Four days ago, Pete was reading the newspaper and saw the following: "Best offer in town! Zenith XX Laser Printer - $400! When he went to the store this afternoon and said he wanted one, they replied that they didn't have any left, nor could they get one. On these facts, which of the following is true?
A) Pete could sue them for breach of contract because he was accepting the offer in the newspaper.
B) The store had revoked the offer before he tried to accept.
C) The offer by the store had lapsed before he tried to accept.
D) The wording in the newspaper was merely an invitation to the public to do business, and no contract was formed.
E) Pete could sue for breach of an option contract.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The wording in the newspaper is typically considered an invitation to treat (or invitation to negotiate), not a specific offer that can be accepted to form a contract. This means no contract was formed when Pete read the advertisement or when he went to the store to buy the printer.

Four Days Ago, Pete Was Reading the Newspaper and Saw