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April 16, 2010

Game Retailer: 7,500 Shoppers Sold Their Souls

Sarah Pulliam Bailey

A British computer game retailer says it owns the souls of 7,500 online customers after it inserted language into the terms and conditions contract, FoxNews reports.

The contract "immortal soul clause" states that customers grant the company the right to claim their soul.

"By placing an order via this Web site on the first day of the fourth month of the year 2010 Anno Domini, you agree to grant Us a non transferable option to claim, for now and for ever more, your immortal soul. Should We wish to exercise this option, you agree to surrender your immortal soul, and any claim you may have on it, within 5 (five) working days of receiving written notification from gamesation.co.uk or one of its duly authorised minions."

While all shoppers during the test were given a simple tick box option to opt out, very few did this, which would have also rewarded them with a £5 voucher, according to news:lite. Due to the number of people who ticked the box, GameStation claims believes as many as 88 percent of people do not read the terms and conditions of a Web site before they make a purchase.

The company noted that it would not be enforcing the ownership rights, and planned to e-mail customers nullifying any claim on their soul.

posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey | Comments (3)

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My guess is that contract is unenforceable due it being...unconscionable and against public policy.

Posted By: Daniel | April 16, 2010 6:11 PM

So now they know that customers don't read all those terms and conditions? Who needs to prove that point? That stuff is written by lawyers and is designed to produce boredom.

Posted By: Father Pulliam | April 16, 2010 9:31 PM

You realize that it was April Fools Day?

Posted By: Dianne | April 18, 2010 11:27 PM