Facebook
for the System, in the manner directed by us in the Operations Manual or otherwise, with regard to our authorization to use, and use of, blogs, common social networks (including “Facebook” and “Myspac
From the filings
+400% units YoYHQ-led decisions
American Freight
Retail non foodSoftware purchasing at American Freight is controlled at the corporate level, with a 255-unit company-owned footprint driving centralized decision-making. The 2023 FDD mandates a specific Software Package for franchisees, signaling a top-down tech strategy. For vendors, the addressable market is 260 total locations, though only 5 are franchised, making the HQ the primary buyer.
For software vendors selling into US franchise brands.
Live signals
Total units
260
5 franchised
Unit growth YoY
+400%
vs prior filing
AUV
$1.93M
Item 19, 2023
Royalty
5%
of gross sales
Ad fund
5%
national + local
Initial fee
$50K
per unit
Investment range
$497K–$943K
all-in, Item 7
Procurement
—
from the filing
Item 19
Claims
from the filing
Ongoing fee load
What the operator pays every month
The recurring percentage of gross sales named in this filing, before rent, labour or any technology fee.
10%of gross sales (FY2023)
15% reference
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.
LinkedIn
ons Manual or otherwise, with regard to our authorization to use, and use of, blogs, common social networks (including “Facebook” and “Myspace”), professional networks (including “LinkedIn”), live blo
Twitter
authorization to use, and use of, blogs, common social networks (including “Facebook” and “Myspace”), professional networks (including “LinkedIn”), live blogging tools (including “Twitter”), virtual w
Franchisor behaviours
What the franchisor requires
20 requirements the franchisor states in this filing, each in its own words; 3 explicit no's; 11 questions the text does not settle, which is not a no.
Accounting
Does the franchisor have direct or independent electronic access to the franchisee's financial, sales or customer records?
YesItem 11
We also have independent access to the point-of-sale system and all data.
Must the franchisee submit periodic financial statements (monthly, quarterly or annual) to the franchisor?
YesItem 8
You must submit to us, on or before the 10th day of each calendar month, a monthly report in the form we periodically prescribe.
How the franchisor buys
Is the franchisor or an affiliate itself a supplier of required products, services or systems?
YesItem 8
You acknowledge and agree that certain approved supplies/services may only be available (due to the availability or our restrictions on who you must purchase from) from one source or select suppliers designated by us, and we and/or our affiliates may be the only source.
Does the franchisor reserve the right to change designated suppliers or systems at any time?
YesItem 8
We reserve the right to approve and change the manufacturer or supplier for approved supplies/services.
Does the franchisor or an affiliate receive rebates, commissions or other revenue from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
We and/or our affiliates may derive revenue based on your purchases and leases, including, without limitation, from charging you (at prices exceeding our and their costs) for services and products we or our affiliates sell you and from promotional allowances, volume discounts, and other amounts paid to us and our…
Can a franchisee propose a new supplier for the franchisor's approval?
YesItem 8
If we permit any items to be submitted for approval as Approved Products and Services or permit any Approved Product and Service to be a source from a supplier other than our designated single-source supplier or other select suppliers designated by us, you may propose the item and/or a supplier not on our approved…
Communications
Does the franchisor own or control the business telephone numbers, or take them over when the agreement ends?
YesItem 8
You hereby irrevocably assign to us or our designee the telephone number or numbers and listings issued to you with respect to each and all of your AMERICAN FREIGHT retail businesses (“telephone numbers”).
Franchise management
Must the franchisee participate in a customer-satisfaction or net-promoter survey program?
YesItem 8
You must participate in all Customer Experience Programs we designate for the System and pay any fees associated with your Retail Business.
Does the franchisor conduct periodic inspections, audits or evaluations of the franchised business?
