Franchise FAQ

what is meant by franchise business

by Ardith Dare Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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A franchise (or franchising) is a method of distributing products or services involving a franchisor, who establishes the brand's trademark or trade name and a business system, and a franchisee, who pays a royalty and often an initial fee for the right to do business under the franchisor's name and system.

Full Answer

What does it mean to franchise a business?

Franchising is a legal and business relationship that can help grow your business. A franchise is created by a legal agreement that involves the license of a trademark, the payment of a fee, and control over the operations of a business.

Should you buy a franchise business?

Others also have their unique reasons on why they buy a franchise business. One of the few good reasons of buying a franchise business is that it lets you avoid all those potential risks experienced by other start ups. This is also a one way of being smart.

What exactly is a business franchise?

What Exactly Is a Franchise? A franchise, in its simplest definition, is a business opportunity that allows the franchisee (possibly you) to start a business by legally using someone else’s (the franchisor’s) expertise, ideas, and processes. This concept is called franchising.

What do you need to franchise a business?

What do you Need to Franchise Your Business? 1. A good business plan that itemizes the key elements of the franchise expansion model and how the franchise program... 2. In order to franchise your business effectively, you should have a good understanding for the marketplace, and the... 3. A solid ...

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How do you invest in a franchise business?

To invest in a franchise, the potential franchisee must first pay an initial franchise fee for the rights to the business, initial training, and the equipment required by that particular franchise . Once it is in service and operating, there is often an ongoing royalty payment, either on a monthly, quarterly, or annual basis paid to the franchisor. This payment is usually calculated as a percentage of the franchise operation’s gross sales.

Why do companies franchise?

When a company wants to grow its market share or geographical reach at a low cost, it may decide to franchise. Franchising the product and brand name is a relationship between the franchisor and franchisee. Franchises are a popular way for those who want to start a business while entering a highly competitive market. One of the advantages of a franchise is getting access to an established company’s product and brand name. Moreover, the risk of business failure is much lower compared to starting a company from scratch. A franchise provides the opportunity to have total independence of a small business while operating from a concept that has proven to be successful. Furthermore, you’ll have the support of a parent company with an established reputation, management, and work practices.

What does a franchisor require of a franchisee?

For example, the franchisor will require the franchisee to use the uniforms, business methods, and signs or logos particular to the franchise. The franchisee should remember that he or she is not just buying the right to sell the franchisor’s product, but is buying the right to use the successful and tested process used in other profitable ...

How does a franchise work?

Franchisees pay a franchise fee and get a format or system developed by the company (franchisor). They also have the right to use the franchisor's name for a specified period of time.

What are some examples of franchises?

So, what is a franchise example? Prominent examples of well-known franchise business models include many food chain restaurants, such as McDonald’s and Subway. Other examples of franchise opportunities are businesses like UPS and H & R Block. In the United States, there are franchise opportunities available across a wide variety of industries.

Is a franchisee an independent owner?

Aside from using the business model determined by the franchisor, the franchisee will otherwise remain an independent owner of the franchise. While there are many advantages of a franchise investing in an already-successful franchise business model, there are drawbacks as well.

Do franchises have to use the same pricing?

The franchisee will also usually have to use the same or similar pricing in order to keep the advertising streamlined. For example, if you saw an advertisement for $75 tax preparation from a well-known tax preparation franchise, you would expect to find this deal at the franchise operation closest to you.

Why is it important to select a franchisor that routinely and effectively enforces system standards?

This is important to you as enforcement of brand standards by the franchisor is meant to protect franchisees from the possible bad acts of other franchisees that share the brand with them. Since customers see franchise systems as a branded chain of operations, great products and services delivered by one franchisee benefits the entire system. The opposite is also true.

What does a franchisor do?

The franchisor provides the franchisee with franchising leadership and support, and exercises some controls to ensure the franchisee’s adherence to brand guidelines. In exchange, the franchisee usually pays the franchisor a one-time initial fee (the franchise fee) and a continuing fee (known as a royalty) for the use of ...

What is franchising relationship?

