Under article 2 of the ucc, why does it matter whether a party to a contract is a merchant?

When Does the UCC Apply?

If the contract concerns a sale of goods (i.e., items that are movable) in a commercial setting, the New Mexico Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) must be applied. The New Mexico UCC can be found at NMSA §§55-1-101 through -725. Generally, the UCC applies to sales of goods that involve a merchant. The following examples illustrate when the UCC applies to a contract for the sale of goods.

Situation Does the UCC apply?
A fruit store buys apples from an apple dealer. Yes
Jesse buys a radio from an electronics store. Yes
A rug dealer buys some rugs from a weaver who is not a business person. Yes
Bob contracts to buy 50 CDs from Layla’s garage sale. No
Jim contracts to buy Marsha’s mountain cabin. No

In some instances the UCC approach to contracts for the sale of goods differs from the treatment of contracts that are not for the sale of goods. For example, the requirements for modifying a contract are different under the UCC than otherwise (see below), and the statute of limitations for contracts for the sale of goods is shorter than the statute for other contracts (see discussion above concerning the elements of a contract).

How Can a Contract Be Modified?

Parties to a contract may wish to modify or change the terms of their contract at some point. The requirements for modifying a contract differ depending on whether the contract involves the sale of goods to or by a merchant.

The UCC applies to contracts for the sale of goods to or by a merchant. Under the UCC, additional consideration is not necessary to modify a written contract, as long as the modification is entered into in good faith.

If the contract is not for the sale of goods to or by a merchant, then additional consideration is necessary to modify the terms of the contract. For example, Marge has contracted to sell her car to Paul. They both want to change some of the terms of the contract. Because the UCC does not apply to the sale of a car between private parties, some new consideration must be exchanged before the contract can be modified.

PART 1. SHORT TITLE, GENERAL CONSTRUCTION AND SUBJECT MATTER

  • § 2-101. Short Title.
  • § 2-102. Scope; Certain Security and Other Transactions Excluded From This Article.
  • § 2-103. Definitions and Index of Definitions.
  • § 2-104. Definitions: "Merchant"; "Between Merchants"; "Financing Agency".
  • § 2-105. Definitions: Transferability; "Goods"; "Future" Goods; "Lot"; "Commercial Unit".
  • § 2-106. Definitions: "Contract"; "Agreement"; "Contract for sale"; "Sale"; "Present sale"; "Conforming" to Contract; "Termination"; "Cancellation".
  • § 2-107. Goods to Be Severed From Realty: Recording.

PART 2. FORM, FORMATION AND READJUSTMENT OF CONTRACT

  • § 2-201. Formal Requirements; Statute of Frauds.
  • § 2-202. Final Written Expression: Parol or Extrinsic Evidence.
  • § 2-203. Seals Inoperative.
  • § 2-204. Formation in General.
  • § 2-205. Firm Offers.
  • § 2-206. Offer and Acceptance in Formation of Contract.
  • § 2-207. Additional Terms in Acceptance or Confirmation.
  • § 2-208. Course of Performance or Practical Construction.
  • § 2-209. Modification, Rescission and Waiver.
  • § 2-210. Delegation of Performance; Assignment of Rights.

PART 3. GENERAL OBLIGATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF CONTRACT

  • § 2-301. General Obligations of Parties.
  • § 2-302. Unconscionable contract or Clause.
  • § 2-303. Allocation or Division of Risks.
  • § 2-304. Price Payable in Money, Goods, Realty, or Otherwise.
  • § 2-305. Open Price Term.
  • § 2-306. Output, Requirements and Exclusive Dealings.
  • § 2-307. Delivery in Single Lot or Several Lots.
  • § 2-308. Absence of Specified Place for Delivery.
  • § 2-309. Absence of Specific Time Provisions; Notice of Termination.
  • § 2-310. Open Time for Payment or Running of Credit; Authority to Ship Under Reservation.
  • § 2-311. Options and Cooperation Respecting Performance.
  • § 2-312. Warranty of Title and Against Infringement; Buyer's Obligation Against Infringement.
  • § 2-313. Express Warranties by Affirmation, Promise, Description, Sample.
  • § 2-314. Implied Warranty: Merchantability; Usage of Trade.
  • § 2-315. Implied Warranty: Fitness for Particular Purpose.
  • § 2-316. Exclusion or Modification of Warranties.
  • § 2-317. Cumulation and Conflict of Warranties Express or Implied.
  • § 2-318. Third Party Beneficiaries of Warranties Express or Implied.
  • § 2-319. F.O.B. and F.A.S. Terms.
  • § 2-320. C.I.F. and C. & F. Terms.
  • § 2-321. C.I.F. or C. & F.: "Net Landed Weights"; "Payment on Arrival"; Warranty of Condition on Arrival.
  • § 2-322. Delivery "Ex-Ship".
  • § 2-323. Form of Bill of Lading Required in Overseas Shipment; "Overseas".
  • § 2-324. "No Arrival, No sale" Term.
  • § 2-325. "Letter of Credit" Term; "Confirmed Credit".
  • § 2-326. Sale on Approval and Sale or Return; Consignment Sales and Rights of Creditors.
  • § 2-327. Special Incidents of Sale on Approval and Sale or Return.
  • § 2-328. Sale by Auction.

