Page 4 Flashcards
What is the question you should ask when determining whether a commitment/intention to be bound was present for an offer?
Would a reasonable person, hearing the words spoken, under the circumstances, believe the speaker intended to enter a contractual relationship?
Why do you not usually have to judge on an MBE question whether a commitment or intention to be bound was made for an offer?
Because examiners know that different people have different opinions, so you just have to recognize the rule
Does it matter what the intention of the speaker is when making an offer?
No, so just look at the language and the circumstances
What are things that can cause trouble for an offer?
- preliminary negotiations
- ads
- reward offers
- joke or frolic
- ambiguous language
- auctions
Are preliminary negotiations considered offers with intention to be bound?
No, they are a manifestation of a willingness to enter a bargain without the intent to conclude a bargain until a further manifestation of intent has been made
What are some examples of things that are not considered offers?
- opinions
- predictions
- encouragement
- hopes
- intentions
- estimates
- inquiries
If an offeror retains the right to make a final decision, is that an offer?
No, it’s an invitation to negotiate or make an offer
What are some examples of situations where an offeror retains the right to make a final decision and is therefore not an offer?
- asking someone if they’re interested
- asking if they would give you something
- saying “I quote”
- “I would consider”
Are ads considered offers?
No, they are just invitations to deal or statements of intention to sell
What is the caveat for when an ad is an offer?
If it states a:
- QUANTITY #
- Language of COMMITMENT
- with all material TERMS
The language “first come, first served” can change an ad into what?
An offer
Can mass mailings, catalogs, or pricelists be treated as offers?
No, those are also advertisements
Do price quotes show an intention to be bound enough to be an offer?
No
What is the reason that most ads are not offers?
- most ads are indefinite about quantity and other terms
- the seller should be able to choose who they deal with
- ads are usually addressed to the general public, so if that were an offer, the seller would’ve overaccepted
What are the ways that an ad will be an offer?
- has definite terms
- clearly an intention to be bound
- invites addressees to take specific action without further communication
- over acceptance is unlikely
What are the times that quoting a price can be considered an offer?
If it is directed at a specific person and other words like “for immediate acceptance” are included
Why is a first person offer usually considered an offer?
Because only one person can form a contract by accepting
Are reward offers considered offers?
Yes, and the power of acceptance is limited to the person that does the act, since only one person can claim a reward
Why is a letter of intent not considered an offer?
Because no one is bound to the terms of the letter
What is an offering circular?
A general mailing sent out by merchants to a number of potential customers setting forth terms