Epicor
t Card $19.11 fee for display and $0.35 10 days after billing See Exhibit I for the Ace Program per blank (inactivated) card Retailer Acceptance Agreement. stock. For stores using Epicor POS systems,
From the filings
+1.986% units YoYHQ-led decisions
Ace Hardware
Retail non foodSoftware purchasing at Ace Hardware is driven by a corporate mandate for core operational systems, with the Chairman of the Board, Steven Burggraf, and a board-level leadership team overseeing strategic direction. The franchise operates 5,250 total units (4,982 franchised, 268 company-owned), all running on a mandated tech stack that includes ACENET, the Ace Retailer Mobile App, Product Sync, and a Retail Analytics Dashboard. For software vendors, this represents a large, concentrated addressable market with a clear, top-down technology adoption model.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Total units
5,250
4,982 franchised
Unit growth YoY
+1.986%
vs prior filing
AUV
—
Item 19, 2026
Royalty
—
of gross sales
Ad fund
—
national + local
Initial fee
$5K
per unit
Investment range
$612K–$2.02M
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
Approved supplier
from the filing
Non-compete
1 years
from the filing
Item 19
Claims
from the filing
Mandated & recommended tech
The systems vendors compete with
Systems named in Item 11 of this filing. None is recorded as mandated here, which is not the same as the filing mandating nothing. Read Item 11 before treating the category as open.
PAR
anded). Another is the Ace Brand Agreement. The third one is the Subscription for Capital Stock Agreement, under which you subscribe for shares of our capital stock having a total par value of $5,000.
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
7 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 5 explicit no's; 22 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
We are the only source for Ace private label merchandise.
Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?
YesItem 20
There is a Dealer Advisory Council, known as Progressive Ace Leaders, whose address is Ace Hardware Corporation, 2915 Jorie Boulevard, Oak Brook, Illinois 60523, Attention: Director Consumer Marketing.
How much revenue did the franchisor and its affiliates earn from franchisee purchases in the last fiscal year?
8200000000Item 8
In fiscal year 2025, Ace’s revenues from the sale of merchandise and services to our members were $8.2 billion, or 82% of our consolidated revenues of $10.0 billion.
Franchise management
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesFranchise agreement
To keep accurate books of account and records covering all transactions made from the member location while this Agreement is in effect, and to permit the Company and its duly authorized representatives as of the effective date of this Agreement and for a period of two years after its termination, however caused, to…
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesItem 16
Under your Membership Agreement (Nonbranded) and Ace Brand Agreement, we reserve the right to change our General Member Standards/ Ace Brand Standards/ Member Operational Requirements (part of Exhibit A and Exhibit B) upon notice to you.
Operations
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
If you are opening a new store that is not a branch store or a conversion, and you do not also own an existing separate business that uses a point-of-sale computer system, we require that you purchase or lease or finance your point-of-sale computer system from our designated vendors.
Payments
Must the franchisee participate in a gift card program?
YesItem 8
Participation in the Ace Rewards (provided your technology allows) and Ace Gift Card programs require you to comply with certain program terms which we may designate from time to time.
The filing answers no to 5 questions
- Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?Item 8
- Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?Item 16
- Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?Item 7
- Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?Item 11
- Must the franchisee buy products from a designated distributor?Item 8
The vendor opportunity at Ace Hardware
Ace Hardware presents a substantial, centralized opportunity for software vendors. With 5,250 total units—4,982 franchised and 268 company-owned—the network is large and growing at roughly 1.99% year-over-year. The franchise is headquartered in Illinois and operates in the retail non-food sector. For a software company, the key takeaway is concentration: technology mandates flow from the top, and adoption is system-wide. There is no parent company on file; Ace Hardware appears independently owned, which can simplify enterprise sales cycles compared to conglomerate-held brands.
Who controls software purchasing
Software purchasing authority sits at the board level. The 2026 FDD lists Steven Burggraf as Chairman of the Board of Directors, supported by Directors David Cripe, Mark Driscoll, David Majure, and Megan Hamilton. This group represents the buying center for any vendor seeking to introduce a new platform or replace an incumbent system. Unlike franchise systems where multi-unit operators hold significant sway, Ace Hardware’s operator footprint shows only three mapped operators, all single-unit, spread across Hawaii, Indiana, and Maryland. This reinforces a top-down, HQ-driven decision model with minimal multi-unit operator influence.
Mandated and current tech stack
Ace Hardware mandates four core technology systems across its entire network. ACENET serves as the backbone operational platform. The Ace Retailer Mobile App is required for store-level mobile functionality. Product Sync handles data consistency, and a Retail Analytics Dashboard provides performance visibility. These are not optional or recommended—they are mandated. For vendors, this means any new software must either integrate with this existing stack or demonstrate a compelling case for replacement. The absence of disclosed optional systems suggests a tightly controlled IT environment.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
The 2026 FDD does not include an Item 8 procurement extract, leaving the formal procurement model—whether designated supplier, approved supplier, or open—unclear. Similarly, Item 17 renewal signals are absent, so contract windows and renewal cycles are not publicly documented. Vendors should approach Ace Hardware with the understanding that procurement processes may be ad hoc or closely held. Direct engagement with the board-level executives named above is the most reliable path to uncovering timing and requirements.
How to read the Ace Hardware FDD
The 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document is the definitive source for understanding Ace Hardware’s operational and legal structure. It contains the executive roster, unit counts, mandated technology, and ownership details cited throughout this page. Reviewing the full FDD is essential for any vendor preparing a pitch—it provides the factual foundation for aligning your software with Ace Hardware’s existing infrastructure and decision-making hierarchy. Use the embedded viewer below to explore the document directly. For a ranked target list of franchise systems matched to your software category, FranCloud can help you prioritize your outreach.
Questions vendors ask
Ace Hardware, answered from the filing
Strategic technology decisions are governed at the board level. The FDD lists Steven Burggraf as Chairman, alongside Directors David Cripe, Mark Driscoll, David Majure, and Megan Hamilton. Vendors should target this executive group for enterprise-wide software adoption.
The FDD mandates four systems: ACENET (core operational platform), Ace Retailer Mobile App, Product Sync, and a Retail Analytics Dashboard. No optional or recommended-only systems are disclosed.
Ace Hardware has 5,250 total units, comprising 4,982 franchised locations and 268 company-owned stores. Year-over-year unit growth is approximately 1.99%.
The most recent FDD does not disclose a specific procurement model (Item 8 extract is absent). Vendors should inquire directly about designated versus approved supplier programs during initial outreach.
Contract renewal signals are not disclosed in the 2026 FDD (Item 17 extract absent). With no initial term or renewal data on file, vendors should monitor board activity and annual planning cycles for potential openings.
The 2026 FDD is filed with state franchise regulators. You can review the full document using the embedded PDF viewer below on this page.
Source
Read the filing itself
Every number on this page traces back to this document. Read it in full, page by page. Buy the original PDF to download, search, and annotate it.
View only A one-time purchase: the original filing, yours to keep.
FDD alert
Tell me when this brand refiles.
We’ll email you the moment Ace Hardware files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
Who runs the locations
4,717 operators run 4,717 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Single-unit4,717
Top states by locations
| CA | 370 |
|---|---|
| FL | 313 |
| TX | 276 |
| NY | 189 |
| IL | 186 |
Related Retail non food brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.