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Contract Law

Problem on imperfect acceptance

Note that the common law rule is quite strict. If the acceptance varies in any significant way from the offer, or if it is stated in a conditional way, the acceptance is ineffective and operates as a counter-offer.

As you might imagine, this could cause some difficulty in some circumstances, particularly when transactions happen quickly, or in high volume, or over the internet. 

Read the problem below, which is based on the next case you will read, and try to answer the question posed, applying the common law's mirror image rule. Think about whether the common law rule works effectively in this context.

(Just to be clear, the common law mirror image no longer applies to this fact situation, but I want you to answer this question based on the common law rule so you can think about why the drafters of the UCC decided to change the rule for goods transactions.)