Can Belocal establish maximum, minimum, or other pricing requirements for publishing and advertising rates?
Belocal Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We and/or our affiliate reserve the right, to the fullest extent allowed by applicable law, to establish maximum, minimum, or other pricing requirements with respect to the publishing and advertising rates you communicate to potential advertisers. Currently, except for the digital Extended Reach advertising services which we require you to price within a range, you are free to set the prices for the advertisements you sell.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 37–42)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Belocal's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Belocal retains the right to establish pricing requirements for publishing and advertising rates. Specifically, Belocal and its affiliates can, to the fullest extent allowed by law, set maximum, minimum, or other pricing requirements for the advertising rates franchisees communicate to potential advertisers.
Currently, the FDD states that Belocal requires franchisees to price digital Extended Reach advertising services within a specified range. However, franchisees are otherwise free to set their own prices for the advertisements they sell.
This policy gives Belocal some control over pricing, especially for digital advertising services, while allowing franchisees flexibility in setting prices for other advertisements. Prospective franchisees should clarify with Belocal what specific pricing requirements are in place and how much autonomy they will have in setting advertising rates in their territory.