General and Specific Offer

In contract law, an offer is the willingness of one party to enter into a legally binding agreement with another party. 

Offers can take various forms and can be classified into different types based on their characteristics and intended recipients as specific and general offers.

Specific Offer

A specific offer refers to a proposal that is made to a particular person or group of individuals and only that person or group can accept the offer. 

In this type of offer, the offeror specifies the intended recipient(s) and restricts acceptance to those individuals. The key characteristic of a specific offer is its limited scope, binding only to the parties involved.

Example

Let’s consider a scenario where Person A wishes to sell their mobile phone for Rs. 2000 and makes an offer specifically to Person B. 

In this case, Person B is the only individual who can accept the offer. If any other person attempts to accept the offer, it would not be considered valid as the offer was specifically directed towards Person B.

General Offer

A general offer, on the other hand, is an offer made to the public at large rather than to a specific individual or group. It invites acceptance from anyone who meets the specified conditions. 

In a general offer, the offeror typically communicates the terms and conditions of the offer to a wide audience, allowing anyone who fulfils those requirements to accept the offer and potentially form a contract.

Example

Suppose a government or organisation publicly advertises in newspapers or other media outlets that a reward of 10 Million Dollars will be given to anyone who provides information leading to the capture of a wanted criminal, such as Bin Laden. 

This offer is a general offer, as it is made to the public and anyone who fulfils the condition of providing the required information can accept the offer and potentially claim the reward. Once the individual fulfils the condition and provides the necessary information, a contract is formed and they become entitled to the specified reward.

Here’s a table summarising the types of offers:

In a specific offer, the offeror directs the offer to a specific individual or group, limiting acceptance to those recipients. On the other hand, a general offer is made to the public, allowing anyone who fulfils the specified conditions to accept the offer.