Caveat emptor Caveat emptor Caveat emptor (, ) is Latin for "Let the buyer beware" (from "caveat", "may he beware", a subjunctive form of "cavēre", "to beware" + "ēmptor", "buyer"). Generally, "caveat emptor" is the contract law principle that controls the sale of real property after the date of closing, but may also apply to sales of other goods. The phrase "caveat emptor" and its use as a disclaimer of warranties arise from the fact that buyers typically have less information about the good or service they are purchasing, while the seller has more information. The quality of this situation is known
Caveat emptor if a buyer who inspects new goods with reasonable promptness discovers them to be "nonconforming" (failing to meet the description provided or any other standards reasonably expectable by a buyer in his/her situation) and does not use the goods or take other actions constituting acceptance of them, the buyer may promptly return or refuse to accept ("reject") them and demand that the defect be remedied ("cured"). When goods fitting the same description and expectations are available for sale ("e.g.", when the vendor has other instances of the same mass-produced merchandise in stock inventory), either the vendor or the buyer may