YesItem 8
We or our authorized representative have the right to enter the Authorized Location at all reasonable times during the business day for the purpose of making periodic evaluations and to ascertain whether you are observing the provisions of this Agreement, to inspect and evaluate your premises used for your Retail…
Can the franchisor change the operations manual and brand standards unilaterally?
YesItem 8
We may from time to time revise the contents of the Operations Manual and you expressly agree to comply with each new or changed standard.
Must the franchisor approve the franchisee's site or location before opening?
YesItem 11
You may not develop a Retail Business on the site unless we have consented to the site.
Marketing
Is the franchisee prohibited from operating its own website or social media accounts, or required to use pages the franchisor provides?
YesItem 8
You shall not establish a separate Website that displays or uses the Trademarks, or any marks confusingly similar thereto, or that refers to this Agreement, your Retail Business, the Approved Products and Services offered under the System, us, American Freight Retail Businesses or the System.
Is a minimum grand opening advertising spend required?
YesItem 5
Before opening for business, you must pay us the sum of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000) in connection with the grand opening of your Retail Business (“Grand Opening Advertising Fee”).
Must the franchisee participate in a customer loyalty or rewards program?
YesItem 8
You must also participate fully in any customer loyalty programs we establish from time to time, including (i) purchasing from us any cards, application forms and other materials for use in connection with any customer loyalty program; and (ii) honoring any customer loyalty points or rewards a customer has accrued…
Operations
Must equipment be purchased from designated or approved suppliers?
YesItem 8
You must only use Approved Products and Services, equipment, fixtures, furnishings, signs, advertising materials, trademarked items, novelties and other items in your Retail Business as set forth in the approved supplies/services and approved suppliers lists, as we may amend from time to time.
Payments
Are royalties and other fees collected by automatic bank debit (ACH or electronic funds transfer) from the franchisee's account?
YesItem 8
The undersigned hereby authorizes American Freight Franchisor, LLC or any affiliated entity (collectively, “American Freight”), to initiate: weekly ACH debit entries against the account of the undersigned with you in payment of amounts for Royalty Fees, Marketing Fees, Technology Fees or other amounts that become…
Point of sale
Must the franchisee use a specific point-of-sale system designated or approved by the franchisor?
YesFranchise agreement
You may not use any unapproved hardware or software or component of the Computer System that has not been obtained from the source(s) we designate.
Does the franchisor have independent access to the data in the franchisee's POS or computer system?
YesItem 11
We also have independent access to the point-of-sale system and all data.
Training
Can the franchisor charge the franchisee for additional, refresher or remedial training?
YesItem 6
Additional Training $500 per day As incurred Refresher Training $500 per day As incurred
Is attendance at an annual convention or conference mandatory for the franchisee?
YesItem 8
Your Principal Owner, General Manager and such other employees as we designate must, at your expense, attend all conferences, conventions, seminars or meetings that we hold for System franchisees to set forth new methods and programs for operation, training, management, sales or marketing.
The filing answers no to 3 questions
- Is there a franchisee advisory council, association or committee?Item 11
- Is the franchisee required to spend a minimum amount on local advertising or marketing, as a percentage of sales or a fixed amount?Franchise agreement
- Must the franchisee participate in a regional advertising cooperative when one exists?Item 11
The vendor opportunity at American Freight
American Freight presents a unique profile for software vendors: a 260-unit retail chain where 255 locations are company-owned. This structure means the addressable market is almost entirely controlled by a single entity, the corporate headquarters in Ohio. Unlike heavily franchised systems where selling requires convincing hundreds of independent owners, a pitch to American Freight is a pitch to one centralized buying center. The 2023 Franchise Disclosure Document confirms just 5 franchised units, making the corporate parent the gatekeeper for nearly all technology decisions. The royalty rate is set at 5.0%, but the average unit volume (AUV) and year-over-year unit growth are not disclosed in the most recent FDD.
