specifically approved by COUNTRY VISIONS. Our standards and specifications and modifications, including approved vendors, may be part of the Confidential Operations Manual or provided in any other format as we determine. A list of required and recommended vendors is currently provided to you as part of the initial merchandise plan. We may also issue standards and specifications for products, materials and supplies used in the Franchised Business, including approved vendors, types and brands of products, materials and supplies. All products, materials and supplies used in the Franchised Business must meet these standards and specifications. We may limit the number of approved suppliers with whom you may deal, designate sources that you must use and/or refuse any of your requests to approve a supplier or merchandise for any reason, including that we have already designated an exclusive source (which might be us or our affiliate) for a particular merchandise, goods or services or if we believe that doing so is in the best interests of the COUNTRY VISIONS system.
You must purchase certain specified products and services from us (or our affiliates), including software, web marketing, the gift card program, store merchandise, visual merchandise, supplies, and certain construction and improvement activities from our approved suppliers. COUNTRY VISIONS does not permit you to contract with suppliers outside of our approved suppliers.
If there are no specifications or standards addressing the particular merchandise, product or materials you wish to offer or use, you must nevertheless ensure that all merchandise, products and materials sold or used in the Franchised Business are of a high quality and consistent with our image.
Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 17–20)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Apricot Lane's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Apricot Lane has the authority to modify standards and specifications regarding the merchandise that franchisees may carry. This includes the ability to set standards for the type, brand, amount, and variety of merchandise. Franchisees must adhere to these standards and specifications. Apricot Lane can also require franchisees to stop selling any merchandise or services not specifically approved by them or to stop carrying merchandise from any vendor not approved by them. These standards and modifications may be found in the Confidential Operations Manual or provided in another format determined by Apricot Lane. A list of required and recommended vendors is provided as part of the initial merchandise plan.
Apricot Lane can also issue standards for products, materials, and supplies used in the franchised business, including approved vendors, types, and brands. All products, materials, and supplies must meet these standards. Apricot Lane may limit the number of approved suppliers, designate sources that franchisees must use, and/or refuse to approve a supplier or merchandise for any reason, including if they have already designated an exclusive source for a particular merchandise, goods, or services or if they believe it is in the best interests of the Apricot Lane system.
If Apricot Lane or anyone they authorize develops private-label or exclusive merchandise, franchisees must carry it and keep a representative selection of the products at all times. Franchisees must also carry the merchandise of vendors that Apricot Lane has determined consistently account for a significant amount of sales by the stores, as these products help shape the total image of the stores. Apricot Lane reserves the right to issue specifications about the amount and variety of such merchandise franchisees are required to carry.