Cartridge World franchise
2024 filing · April 29, 2024Fewer locations
Cartridge World at a glance
A printer ink and toner business selling and refilling cartridges and supplying printers to offices and households. At the end of 2023 there were 109 Cartridge World locations in the US, 107 franchised and 2 company-owned.
The business
- Franchisor
- CWE America, LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
- Franchising since
- 2003
- 21 years of selling franchises
- Franchisor based in
- Davidson, North Carolina
- Typical size
- 100–900 sq ft
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $75K–$107K
- Executive office or co-branded office
- Franchise fee
- $50,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 8%
- The greater of 8% of gross sales or a monthly minimum that steps up from $0 to $1,800 over the first year
- Brand fund
- Yes
- Up to 4% of gross sales, paid monthly
- Agreement length
- 10 years
- Territory
- Limited
- Limited protection
- Franchisor financing
- Some financing offered
Where it is
- US locations, 2023
- 109
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 107
- Company-owned
- 2
- Change in 1 years
- −79
- Franchised locations, 2021–2023
From CWE America, LLC’s 2024 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
Cartridge World among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | Cartridge World | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $90,975 | Costs less than 89% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $50,000 | Higher than 70% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 8% | Higher than 85% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 109 | More than 78% of franchises |
How much a Cartridge World franchise costs
Opening executive office or co-branded office costs an estimated $75,150 to $106,800. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital. It is one of the low-cost franchises.
The biggest costs are initial franchise fee ($50,000) and opening launch ($18,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $50,000 | ||
| Construction and Leasehold Improvements | $0 | $5,000 | |
| Lease Deposits – Three Months | $1,500 | $2,500 | |
| Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment | $0 | $500 | |
| Signage | $0 | $500 | |
| Computer, Software and Business Management System | $750 | $2,000 | |
| Opening Launch | $18,000 | ||
| Initial Inventory | $500 | ||
| Utility Deposits | $0 | $500 | |
| Insurance Deposits – Three Months | $600 | $2,000 | |
| Travel for Initial Training | $500 | $2,000 | |
| Professional Fees | $1,000 | $8,000 | |
| Licenses and Permits | $300 | $800 | |
| Additional Funds – Three Months | $2,000 | $14,500 | |
| Total | $75,150 | $106,800 | |
Source: CWE America, LLC, 2024 filing, page 20
Cartridge World franchise fee
The franchise fee is $50,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: CWE America, LLC, 2024 filing, page 12
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | The greater of 8% of gross sales or a monthly minimum that steps up from $0 to $1,800 over the first year. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | Up to 4% of gross sales, paid monthly. |
| Technology | Up to $500 per month, currently $70 per month |
| Additional Employee Initial Training | Our then current training fee, currently $500 per person per day |
| Local Marketing | Up to $1,600 per month, currently $800 per month |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: CWE America, LLC, 2024 filing, page 14
Other fees as filed, from pages 14–15. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures Cartridge World does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: CWE America, LLC, 2024 filing, page 56
SBA loans to Cartridge World franchisees
Lenders approved 180 SBA 7(a) loans for Cartridge World franchisees from 2004 to 2024, $22.3M in all. Of the 173 that have ended, 134 were paid in full and 39 were charged off (22.5%). The other 7 haven’t ended yet.
A charged-off loan is one written off as uncollectible. See SBA franchise loans for how 7(a) and 504 loans work.
Source: SBA 7(a) and 504 loan data, as of September 30, 2026
How Cartridge World compares
Of the 302 retail franchises on this site, Cartridge World is the 35th cheapest to open and the 88th largest by number of locations.
| Figure | Cartridge World | Typical retail brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $75K | $198K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $107K | $425K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $50K | $35K | $40K |
| Royalty | 8% | 5.7% | 6% |
| US locations | 109 | 38 | 21 |
| Closed or left per year | 11.3% | 5.2% | – |
| Change in franchised locations, 1 yrs | −42.5% | 0% | – |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 187 of 302 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 302 brands in retail franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 166 (−20) | 7 | +1 | −21 |
| 2022 | 135 (−31) | 5 | – | – |
| 2023 | 107 (−28) | 2 | – | – |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: franchise failure rates.
Source: CWE America, LLC, 2024 filing, page 57
Who owns Cartridge World?
Cartridge World franchises are sold by CWE America, LLC. Its filing names no parent company.
From CWE America, LLC’s 2024 filing, page 8.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | None. The filing says no litigation has to be disclosed. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: CWE America, LLC, 2024 filing, litigation on page 11, bankruptcy on page 11
Cartridge World filings
The figures on this page come from CWE America, LLC’s 2024 filing, issued April 29, 2024, on record with the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 filing | April 29, 2024 | Minnesota | Costs, fees and locations, 2021–2023 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
Other retail franchises
All retail franchises
Cartridge World is also on these lists: business services franchises.