Craters & Freighters vs Mail Boxes Etc. Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Craters & Freighters vs Mail Boxes Etc. including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
  Craters & Freighters Mail Boxes Etc.
Investment 176850 - 276500 154950 - 293500
Franchise Fee 0
Royalty Fee 5% 6%
Advertising Fee 1% 2%
Year Founded 1990 1990
Year Franchised 1991 1990
Term Of Agreement
Term Of Agreement
Renewal Fee


Business Experience Requirements
  Craters & Freighters Mail Boxes Etc.
Experience It is not necessary to have a background in packaging, crate building, or transportation to operate our franchise. Our franchise owners come from widely varied backgrounds from Doctors to CPA's to Engineers. Our staff has the experience and credentials to guide you through an extensive training process in all aspects of running the operation including packaging, crating, and shipping procedures to administration, accounting, marketing, & sales.

Financing Options
  Craters & Freighters Mail Boxes Etc.
 
Franchise Fees No
Start-up Costs No
Equipment No
Inventory No
Receivables No
Payroll No

Training & Support
  Craters & Freighters Mail Boxes Etc.
Training 10-day training program in Golden, CO Training includes classroom and hands-on experience in an operating franchise in Colorado. Owners are trained on, and provided with, the company's proprietary eBusiness Management System Software, Center Opening Handbook, Operations Manual, Policy and Procedures Manual, Freight Carriers Guide, Packaging & Crating Manual and Marketing Manual. Also includes business preparation, proprietary software, pick-up and delivery, transportation, bills of lading, shipping invoices, accounting, marketing, advertising, promotion, start-up operations, pricing and quoting, packaging and crating, insurance, tracers and claims, warehousing, personnel and international shipping. 1. Corporate Office 2 Weeks 2. Center 1.5 Weeks
Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations Central Data Processing: At Additional Cost Central Purchasing Field Operation Evaluation Field Training Initial Store Opening: At Additional Cost Franchisee Newsletter Regional or National Meetings: At Additional Cost
Marketing Ad slicks, National media
Operations 21% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 3 - 4 Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) Average Number of Employees: 2 Full-time, 1 Part-time Passive Ownership: Allowed, But Discouraged

Expansion Plans
  Craters & Freighters Mail Boxes Etc.
US Expansion Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, Nationwide, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Canada Expansion Nationwide, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory
International Expansion Ireland, United Kingdom

Start-Up Costs and Fees Mobile
Investment
Craters & Freighters
Mail Boxes Etc.
Franchise Fee
Craters & Freighters
Mail Boxes Etc.
Royalty Fee
Craters & Freighters 5%
Mail Boxes Etc. 6%
Advertising Fee
Craters & Freighters 1%
Mail Boxes Etc. 2%
Year Founded
Craters & Freighters 1990
Mail Boxes Etc. 1990
Year Franchised
Craters & Freighters 1991
Mail Boxes Etc. 1990
Term Of Agreement
Craters & Freighters 15 years
Mail Boxes Etc. 10 years +10
Renewal Fee
Craters & Freighters
Mail Boxes Etc.


Business Experience Requirements
Experience
Craters & Freighters It is not necessary to have a background in packaging, crate building, or transportation to operate our franchise. Our franchise owners come from widely varied backgrounds from Doctors to CPA's to Engineers. Our staff has the experience and credentials to guide you through an extensive training process in all aspects of running the operation including packaging, crating, and shipping procedures to administration, accounting, marketing, & sales.
Mail Boxes Etc.

Financing Options
 
Franchise Fees
Craters & Freighters No
Mail Boxes Etc. No
Start-up Costs
Craters & Freighters
Mail Boxes Etc.
Equipment
Craters & Freighters}
Mail Boxes Etc.
Inventory
Craters & Freighters
Mail Boxes Etc.
Receivables
Craters & Freighters
Mail Boxes Etc.
Payroll
Craters & Freighters
Mail Boxes Etc.

Training & Support
Training
Craters & Freighters 10-day training program in Golden, CO Training includes classroom and hands-on experience in an operating franchise in Colorado. Owners are trained on, and provided with, the company's proprietary eBusiness Management System Software, Center Opening Handbook, Operations Manual, Policy and Procedures Manual, Freight Carriers Guide, Packaging & Crating Manual and Marketing Manual. Also includes business preparation, proprietary software, pick-up and delivery, transportation, bills of lading, shipping invoices, accounting, marketing, advertising, promotion, start-up operations, pricing and quoting, packaging and crating, insurance, tracers and claims, warehousing, personnel and international shipping.
Mail Boxes Etc. 1. Corporate Office 2 Weeks 2. Center 1.5 Weeks
Support
Craters & Freighters Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations
Mail Boxes Etc. Central Data Processing: At Additional Cost Central Purchasing Field Operation Evaluation Field Training Initial Store Opening: At Additional Cost Franchisee Newsletter Regional or National Meetings: At Additional Cost
Marketing
Craters & Freighters Ad slicks, National media
Mail Boxes Etc.
Operations
Craters & Freighters 21% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 3 - 4 Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators)
Mail Boxes Etc. Average Number of Employees: 2 Full-time, 1 Part-time Passive Ownership: Allowed, But Discouraged

Expansion Plans
US Expansion
Craters & Freighters Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin,
Mail Boxes Etc. Nationwide, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Canada Expansion
Craters & Freighters
Mail Boxes Etc. Nationwide, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory
International Expansion
Craters & Freighters
Mail Boxes Etc. Ireland, United Kingdom