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The Offer

15 January, 2016 - 09:32

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  1. Know the definition of offer.
  2. Recognize that some proposals are not offers.
  3. Understand the three essentials of an offer: intent, communication, and definiteness.
  4. Know when an offer expires and can no longer be accepted.

Offer and acceptance may seem to be straightforward concepts, as they are when two people meet face-to-face. But in a commercial society, the ways of making offers and accepting them are nearly infinite. A retail store advertises its merchandise in the newspaper. A seller makes his offer by mail or over the Internet. A telephone caller states that his offer will stand for ten days. An offer leaves open a crucial term. An auctioneer seeks bids. An offeror gives the offeree a choice. All these situations can raise tricky questions, as can corresponding situations involving acceptances.