Is a Card My Yard franchisee required to purchase items from approved or designated suppliers?
Card_My_Yard Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ment that a majority of the Card My Yard businesses then operated by us or our Affiliates have made or are utilizing best efforts to make such improvements.
E. Sourcing.
- (1) You agree to comply with all of our standards and specifications for the purchase of all inventory, supplies, materials, fixtures, furnishings, equipment, Computer Systems, and other products used or offered for sale at the Card My Yard business. If we have approved or designated suppliers (which may include us or our Affiliates or third party manufacturers, distributors and other sources) for any such item, you agree to obtain these items from those suppliers. Our approved or designated suppliers are those who demonstrate on a continuing basis the ability to meet our standards and specifications; who have adequate quality controls and the capacity to supply the needs of the Card My Yard business franchise network promptly and reliably over an extended period of time; and who have been approved in writing by us and who have not thereafter been disapproved by us. We may designate ourselves, our Affiliates or a third party as an approved or designated supplier, or as the sole approved or designated supplier of any item. You agree that we and our Affiliates may derive revenue based on your purchases and leases (including, without limitation, from charging you for products and services we or our Affiliates provide to you and from payments made to us or our Affiliates by suppliers that we designate or approve for some or all of our franchisees). We currently require you to purchase yard letters/signs (or related materials and equipment) totaling at least $500 each year from us.
- (2) If you wish to use any item or service that we have not yet evaluated or (for items that we require you to purchase from designated or approved suppliers) if you wish to purchase or lease any such item from a supplier that we have not yet approved, you must submit a written request for approval to us. You cannot purchase or lease any such item unless the supplier has been approved in writing by us. We are not required to approve any
particular supplier. We will have the right to require you to submit information, specifications and samples to us to enable us to determine whether the item complies with our standards and specifications and that the supplier meets our criteria. We also have the right to send our representatives to inspect the supplier's facilities and to have samples from the supplier be delivered to us or to an independent laboratory designated by us for testing. You or the proposed supplier will be required to pay for the cost of the inspection and the test (including our administrative expenses) and reimburse us for any costs or expenses we incur in connection with the evaluation of your proposed supplier. In addition to your reimbursement obligation, we may,in oursole discretion, charge you a fee of $300 for each inspection and each test conducted. We may condition our approval of a supplier on requirements relating to product quality, prices, consistency, reliability, financial capability, labor relations, client relations, frequency of delivery, concentration of purchases, standards of service (including prompt attention to complaints) or other criteria. We reserve the right to reinspect from time to time the facilities and products of any approved supplier and to revoke our approval of the supplier if the supplier fails to continue to meet any of our criteria. If we revoke our approval of any supplier, you
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 84–259)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Card My Yard's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees must adhere to the franchisor's standards and specifications when purchasing inventory, supplies, materials, fixtures, furnishings, equipment, computer systems, and other products used in the business. If Card My Yard has approved or designated suppliers for any of these items, franchisees are required to purchase them from those suppliers. These suppliers are approved based on their ability to meet Card My Yard's standards, quality controls, and capacity to reliably supply the franchise network.
Card My Yard, its affiliates, or third parties may be designated as approved suppliers, and Card My Yard or its affiliates may derive revenue from franchisee purchases and leases. Franchisees are currently required to purchase yard letters/signs (or related materials and equipment) totaling at least $500 each year from Card My Yard.
If a franchisee wishes to use an item or service that Card My Yard has not evaluated or purchase from a non-approved supplier, they must submit a written request for approval. Card My Yard is not obligated to approve any particular supplier and may require the franchisee to submit information, specifications, and samples for evaluation. The franchisee or proposed supplier may be required to cover the costs of inspection and testing, potentially including a $300 fee for each inspection and test conducted by Card My Yard. Card My Yard can also revoke approval of a supplier if they fail to continue meeting the franchisor's criteria, and the franchisee must then discontinue using that supplier. Failure to comply with these sourcing provisions constitutes a material breach of the franchise agreement.