What are the disadvantages of buying a franchise?

• Whether you see the characteristics of a franchise as advantages or disadvantages will strongly depend on your personal goals and expectations about business ownership.
• A franchise requires the franchisee to follow operational manuals and processes closely to achieve a level of uniformity and consistency between franchise outlets. You generally do not have a lot of autonomy in the day-to-day decision making regarding products or store appearance.
• If your aims are to start your own business and bring your unique idea to life a franchise is probably not for you.
• Alternatively if you are passionate about a pre-existing brand concept then purchasing a franchise can give you the opportunity you desire and cut out a lot of the legwork.
• You should also be willing to work collaboratively with a franchisor who will often be responsible for decisions concerning the direction of the brand that will need to be implemented by all of the franchises.