> Forcing the use of franchised stores meant that the dealerships are owned (always?) by local people so they can't just move away. Local people close down the

> Forcing the use of franchised stores meant that the dealerships are owned (always?) by local people so they can't just move away. Local people close down their local businesses all the time, though. In fact, the manufacturer, because of vertical integration, is more likely to make profit than independent dealer, and so less likely to close down.