Can Big O Tires discontinue the e-mail accounts provided to franchisees?
Big_O_Tires Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Big O currently provides an e-mail account for each franchisee and each Big O Store. You are required to use only the e-mail accounts provided by Big O (and no other e-mail accounts) in communications with Big O and its representatives. You may also use these e-mail accounts for communications with your customers, managers, employees, and other franchisees in the operation of your Big O Store. However, you may not use the e-mail addresses Big O provides for any mass e-mails or for any purpose not related to the operation of your Big O Store. You are required to check your email accounts throughout the business day and to respond to any e-mail messages promptly. Big O may establish other standards and requirements for the use of any e-mail account it provides, and may restrict or terminate your access to the e-mail accounts in the event of a violation of Big O's terms. Big O reserves the right to discontinue providing these e-mail accounts in the future, in which event you will be required to maintain an e-mail account to be used in the operation of your Big O Store. Big O does not currently charge a fee for the e-mail accounts it provides, although it may charge a fee for this service in the future. Big O will have independent access to the e-mail account and all information on the e-mail system without contractual limitation.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEM AND TRAINING (FDD pages 55–73)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Big O Tires Franchise Disclosure Document, Big O Tires currently provides an email account for each franchisee and store. Franchisees are required to use only the email accounts provided by Big O Tires for communications with the company and its representatives. These email accounts can also be used for communications with customers, managers, employees, and other franchisees. However, franchisees cannot use these email addresses for mass emails or any purpose not related to the operation of their Big O Tires store. Franchisees must check their email accounts throughout the business day and respond to messages promptly.
Big O Tires may establish standards and requirements for the use of these email accounts and may restrict or terminate access if a franchisee violates the terms. Importantly, Big O Tires reserves the right to discontinue providing these email accounts in the future. If this happens, franchisees will be required to maintain their own email account for operating their Big O Tires store.
Currently, Big O Tires does not charge a fee for the email accounts but may do so in the future. Big O Tires will have independent access to the email accounts and all information on the email system without contractual limitation. This means that while Big O Tires provides the email accounts, they retain the right to discontinue the service and have unrestricted access to the email system and its data.