Is Bumble Roofing exclusively reserving the Internet as a channel of distribution?
Bumble_Roofing Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ritory, regardless of the proximity to your Roofing Business.
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- We reserve the right to use the Marks and the System to sell any products or services, similar to those, which you will sell, through any alternate channels of distribution within or outside of the Territory. This includes retail locations and other channels of distribution such as television, mail order, catalog sales, wholesale to unrelated retail outlets, or over the Internet. We exclusively reserve the Internet as a channel of distribution for us, and you may not independently market on the Internet or conduct e-commerce. If we use the Marks to sell the Products and Services that you must sell to a customer in your Territory over the Internet, we or our supplier and manufacturers may, in our sole discretion, provide you with a credit in an amount solely determined by us.
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- We reserve the right to use and license the use of other proprietary and non-proprietary marks or methods which are not the same as or confusingly similar to the Marks, whether in alternative channels of distribution or in the operation of a Roofing Business, at any location, including within the Territory, which may be the same as, similar to or different from the Roofing Business operated by you.
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Source: Item 12 — TERRITORY (FDD pages 37–39)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Bumble Roofing's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Bumble Roofing exclusively reserves the Internet as a distribution channel. The franchise agreement specifies that franchisees may not independently market on the Internet or conduct e-commerce. However, if Bumble Roofing uses its marks to sell products and services within a franchisee's territory over the Internet, Bumble Roofing, its suppliers, or manufacturers may, at their discretion, provide the franchisee with a credit, the amount of which is determined solely by Bumble Roofing.
This reservation of internet channels has significant implications for prospective Bumble Roofing franchisees. While franchisees are granted a territory, they are restricted from actively pursuing online sales or marketing efforts. This means franchisees must rely on Bumble Roofing's corporate online presence to generate leads and sales through the internet. The potential credit offered by Bumble Roofing for online sales within a franchisee's territory provides a limited form of compensation, but the amount is not guaranteed and is determined at Bumble Roofing's sole discretion.
Furthermore, the FDD states that customers from a franchisee's territory may purchase services and products from Bumble Roofing and its affiliates over the Internet without any compensation to the franchisee. This aspect of the agreement could create tension, as franchisees might perceive that Bumble Roofing is directly competing with them within their own territories. Franchisees are also prohibited from advertising or marketing their Bumble Roofing business outside of their territory unless approved by Bumble Roofing, and violating this restriction could lead to termination of the franchise agreement.
In summary, while Bumble Roofing franchisees are granted a territory, their ability to leverage the Internet for business development is severely limited. Prospective franchisees should carefully consider these restrictions and seek clarification from Bumble Roofing regarding the specifics of its internet marketing strategy, the criteria for receiving credit for online sales, and the potential for competition from Bumble Roofing's corporate online efforts within their territory.