What is the legal status of unsolicited goods mailed to a recipient who did not request them?

What is the legal status of unsolicited goods mailed to a recipient who did not request them?

• A. They form a contract upon receipt
• B. They are considered unconditional gifts
• C. They must be returned or paid for
• D. They create a unilateral offer

Answer: (B)

Unsolicited goods sent to someone who didn’t request them don’t create a contract. A contract needs an offer, acceptance, and consideration, and there’s no acceptance or promise to pay when the recipient didn’t seek the item. Instead, delivery with the sender’s intent to gift transfers ownership, making the goods unconditional gifts. The recipient may keep or use the items without paying, and there’s no obligation to return them. Some may worry about a later bill or return, but legally the typical outcome is that these items become the recipient’s unconditional gifts.

Unsolicited goods sent to someone who didn’t request them don’t create a contract. A contract needs an offer, acceptance, and consideration, and there’s no acceptance or promise to pay when the recipient didn’t seek the item. Instead, delivery with the sender’s intent to gift transfers ownership, making the goods unconditional gifts. The recipient may keep or use the items without paying, and there’s no obligation to return them. Some may worry about a later bill or return, but legally the typical outcome is that these items become the recipient’s unconditional gifts.