What requirements can Mr. Sandless establish as a condition for granting consent to a franchisee's website?
Mr_Sandless Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
In connection with any Website, the Franchise Agreement provides that you may not establish a Website related to the Proprietary Marks or the System, nor may you offer, promote, or sell any products or services, or make any use of the Proprietary Mark, through the Internet without our prior written approval. As a condition to granting any consent, we will have the right to establish any requirement that we deem appropriate, including a requirement that your only presence on the Internet will be through one or more web pages that we establish on our Website.
Source: Item 11 — FRANCHISOR'S ASSISTANCE, ADVERTISING, COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND TRAINING (FDD pages 19–25)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Mr. Sandless Franchise Disclosure Document, Mr. Sandless maintains significant control over a franchisee's internet presence. The document states that franchisees are generally not permitted to have their own website related to the business unless they obtain prior written approval from Mr. Sandless.
Mr. Sandless has the right to set any requirements it deems appropriate as a condition for granting consent for a franchisee's website. This includes requiring that the franchisee's only online presence be through a webpage established by Mr. Sandless on their own website. This gives Mr. Sandless broad authority to dictate how the brand is represented online and to ensure consistency across all franchisee websites.
This policy has important implications for prospective franchisees. It means they cannot independently establish a website to promote their specific franchise without Mr. Sandless's approval and adherence to any conditions Mr. Sandless sets. This could limit a franchisee's ability to customize their online marketing efforts or to differentiate their business from other Mr. Sandless franchises. Franchisees are also prohibited from promoting their business or using Mr. Sandless's trademarks on social media without prior written consent.