Can the Deer Solution Brand Development Fund be used for maintenance and upgrades to the System Website?
Deer_Solution Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
- (5) Franchisee agrees that the Brand Development Fund may be used to pay various costs and expenses of Franchisor for such reasonable salaries, wages, administrative costs and overhead as Franchisor may incur in activities reasonably related to the administration, activities and/or the brand awareness goals of the Brand Development Fund including expenses incurred by Franchisor for advertising, marketing, product and service testing, product and service development, maintenance, evaluation and monitoring of the Business Management Systems, upgrades to the System Website, development of Digital Media and creative development that is internally administered or prepared by Franchisor and other marketing activities made by Franchisor, provided, however, that salary expenses for Franchisor's personnel paid by the Brand Development Fund shall be commensurate with the amount of that time spent by such personnel on Brand Development Fund matters.
Source: Item 23 — RECEIPTS (FDD pages 55–246)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Deer Solution's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Brand Development Fund can be used for upgrades to the System Website. Specifically, the Brand Development Fund may be used to cover the costs and expenses incurred by Deer Solution for activities related to the brand awareness goals of the fund. These activities include expenses for advertising, marketing, product and service testing and development, maintenance, evaluation and monitoring of the Business Management Systems.
Deer Solution may also use the Brand Development Fund for upgrades to the System Website, development of Digital Media, and creative development that is internally administered or prepared by Deer Solution, as well as other marketing activities. However, salary expenses for Deer Solution's personnel paid by the Brand Development Fund must be commensurate with the amount of time spent on Brand Development Fund matters.
This means that Deer Solution franchisees contribute to a fund that, among other things, can be used to maintain and improve the company's website. This is a common practice in franchising, as a strong online presence benefits all franchisees. However, franchisees should be aware that Deer Solution has discretion over how the fund is spent, and there is no guarantee that expenditures will directly benefit all franchisees equally or proportionally to their contributions.