Franchising Is About Relationships. Many people, when they think of franchising, focus first on the law. While the law is certainly important, it is not the central thing to understand about franchising. At its core, franchising is about the franchisor’s brand value, how the franchisor supports its franchisees, ...

What is business format franchise?

In a business format franchise, the franchisor provides to the franchisee not just its trade name, products and services, but an entire system for operating the business.

Why are franchisors important?

Great franchisors provide systems, tools and support so that their franchisees have the ability to live up to the system’s brand standards and ensure customer satisfaction. And, franchisors and all of the other franchisees expect that you will independently manage the day-to-day operation of your businesses so that you will enhance the reputation of the company in your market area.

What does a franchisee receive from a franchisor?

The franchisee generally receives site selection and development support, operating manuals, training, brand standards, quality control, a marketing strategy and business advisory support from the franchisor. While less identified with franchising, traditional or product distribution franchising is larger in total sales than business format ...

What is a franchisee responsible for?

The franchisee is responsible for the day-to-day management of its independently owned business and benefits or risks loss based on his own performance and capabilities. Investing in a franchise or becoming a franchisor can be a great opportunity.

Who Owns the Business?

A business may have multiple locations without being a franchise. If the locations all have the same owner, then the business does not meet the definition of a franchise. A business franchise is defined by the structure of its ownership.

What is business format franchising?

Business Format Franchising refers to franchises where the franchisor and franchisee have an ongoing relationship in which the franchisor provides services such as site selection, training, marketing plans, and other tools for your business.

What is a franchise contract?

Franchises are built out of contracts between the franchisor and franchisees. As such, there are two places a franchisee can look to determine their rights and responsibilities within the relationship: the language of the contract itself and the relevant jurisdiction's contracts laws.

What is a franchise agreement?

The franchise agreement creates many of the most important rights and obligations between the franchisor and franchisee, including the degree of control the franchisor may exercise over the franchisee, terms of operation, training requirements, trademark and copyright obligations, renewal and termination options, and other important details. The jurisdiction's laws indicate how contracts are interpreted and enforced when the parties have a disagreement.

What are the advantages of franchise?

One of the great advantages of a franchise is that a relatively inexperienced businessperson can purchase a business that has many of the most complicated decisions have already been made by the franchisor. However, the difference in experience and sophistication between the prospective franchisee and franchisor can also make choosing and negotiating a franchise challenging. Consider contacting a local attorney with experience in franchise law to help locate and launch the right business opportunity for you.

What is the term for a business owner who grants a license to another person?

Franchising occurs when the owner of a business grants a license to one or more parties for the purpose of conducting business using the same trademarks, trade names, trade dress, and other identifying aspects of the business. The party granting the license is referred to as the "franchisor," while those purchasing licenses are referred to as the "franchisee."

Who pays the franchisor a fee?

The franchisee pays the franchisor a fee.

What are the different types of franchises?

There are three main types of franchises. • Most franchises fall under the business format type where the franchisor licenses a business format, operating system, and trademark rights to its franchisees. • The second type of franchise is product distribution, which is more of a supplier-dealer setup.

How long do franchise fees stay collected?

In addition, fees are collected regularly for as long as the franchisee owns the franchise. In exchange for these payments, the franchisee will receive continued support such as marketing assistance and ongoing training opportunities.

How did Singer Manufacturing Company help?

The royalties earned from the license rights helped offset manufacturing costs and, because each franchise was self-financed, Singer Manufacturing Company was able to tap into the entrepreneurial attributes and local market knowledge of the franchisees to help Singer become more successful than he could have by himself.

How did franchises help the United States?

Car manufacturers who had been spending enormous amounts of capital tooling their assembly lines found they could develop retail distribution networks using capital provided by independent dealers. Oil companies such as Standard Oil and Texaco also started granting franchises to convenience stores and repair mechanics across the U.S. to efficiently expand their reach.

What is franchising in business?

Franchising is a form of marketing and distribution in which the owner of a business system (the franchisor) grants to an individual or group of individuals (the franchisee) the right to run a business selling a product or providing a service using the franchisor's business system.

