Does the City Publications Franchise Fee include a unique domain for the franchisee's website?
City_Publications Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
SECTION 4. FEES
Franchisee agrees to pay Franchisor the following fees and amounts at the times specified herein:
A. Franchise Fee
Franchisee shall pay a Franchise Fee to Franchisor of ___________________________________ Dollars ($_________). The fee is fully due and payable when you sign this Franchise Agreement. See Exhibit C for any applicable state law affecting the due date of the Franchise Fee. The Franchise Fee shall be deemed fully earned upon payment and is nonrefundable. Said Franchise Fee includes payment for:
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- Access to Franchisor's proprietary materials and process including, but not limited to, an initial supply of sales material;
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- Use of a unique domain for design and creation of a designated website for the Franchised Business, and a link between such website and the CITY PUBLICATIONS website. This domain is also for all email communication related to the franchise;
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- Exclusive rights to distribute Card Packs and other approved products within the Exclusive Territory as described in Section 3.B;
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- The CITY PUBLICATIONS "Quick Start Program," which program consists of information, activities and materials designed to assist Franchisee in commencing operation of the Franchised Business. The Quick Start Program is provided to Franchisee upon execution of this Agreement and Franchisee's payment of the Franchise Fee;
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- An initial training program and training materials to be provided to Franchisee pursuant to Section 10.A;
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- On-site sales training and assistance as further described in Section 10.D;
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Source: Item 23 — RECEIPT (FDD pages 39–129)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to City Publications' 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Franchise Fee includes a unique domain for the design and creation of a designated website for the Franchised Business. This domain also covers all email communication related to the franchise. The Franchise Fee is payable in full when signing the Franchise Agreement and is considered fully earned and nonrefundable upon payment.
This means that as part of the initial Franchise Fee, City Publications provides franchisees with a domain name to establish their online presence. This is beneficial for franchisees as it simplifies the process of setting up a website and ensures that their online identity is aligned with the City Publications brand. The franchisor also establishes a link between the franchisee's website and the main City Publications website.
However, franchisees should note that while the initial fee covers the domain, they are solely responsible for maintaining the website for their Franchised Business. Additionally, City Publications retains the sole right to market on the Internet, including all use of websites, domain names, URLs, and other online marketing strategies. Franchisees must also adhere to City Publications' intranet and internet usage rules, policies, and requirements. Franchisees are restricted from establishing an Internet site using a domain name containing any of the Marks or the words "CITY PUBLICATIONS" without prior written consent from Franchisor.