Invitation to Treat

An invitation to treat is a legal concept in contract law that refers to an invitation for others to make an offer. It’s not an offer itself but a way to start negotiations. For example, when a store displays items for sale, it invites customers to make offers to buy those items. The store can then accept or reject those offers. Understanding this helps clarify that just because something is displayed or advertised, it doesn’t automatically mean a contract is formed; a formal offer followed by acceptance is necessary to create a binding agreement.