Which scenario best demonstrates elements of the implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose?

• A. The buyer has a particular use for the goods, and relies on the seller's skill to select the goods.
• B. The buyer uses the goods for a different purpose than indicated.
• C. The seller is unaware of the buyer's use.
• D. The goods are sold to a non-merchant.

Answer: (A)

The important idea here is that the implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose kicks in when the seller knows the buyer has a specific use for the goods and the buyer relies on the seller’s expertise to choose goods that will meet that use. In this scenario, the buyer has a particular purpose in mind and relies on the seller’s skill to select the right goods. Because the seller is aware of that purpose and the buyer’s reliance on their judgment, the goods must be fit for that specific purpose. If they aren’t, the buyer can typically recover for breach even without an express warranty.

Other scenarios don’t demonstrate this combination as clearly. If the buyer uses the goods for a purpose different from the intended one, the protection hinges on the original particular purpose and reliance, which isn’t shown. If the seller doesn’t know about the buyer’s intended use, the reliance element isn’t met. The fact that the seller isn’t a merchant doesn’t by itself negate the warranty; it’s the knowledge and reliance signals that matter most.