What is franchise part of?

Individual franchises are part of a brand’s ecosystem, a network that is a pooling of resources and capabilities.

When purchasing a franchise, is the franchisee required to comply with strict guidelines and rules regarding the operation of the business?

When the purchase of a franchise is made, the franchisee is required to comply with strict guidelines and rules regarding the operation of the business. These guidelines are in place to maintain brand consistency.

A Definition

What is a franchise business definition? A ‘franchise’ is a license granted to an independent entrepreneur, a ‘franchisee’ by an established, successful company – ‘a franchisor’.

The Responsibilities & Obligations of the Two Parties Explained

In exchange for a franchise, a franchisee must pay the franchisor an initial upfront fee, as well as make monthly contributions. These payments usually cover royalties, in addition to marketing and advertising, and operational support.

Advantages Gained by the Franchisor

By franchising their business, a franchisor is able to expand their operation at a far faster pace. This is because their franchisees will establish themselves in new areas and raise the profile of the overall brand. Furthermore, the cost of this expansion won’t solely come out of their own pocket.

Benefits Enjoyed by the Franchisee

Many aspiring entrepreneurs pose the question ‘what is a franchise business and why would it be more beneficial than creating my own independent operation?’ The answer is simple. Starting your own business can be extremely difficult.

Only Certain Businesses Can Be Franchised

You must be aware that not all businesses can be franchised. In order to be successful as a franchisor, a brand must stand out from the crowd, and have proven products and services that are in demand, and will remain in demand for the foreseeable future. Plus, their model should be simple enough that it can be easily taught to new franchisees.

Get Advice

Now the question ‘what is a franchise?’ has been definitively answered, you can decide whether franchising will benefit you. Remember, it doesn’t matter whether you’re an aspiring franchisor or franchisee, Franchise Fame can help you – you’ll receive expert support that’ll enable you to attract new partners, or build your own customer base.

What is a Franchise Business?

Let’s break down what a franchise business is and discuss other common words associated with franchising.

What does a franchise agreement include?

So, how does a franchise agreement work? In addition to laying out what type of franchise license will be issued to the franchisee, a franchise agreement must also include a franchise disclosure document. This document must include 23 key items, as dictated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC also requires that franchisors must provide franchisees with these provisions at least 14 days before the document needs to be signed—or before any initial money is exchanged. The 23 sections of the franchise disclosure document are:

What are the key factors in the franchise relationship?

Both the franchisor and franchisee should maintain regular, honest communication about goals, successes, and pitfalls.

What is Meant by Franchise Organization?

As you get more interested in buying a franchise, and you begin to learn more about it, you’ll also see there are a lot of terms and lingo that may not be straightforward to someone who hasn’t spent any time in or around franchise organizations. The definitions of these words aren’t hard to find, but when you’re trying to establish yourself in the business world through franchise organizations, it’s important to have a firm understanding of the lingo.

What is a franchise agreement?

Franchise Agreement definition: a legal agreement between a franchisor and franchisee which dictates the relationship of the business. A franchise agreement is usually heavily dependent on the business plan of the franchisor, and can range from being very loose to very strict.

What is a job franchise?

Job Franchise - A job franchise is one of the most bare bones versions of a franchise. It provides the franchisee a license to operate under an established brand, but otherwise gives them free reign to operate the business how they see fit. These usually tend to be small businesses with 4-5 employees. Bloomin’ Blinds is a good example of a job franchise, where franchisees sells, installs and repairs blinds for local customers.

What is franchising in business?

Franchisor definition: a person or company that grants a franchise for the sale of goods or a service. Usually, the franchisor operates a successful business brand, and wants to expand into other markets. The most effective and cost-efficient way to do this is through franchising, where entrepreneurs in different markets express interest in running their own location and “franchise” the rights to the brand.

What is a franchisee responsible for?

As a small business owner, a franchisee is responsible for following a franchise agreement (see below), managing daily operations of the store, and handling sales and marketing for their specific location.

