Can City Publications require a franchisee to prepare all or a portion of a webpage at the franchisee's expense?
City_Publications Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
-
- We have established and maintain an Internet website at www.citypublication.com that provides information about the CITY PUBLICATIONS System and the services that you and we provide. We will establish a website for your Franchised Business with a link to our website. You are responsible for maintaining the website created for your Franchised Business. We may (but are not required to) include an interior page at our website about your Franchised Business. If we include information about your Franchised Business on our website, we may require you to prepare all or a portion of the page at your expense using our template. We review and approve all information you prepare prior to posting it. We retain 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. You may be required to provide content for our Internet marketing. You must follow our intranet and Internet usage rules, policies and requirements. We retain 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, digital marketing, social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and any co-branding and other arrangements. We retain the sole right to approve any linking or other use of our website. You may not establish a presence on, or market using, the Internet for the Franchised Business unless you first obtain our consent. If we approve your independent website, we may require that your site may only be accessed through our home page. (Section 11.D)
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 19–24)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to City Publications's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, City Publications will establish a website for the franchisee's franchised business with a link to City Publications's website. The franchisee is responsible for maintaining the website created for their franchised business. City Publications may include an interior page on their website about the franchisee's franchised business. If City Publications includes information about the franchisee's franchised business on their website, they may require the franchisee to prepare all or a portion of the page at the franchisee's expense using City Publications's template. City Publications reviews and approves all information the franchisee prepares before posting it.
City Publications 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. The franchisee may be required to provide content for City Publications's Internet marketing and must follow City Publications's intranet and Internet usage rules, policies and requirements. City Publications 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, digital marketing, social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and any co-branding and other arrangements.
City Publications retains the sole right to approve any linking or other use of their website. The franchisee may not establish a presence on, or market using, the Internet for the Franchised Business unless they first obtain City Publications's consent. If City Publications approves the franchisee's independent website, they may require that the site may only be accessed through City Publications's home page.