No-one buying goods from online computer game seller Gamestation read the terms and conditions of sale on the first day of April, the company reports. 

How does it know?

In an April Fools’ Day stunt, Gamestation re-worded its terms and conditions to say that those buying goods online on April 1 and not clicking on a link contained within them would be stripped of their souls!

The altered conditions read: ‘By placing an order via this website 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.’

All 7,500 customers who bought something that day fell foul of the prank.

The terms continued: ‘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. We reserve the right to serve such notice in 6 (six) foot high letters of fire, however we can accept no liability for any loss or damage caused by such an act. If you a) do not believe you have an immortal soul, b) have already given it to another party, or c) do not wish to grant Us such a license, please click the link below to nullify this sub-clause and proceed with your transaction.’

The link led the user to a page saying it was an April Fool and offering them a £5 voucher.

Gamestation said, of all of its customers that day, none clicked on the link, suggesting none of them had checked the terms and conditions closely. 

Legal experts Pinsent Masons say the results of the experiment reflect other research: Computer optimisation software maker PC Pitstop buried a clause in its end user licence agreement offering money to anybody who read the clause and sent an email to the address within it.

It was four months and 3,000 downloads of the firm’s software before anyone finally emailed the address and claimed the $1,000 reward.