WHAT IS THE ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE: OF FRANCHISING? j :o- Overall sales exceeds $600 billion,-per. year^ accounting for more than a third of all retail sales in the United States. WHY DOES FRANCHISING DEVELOP? . ^ The business format franchise makes economic isense as a business formation strategy when a marketable business concept is developed but the developer . doesn't .have, access jto. all of the _necessary capital-to fully develop aiprofitable. manufacturing, wholesale, and retail system.