According to contract law, when is an offer automatically terminated?

An offer is automatically terminated when a counter offer is made because it indicates that the original terms are no longer accepted. In the realm of contract law, a counter offer serves as a rejection of the original offer and sets forth new terms and conditions, effectively voiding the initial proposal. When the offeree responds with a counter offer, the original offer is no longer valid as the parties are now entering into negotiations based on different terms. This is essential in understanding how offers function in contractual agreements and how acceptance is framed within the context of communication between parties.

While an offer can indeed be withdrawn or terminated at any point before acceptance, that is not an automatic process—it requires action from the party who made the offer. Additionally, the completion of a contract signifies that all terms have been fulfilled, leading to the end of the offer rather than its termination along the way. The insistence on changes by the buyer could result in new discussions, but it does not formally terminate the original offer until a counter proposal is put forth. Thus, recognizing that a counter offer automatically terminates the original offer is a key principle in contract law.