Clean Machines Company Makes Washing Machines

question 48

Essay

Clean Machines Company makes washing machines. Over the phone, Clean offers to sell Dealers Appliance Outlet one hundred model EZ2000 washers at a price of $150 per unit. Clean says that it will keep the offer open for ninety days. In that same call, Dealers responds that within two or three weeks it will decide whether to accept. One week later, Clean faxes, and Dealer receives, notice that the offer is withdrawn. Dealer immediately phones Clean to accept the $150-per-unit offer. When Clean refuses to deliver at that price, Dealer files a suit. Clean asserts, first, that there is no contract and, second, that if there is a contract, it is unenforceable. Discuss Clean's assertions.

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Definitions:

Allocative Efficiency

A state of the economy where resources are distributed in a way that maximizes the net benefit to society, meaning that goods and services are produced and consumed at quantities where the marginal benefit equals marginal cost.

Oligopoly

A market structure characterized by a small number of firms that dominate the market, leading to limited competition and potentially higher prices for consumers.

Monopoly

A market structure characterized by a single seller, selling a unique product in the market without any close substitutes.

Potential Entry

The possibility or threat of new competitors entering a market, which can influence the behavior and strategies of existing firms.