Who owns and controls the domain names and URLs related to the Caring Transitions franchise?
Caring_Transitions Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
damages arising out of or related to the use or performance of any Web site.
(f) In order to maintain the goodwill in the System and in the business of Franchisor and Franchisor's licensees, Franchisor has the right to impose conditions and standards requirements on Franchisee's use of electronic distribution channels, including any Caring Transitions Web site maintained by Franchisee, including the following:
(i) Franchisor is to own all rights to all domain names containing any of the Marks or relating to the franchised business, any Permitted Products and Services, or any business that offers or sells products or services that compete with any products or services offered by Caring Transitions franchises. Franchisee shall not register in its own name any domain name containing any of the Marks or relating to the franchised business, any Permitted Products and Services, or any business that offers or sells products or services that compete with any products or services offered by Caring Transitions franchises.
(ii) In order to maintain the common identity of the System and the high-quality standards associated with the System, Franchisee shall obtain Franchisor's prior written approval for any domain name and for the form and content of any Caring Transitions Web site before Franchisee uses it on the Internet. Unless Franchisor's prior written approval has been obtained, no element of the Marks or similar words may be used as part of the domain name or URL.
(iii) Any Caring Transitions Web site established or maintained by Franchisee must contain a hyperlink to Franchisor's Web site and all other hyperlinks to third-party Web sites must be previously approved in writing by Franchisor.
(iv) Any modifications to a Caring Transitions Web site established or maintained by Franchisee must first be approved in writing by Franchisor.
Source: Item 20 — OUTLETS AND FRANCHISEE INFORMATION (FDD pages 41–49)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Caring Transitions's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisor, C.T. Franchising Systems, Inc., owns all rights to domain names containing the Caring Transitions marks or relating to the franchised business. This includes domain names related to permitted products and services, or any business that competes with Caring Transitions franchises.
As a franchisee, you are explicitly prohibited from registering any domain name that contains Caring Transitions's marks or relates to the franchised business. To maintain brand consistency, franchisees must obtain prior written approval from Caring Transitions for any domain name and the content of any Caring Transitions website before it is used. This approval process ensures that the domain name and URL do not include any unauthorized elements of the Caring Transitions marks.
Any Caring Transitions website established by a franchisee must include a hyperlink to the franchisor's website. Furthermore, all other hyperlinks to third-party websites must receive prior written approval from Caring Transitions. This control extends to redirecting internet traffic; franchisees cannot redirect traffic from another domain name or URL to any website containing Caring Transitions marks or content without the franchisor's consent. These stipulations ensure that Caring Transitions maintains control over its brand's online presence and protects its trademarks.