Who controls software purchasing
The 2023 FDD lists the key executives in Item 1, providing a clear map of the buying center. Peter Corsa serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Home Furnishings Segment, and Jeffrey Seghi is the Chief Financial Officer. Additional C-suite members include Philip Etter (Chief People Officer), Michael Gray (Chief Stores Officer), and Lauri Joffee Turjeman (Chief Marketing Officer). For a software vendor, the CFO and CEO are the most likely sponsors for an enterprise-wide platform deal, while the Chief Stores Officer would be the operational champion for any in-store technology. No specific CIO or CTO is named in the filing, but the executive team is small and concentrated, suggesting a direct path to the decision-makers.
Mandated and current tech stack
The FDD mandates a “Software Package” for its franchisees. While the extract does not name the specific vendor, the existence of a mandate is a critical signal. It confirms that the franchisor already exerts control over the technology environment, even for the tiny fraction of franchised locations. For the 255 company-owned stores, this mandate likely reflects the corporate standard already in place. Vendors should approach any conversation knowing that American Freight is not a greenfield opportunity; they have an incumbent solution. The sales motion must focus on replacing or augmenting this mandated package at the corporate level, not on selling to individual locations.
Procurement, renewals, and timing
Procurement signals are sparse in the available data. Item 8, which typically details designated suppliers, purchasing cooperatives, or rebate programs, provided no extract. This means the formal procurement model—whether it uses an approved supplier list or an open process—is not disclosed in the most recent FDD. Similarly, Item 17 regarding renewal terms and contract windows is absent. Without the initial term length or renewal cadence, it is impossible to map out a predictable contract cycle. Vendors will need to engage the CFO’s office directly to understand the procurement calendar and any existing vendor agreements.
How to read the American Freight FDD
The 2023 American Freight FDD is the foundational document for understanding the legal and operational constraints of this franchise system. It was filed with state franchise regulators in 2023. For software vendors, the most valuable sections are Item 1 (the executives listed above), Item 11 (the franchisor’s assistance, including the mandated Software Package), and Item 8 (restrictions on sources of products and services, though not available in this extract). The embedded viewer below contains the full filing. Use it to verify the executive team, search for any additional technology requirements, and confirm the unit count before your first outreach. For a ranked target list of similar franchise systems, FranCloud can help you prioritize based on tech mandates and ownership structure.
Questions vendors ask
American Freight, answered from the filing
The C-suite listed in the 2023 FDD includes CEO Peter Corsa and CFO Jeffrey Seghi. With a 98% company-owned model, purchasing authority is highly centralized, likely involving these executives for major software decisions.
The 2023 FDD mandates a 'Software Package' for franchisees. The specific vendor or system name is not disclosed in the available Item 11 extract, so the exact POS or operational platform remains unconfirmed.
According to the 2023 FDD, American Freight operates 260 total units. This breaks down into 255 company-owned locations and just 5 franchised outlets, making it a heavily corporate-controlled retail chain.
The procurement model is not detailed in the available FDD extract. Item 8, which typically outlines designated or approved supplier requirements, provided no extract, so the specific purchasing restrictions remain unknown.
The initial franchise term and renewal conditions (Item 17) are not disclosed in the available FDD extract. Without term length or renewal signals, it is impossible to estimate a predictable contract window from this data.
The American Freight FDD was filed with state franchise regulators in 2023. You can review the full document using the embedded PDF viewer below to analyze the tech mandates and executive team details directly.
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 American Freight files a new annual FDD, usually the freshest signal of a vendor change.
Operator footprint
Who runs the locations
17 operators run 17 mapped locations. 0 of them are multi-unit. Aggregate counts from the filing; no names.
Operators by units owned
Single-unit17
Top states by locations
| TX | 7 |
|---|---|
| WI | 2 |
| GA | 2 |
| MI | 1 |
| FL | 1 |
Ownership
The portfolio behind American Freight
unknown of franchise group.
Related Retail non food brands
Primary franchise filings · updated June 2026. Every figure is source-traceable and QA-checked.