What is the condition for Christies International Real Estate granting a franchisee the right to establish a website?
Christies_International_Real_Estate Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
to CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE businesses regardless of where such businesses are located, including within the Protected Territory;
- (e) to promote, sell, and distribute products, items, and other materials under the Marks or other trademarks through dissimilar channels of distribution (i.e., other than the operation of a CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE office within the Protected Territory), including by electronic means such as the Internet, applications, by websites we may establish, catalog sales, telemarketing, or other direct marketing sales;
- (f) To advertise the System anywhere, including, without limitation, on the Internet (or any other existing or future form of electronic commerce) and to create, operate, maintain, and modify, or discontinue the use of a website or any online presence using the Marks; and
- (g) to engage in all other activities associated with the CHRISTIES INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE Marks not expressly prohibited under the License Agreement.
As indicated above, if the License Agreement does not designate a Protected Territory, then you have no territorial protection, we reserve all rights, and we and other Affiliates may operate real estate brokerages or other businesses under the CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE mark anywhere.
Minimum Performance Requirement
Your rights under the License Agreement are dependent on you achieving the minimum performance requirements identified on Exhibit 1 to the License Agreement (referred to as the "Minimum Performance Requirement"). If you fail to satisfy the Minimum Performance Requirement during the term of the License Agreement, we have the right, but are not required, to terminate the License Agreement, or, in lieu of termination, modify or rescind any such territorial or protected rights.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 54–177)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Christies International Real Estate's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, Christies International Real Estate reserves the right to create, operate, maintain, modify, or discontinue the use of a website or any online presence using the Christies International Real Estate Marks. The franchisee does not have the right to exclude, control, or impose conditions on the development of websites by Christies International Real Estate.
Christies International Real Estate maintains the right to promote, sell, and distribute products, items, and other materials under the Marks or other trademarks through electronic means such as the Internet, applications, by websites they establish. This includes catalog sales, telemarketing, or other direct marketing sales.
Christies International Real Estate also reserves all rights to engage in activities associated with CHRISTIES INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE Marks, and all rights to engage in any business, licensing, franchising, or other activities associated with other brands, marks, and real estate brokerage systems, anywhere in the world, not specifically granted to the franchisee under the Franchise Agreement or expressly prohibited under the Franchise Agreement.
In essence, Christies International Real Estate retains broad control over online activities and website presence, and the franchisee's rights are subject to these overarching rights retained by the franchisor.