合同法 offer and acceptance

LawofContract,OfferandAcceptance,Whyisitsoimportanttodistinguishbetweenanofferandaninvitationtotreat?,Ifastatementisanoffer,youcanacceptandthenacontractentersinto.Ifastatementisaninvitationtotreat,inwhichitmayincludesomeinformation,suchasapriceterm,youmayacceptthestatement.However,nocontractexistsandyour“accepting”isactuallyanoffer.,Ifastatementisaninvitationtotreat,itisnormallynotlegallybinding.Anoffer,inmostcases,ifaccepted,islegallybindingandtheofferorwillhavetokeephisword.,Youwalkintoashopandseeanitemfor9.99(thiswouldbeanITT),youthentakeittothecounterandpreparetopay9.99(theoffer).TheimportantconcepthereisthatanITTisnotbinding,i.e.whenyougotothecounterandtheclerksaysohsorrythisitemisactually29.99,youhavenodefenseindemandingtobesolditfor9.99.,Howtodistinguishbetweenanofferandaninvitationtotreat?,Normally,catalogues,pricelists,menus,andadvertisements,shopwindowsareinvitationstotreat.Advertisementscanalsobeconsideredoffersinsomespecificcases.,Lefkowitzv.GreatMinneapolisSurplusStore,Thedefendantpublishedthefollowingadvertisementinalocalnewspaper:Saturday9A.M.Sharp3BrandNewFurCoatsWorthto$100.00FirstComeFirstServed$1Each,Whetherinanyindividualinstanceanewspaperadvertisementisanofferratherthananinvitationtotreatdependsonthelegalintentionofthepartiesandthesurroundingcircumstances.,Weareoftheviewonthefactsbeforeusthattheofferbythedefendantofthesaleofthefurwasclear,definite,andexplicit,andleftnothingopenfornegotiation.Theplaintiffhavingsuccessfulmanagedtobethefirstonetoappearatthesellersplaceofbusinesstobeserved,asrequestedbytheadvertisement,andhavingofferedthestatedpurchasepriceofthearticle,hewasentitledtoperformanceonthepartofthedefendant.,CCLA15,Aninvitationtotreatisanintentindicationshowingthedesiretoreceiveoffersfromothers.Mailedordeliveredpricecatalogs,auctionannouncements,invitationsforbid,capital-raisingprospectusandcommercialadvertisementsaresuchinvitationsforoffer.Acommercialadvertisementshall,ifitscontentconformstotheprovisionsregardingoffers,bedeemedanoffer.,Theterminationofoffers,Anoffercanbeterminatedindifferentways:,RefusalandCounter-offer,Lapseoftime,AaskedBwhetherBwouldliketobuyAhousefor$300,000.Bsaidnothing.However,BcalledAandsaidhewouldbuythehouse$300,000oneyearlater.Question:Doesacontactexist?,Lapseoftime,1.specifiedtime;,Lapseoftime,2.reasonabletime.Whatisreasonable?,Revocation,ThispartissodifferentfromChinesecontractlaw.Forexample,ifaterminanofferreads:pleasereplybeforemidnightonFriday,September16,2011.Cantheofferorrevoketheofferbeforethattime?,Apromisetokeepanofferopenforacertaintimeortogivesomeonefirstrefusalwillnotbelegallybindingunlesstheoffereegavesomepaymenttotheofferorinreturnforthefavor.Why?,CCLA19,Anoffermaynotberevokedunderanyofthefollowingconditions:(1)theofferorhasspecifiedatimelimitfortheacceptance,orhasexplicitlyindicatedinanyothermannertheirrevocabilityoftheoffer;(2)therearegroundsfortheoffereetomaintaintheirrevocabilityoftheofferandtheoffereehasmadepreparationsforthefulfillmentofthecontract.,Acceptance,Acceptancemustbeamirrorimageoftheoffer,Theoffereemustbeagreeingtoallthetermsoftheofferandnottryingtointroducenewterms.(P73),CCLA31,Ifanacceptancemakesnon-substantialchangestothecontentoftheoffer,theacceptanceshallbeeffectivenotwithstandingandthecontentofthecontractshallthusbebasedonthecontentoftheacceptance,unlesstheofferorindicatesintimeitsobjectionthereto,orasindicatedintheoffer,theacceptancemaynotmakeanychangetothecontentoftheoffer.,CCLA30,Thecontentofanacceptanceshallbeconsistentwiththecontentoftheoffer.Iftheoffereeproposesanysubstantialchangetothecontentoftheoffer,itshallconstituteanewoffer.Changesrelatedtothetargetedmatter,quantity,quality,priceorremuneration,durationoffulfillment,placeandmodeoffulfillment,liabilityforbreachofcontractandmethodofdisputesettlementinacontractaresubstantialchangestothecontentofanoffer.,TrytofindoutthedifferencesbetweenChineseandEnglishcontractlawinthispartoftheacceptance.,Acceptancemustbefirm,Conditionalacceptanceisnotbinding,itsometimescanbereferredasancounter-of