What is business format franchise?

Business Format Franchise - This is the type of franchise most people envision when they hear “franchise.” Like many fast food restaurants, a business format franchise provides a turnkey solution to the franchisee. As part of the franchise agreement, it outlines things like uniforms for employees, pricing structure, and even behaviors, but everything outlined is usually based on a successful plan that has been implemented successfully in other markets. Most chain restaurants are good examples of this, but so are most retail chains, like Amazing Athletes, which provides a year-round children’s fitness program.

What is a franchisor?

The franchisor is usually responsible for maintaining the brand’s reputation, providing some kind of good or service to be sold by franchisees, and offering different kinds of advisory support to franchisees, usually in the form of sales training, business plans, and/or marketing assistance.

Does a Franchisee Own a Business?

Yes, a franchisee is considered a business owner, although the type of business they own is a franchise. This can limit the scope and autonomy of what the business owner is allowed to do, per the franchise agreement. For instance, a McDonald's franchisee cannot sell Burger King items and must use the official McDonald's logo and branding.

What is the relationship between a franchisee and a franchisor?

The relationship between a franchisee and franchisor is inherently one of advisee and advisor. The franchisor provides continual guidance and support concerning general business strategies such as hiring and training staff, setting up shop, advertising its products or services, sourcing its supply, and so on.

Why do franchisors pay a startup fee?

To start, the franchisor assigns the franchisee an exclusive location where no other franchises within the same underlying business currently operate in order to prevent competition and help ensure success. In return for the franchisor's advisory role, use of intellectual property, and experience the franchisee generally pays a startup fee plus an ongoing percentage of gross revenues to the franchisor.

Why is McDonald's so successful?

The legendary success of the McDonald's franchise story is partly a result of the company's commitment to maintaining consistent standards in its menu that resonate across its various chains. A Big Mac in Los Angeles should and does have the same quality as one in London. Franchisees manage their own pricing decisions and staffing matters while benefiting from the brand equity and global experience of McDonald’s.

What is a franchisee?

A franchisee is a small business owner who operates a franchise. The franchisee has purchased the right to use an existing business's trademarks, associated brands, and other proprietary knowledge to market and sell the same brand, and uphold the same standards as the first business.

What are some examples of franchises?

Examples of well-known franchise business models include McDonald's (NYSE: MCD), Subway, United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS), and H. & R. Block (NYSE: HRB).

How many McDonald's franchises are there in 2020?

At fiscal year-end 2020, there were 39,198 McDonald's restaurants in 119 countries around the world, 93.17% of which were franchised. So, the company has 36,521 franchisees. 2 The company’s long-term goal is for 95% of McDonald’s restaurants to be owned by franchisees.

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Who Owns The Business?

  • A business may have multiple locations without being a franchise. If the locations all have the same owner, then the business does not meet the definition of a franchise. A business franchise is defined by the structure of its ownership. Franchising occurs when the owner of a business grants a license to one or more parties for the purpose of condu...
See more on findlaw.com

Kinds of Franchising Relationships

  • There are two basic kinds of franchise relationships: 1. Product or Trade Name Franchising refers to franchises where the owner holds the right to a name or trademark, which is then sold or licensed to franchisees; or 2. Business Format Franchisingrefers to franchises where the franchisor and franchisee have an ongoing relationship in which the franchisor provides service…
See more on findlaw.com

Franchise Contracts

  • Franchises are built out of contractsbetween the franchisor and franchisees. As such, there are two places a franchisee can look to determine their rights and responsibilities within the relationship: the language of the contract itself and the relevant jurisdiction's contracts laws. The franchise agreement creates many of the most important rights and obligations between the fra…
See more on findlaw.com

Get Legal Assistance When Considering Franchise Opportunities

  • One of the great advantages of a franchise is that a relatively inexperienced businessperson can purchase a business that has many of the most complicated decisions have already been made by the franchisor. However, the difference in experience and sophistication between the prospective franchisee and franchisor can also make choosing and negotiating a franchise chall…
See more on findlaw.com

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