Franchising usually reduces the cost of compliance with the myriad local legal requirement for operating a retail business, such as payroll taxes, foreign corporate qualification, sales and use tax permits, employment laws, environmental compliance, zoning laws, local licensing requirements, and local consumer protection rules. These compliance obligations can be a significant burden to companies engaged in multi-state or international distribution. Unlike some other methods such as vertical integration or use of sales agents, franchising shifts the cost and responsibility for compliance with these requirement to the local franchisee. Ordinary dealership and distributorship programs can also shift these burdens and risks, and at a lower cost to the producer than through franchising.