Are emails received by City Publications on its website considered the exclusive property of the franchisor?
City_Publications Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Franchisor has established and maintains an Internet website at the uniform resource locator ("URL") www.citypublication.com that provides information about the CITY PUBLICATIONS System and the services that Franchisor and its franchisees provide. Franchisor shall establish a website for the Franchised Business and a link between such website and the CITY PUBLICATIONS website. Franchisee is solely responsible for the maintenance of the website for the Franchised Business. Franchisor may (but is not required to) include at the CITY PUBLICATIONS website an interior page containing information about the Franchised Business. If Franchisor includes such information on the CITY PUBLICATIONS website, Franchisor may require Franchisee to prepare all or a portion of the page, at Franchisee's expense, using a template that Franchisor provides. All such information shall be subject to Franchisor's approval prior to posting. Franchisor retains the sole right to market on the Internet, including all use of websites, domain names, URL's, linking, meta-tags, marketing, auction sites, e-commerce and co-branding arrangements. Franchisee may be requested to provide Franchisor content for Franchisor's Internet marketing and shall be required to follow Franchisor's Intranet and Internet usage rules, policies and requirements. Franchisor retains the sole right to use the Marks on the Internet, including on websites, as domain names, directory addresses, search terms, meta-tags, and in connection with linking, marketing, cobranding and other arrangements, as well as social media and any digital marketing platform, Franchisor retains the sole right to approve any linking or other use of the CITY PUBLICATIONS website. Franchisee may not establish a presence
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 39–129)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
Based on the 2025 City Publications Franchise Disclosure Document, the franchisor retains significant control over internet marketing and website content. City Publications retains the sole right to market on the Internet, including all use of websites, domain names, URLs, linking, meta-tags, marketing, auction sites, e-commerce and co-branding arrangements.
The franchisor also retains the sole right to use the City Publications marks on the Internet, including on websites, as domain names, directory addresses, search terms, meta-tags, and in connection with linking, marketing, cobranding and other arrangements, as well as social media and any digital marketing platform. The franchisee may be requested to provide content for the franchisor's Internet marketing and must follow the franchisor's Intranet and Internet usage rules, policies, and requirements.
While the FDD excerpt makes it clear that City Publications maintains control over its main website and online marketing strategies, it does not explicitly state whether emails received through the website are the exclusive property of the franchisor. A prospective franchisee should seek clarification from City Publications regarding the ownership and usage rights of any leads or inquiries generated through the franchisor's website to fully understand data handling and customer relationship management protocols.