PART 4. TITLE, CREDITORS AND GOOD FAITH PURCHASERS

  • § 2-401. Passing of Title; Reservation for Security; Limited Application of This Section.
  • § 2-402. Rights of Seller's Creditors Against Sold Goods.
  • § 2-403. Power to Transfer; Good Faith Purchase of Goods; "Entrusting".

PART 5. PERFORMANCE

  • § 2-501. Insurable Interest in Goods; Manner of Identification of Goods.
  • § 2-502. Buyer's Right to Goods on Seller's Insolvency.
  • § 2-503. Manner of Seller's Tender of Delivery.
  • § 2-504. Shipment by Seller.
  • § 2-505. Seller's Shipment Under Reservation.
  • § 2-506. Rights of Financing agency.
  • § 2-507. Effect of Seller's Tender; Delivery on Condition.
  • § 2-508. Cure by Seller of Improper Tender or Delivery; Replacement.
  • § 2-509. Risk of Loss in the Absence of Breach.
  • § 2-510. Effect of Breach on Risk of Loss.
  • § 2-511. Tender of Payment by Buyer; Payment by Check.
  • § 2-512. Payment by Buyer Before Inspection.
  • § 2-513. Buyer's Right to Inspection of Goods.
  • § 2-514. When Documents Deliverable on Acceptance; When on Payment.
  • § 2-515. Preserving Evidence of Goods in Dispute.

PART 6. BREACH, REPUDIATION AND EXCUSE

  • § 2-601. Buyer's Rights on Improper Delivery.
  • § 2-602. Manner and Effect of Rightful Rejection.
  • § 2-603. Merchant Buyer's Duties as to Rightfully Rejected Goods.
  • § 2-604. Buyer's Options as to Salvage of Rightfully Rejected Goods.
  • § 2-605. Waiver of Buyer's Objections by Failure to Particularize.
  • § 2-606. What Constitutes Acceptance of Goods.
  • § 2-607. Effect of Acceptance; Notice of Breach; Burden of Establishing Breach After Acceptance; Notice of Claim or Litigation to Person Answerable Over.
  • § 2-608. Revocation of Acceptance in Whole or in Part.
  • § 2-609. Right to Adequate Assurance of Performance.
  • § 2-610. Anticipatory Repudiation.
  • § 2-611. Retraction of Anticipatory Repudiation.
  • § 2-612. "Installment contract"; Breach.
  • § 2-613. Casualty to Identified Goods.
  • § 2-614. Substituted Performance.
  • § 2-615. Excuse by Failure of Presupposed Conditions.
  • § 2-616. Procedure on Notice Claiming Excuse.

PART 7. REMEDIES

  • § 2-701. Remedies for Breach of Collateral contracts Not Impaired.
  • § 2-702. Seller's Remedies on Discovery of Buyer's Insolvency.
  • § 2-703. Seller's Remedies in General.
  • § 2-704. Seller's Right to Identify Goods to the Contract Notwithstanding Breach or to Salvage Unfinished Goods.
  • § 2-705. Seller's Stoppage of Delivery in Transit or Otherwise.
  • § 2-706. Seller's Resale Including Contract for Resale.
  • § 2-707. "Person in the Position of a Seller".
  • § 2-708. Seller's Damages for Non-acceptance or Repudiation.
  • § 2-709. Action for the Price.
  • § 2-710. Seller's Incidental Damages.
  • § 2-711. Buyer's Remedies in General; Buyer's Security Interest in Rejected Goods.
  • § 2-712. "Cover"; Buyer's Procurement of Substitute Goods.
  • § 2-713. Buyer's Damages for Non-delivery or Repudiation.
  • § 2-714. Buyer's Damages for Breach in Regard to Accepted Goods.
  • § 2-715. Buyer's Incidental and Consequential Damages.
  • § 2-716. Buyer's Right to Specific Performance or Replevin.
  • § 2-717. Deduction of Damages From the Price.
  • § 2-718. Liquidation or Limitation of Damages; Deposits.
  • § 2-719. Contractual Modification or Limitation of Remedy.
  • § 2-720. Effect of "Cancellation" or "Rescission" on Claims for Antecedent Breach.
  • § 2-721. Remedies for Fraud.
  • § 2-722. Who Can Sue Third Parties for Injury to Goods.
  • § 2-723. Proof of Market Price: Time and Place.
  • § 2-724. Admissibility of Market Quotations.
  • § 2-725. Statute of Limitations in Contracts for Sale.