Does the Electronic Signature Agreement for Beverly Anns Cookie require third-party verification for electronic signatures?
Beverly_Anns_Cookie Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You agree your electronic signature is the legal equivalent of your manual signature on this Agreement.
By selecting "I Accept" you consent to be legally bound by this Agreement's terms and conditions.
You further agree that your use of a key pad, mouse or other device to select an item, button, icon or similar act/action, or to otherwise provide, or in accessing or making any transaction regarding any agreement, acknowledgement, consent terms, disclosures or conditions constitutes your signature (hereafter referred to as "E-Signature"), acceptance and agreement as if actually signed by you in writing.
You also agree that no certification authority or other third party verification is necessary to validate your E-Signature and that the lack of such certification or third party verification will not in any way affect the enforceability of your E-Signature or any resulting contract between you and Eagle Financial Services, Inc.
Source: Item 22 — CONTRACTS (FDD page 57)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Beverly Anns Cookie Franchise Disclosure Document, the Electronic Signature Agreement does not require third-party verification for electronic signatures. The document states that by selecting "I Accept", the franchisee agrees that their electronic signature is the legal equivalent of their manual signature.
The agreement specifies that using a keypad, mouse, or similar device to indicate acceptance constitutes a valid E-Signature. This E-Signature carries the same legal weight as a handwritten signature, binding the franchisee to the agreement's terms and conditions.
Importantly, the Electronic Signature Agreement explicitly states that no certification authority or other third-party verification is necessary to validate the E-Signature. The absence of such third-party verification does not affect the enforceability of the E-Signature or any resulting contract between the franchisee and Eagle Financial Services, Inc. This means that the franchisee's electronic signature is considered valid and legally binding without needing additional authentication from an external source.