If a Belocal franchisee is authorized to sell into Bridge Publications, are they entitled to a commission for cross-selling?
Belocal Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Franchisor may, but is not obligated to, allow Franchisee to sell advertisements into N2 publications managed by Franchisor or its affiliates ("Bridge Publications").
Franchisee agrees to comply with Franchisor's then-current policies, procedures, and guidelines related to cross-selling if Franchisee is authorized to sell into Bridge Publications.
If Franchisee is authorized to sell into Bridge Publications, Franchisee shall be entitled to a commission in connection with any cross-selling into Bridge Publications.
Such commission shall be paid in accordance with Franchisor's then-current commission policy, as set forth in the Franchise Brand Standards Manual, and the amount of such commission may be calculated in a different manner than the calculation of Commissions under Section 4.A., in Franchisor's sole discretion.
The amount of the commission shall always be at least the amount of the then-current fees Franchisor or its affiliates receive for selling Corporate Ads into the Publication.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 71)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Belocal's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, if a franchisee is authorized to sell advertisements into N2 publications managed by Belocal or its affiliates, referred to as "Bridge Publications," they are entitled to a commission for any cross-selling into these publications. The commission will be paid according to Belocal's current commission policy, which is detailed in the Franchise Brand Standards Manual.
The FDD specifies that the commission amount for cross-selling into Bridge Publications may be calculated differently than the standard commissions outlined in Section 4.A of the agreement. Belocal retains the discretion to determine the calculation method for these cross-selling commissions. However, the commission must always be at least the amount of the fees Belocal or its affiliates receive for selling Corporate Ads into the Publication.
This arrangement provides an incentive for Belocal franchisees to engage in cross-selling activities, potentially increasing their revenue streams. However, franchisees should carefully review the Franchise Brand Standards Manual to understand the specific commission structure and policies related to cross-selling into Bridge Publications. Franchisees should also be aware that Belocal can change these policies at its discretion.