Franchisees also recieved general instructions on which categories and subcategories of product, as defined by the head office, should be stocked in the store. The definitions were part of the Product Maintenance Agreement (PMA) that the head office entered into with large vendors for stocking its own-managed stores. Since the the Product Maintenance Agreement were usually with loss leaders (which guaranteed customers traffic at the store and ensured sales of products with higher magin), they were equally appicable to franchised stores. The head office would aloso suggest the names of local suppliers from whom the franchised-stores could source products covered by a PMA.