Under what conditions can a Fitstop franchisee establish or operate a website concerning the Fitstop system?
Fitstop Franchise · 2024 FDDAnswer from 2024 FDD Document
th the Franchised Business. You may not establish or operate a website, web page, domain name, Internet address, blog, forum or email
address that in any way concerns, discusses or alludes to us, the System or your Franchised Business without our written consent. The Proprietary Marks may not be used as part of, in conjunction with, to establish, or to operate any domain names, Internet addresses, blogs, forums or Networking Media Sites, unless specifically approved by us. You may not post, and must take such steps as necessary to ensure that your employees do not post, any information to a Networking Media Site relating to us, the System, the Proprietary Marks, or the Franchised Business that (a) does not comply with our social networking guidelines described in the Operating Manuals, (b) is derogatory, disparaging, or critical of us, the System, or the Proprietary Marks, (c) is offensive, inflammatory or indecent, or (d) harms the goodwill and/or public image of the System and/or the Proprietary Marks. You may not establish or permit or aid anyone else to establish any links to any website or any other electronic or computer-generated advertising or communication arrangement which we may create. Subject to the terms of the Franchise Agreement and Operations Manual, we may make available to you a sub-page on the Website that will be located at a subdomain of the Website to be specified by us (the "Subpage"). You will be permitted to upload content onto the Subpage solely to promote and provide customers with information related to your Franchised Business.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS, AND TRAINING (FDD pages 24–35)
What This Means (2024 FDD)
According to Fitstop's 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are generally prohibited from establishing or operating any website, web page, domain name, internet address, blog, forum, or email address that discusses or alludes to Fitstop, the Fitstop system, or their franchised business without obtaining written consent from Fitstop. This restriction ensures that all online representations of the brand and system are controlled and approved by the franchisor.
However, Fitstop may provide a franchisee with a sub-page on the main Fitstop website, located at a subdomain specified by Fitstop. Franchisees are allowed to upload content to this sub-page to promote their specific Fitstop location and provide information to customers. All content uploaded to the sub-page must comply with the terms of the Franchise Agreement and any guidelines or specifications issued by Fitstop, referred to as "Subpage Standards".
The content on the sub-page must only reference the franchisee's own Fitstop location and cannot include content referencing other Fitstop franchises. Furthermore, franchisees must receive approval from Fitstop before uploading, publishing, displaying, or using any content on the sub-page. Any changes to the approved content must also be submitted to Fitstop for approval before they are implemented. Fitstop retains the right to cease making the sub-page available to the franchisee or the public at any time. These measures ensure brand consistency and quality control across all online platforms associated with Fitstop.