Having now been in this industry well over two years, it amazes me that I still encounter business owners that have never heard of bartering. I`m curious to see how well known and used the age-old business and economic tool is amongst SuN members.

 

Please only respond if you are an actual business owner (I`d like to keep this at least vaguely scientific!) Feel free to comment on your experiences good or bad. Many thanks for your participation in advance.

Edgar,

 

Many thanks for your participation in my survey. I also thank you sincerely for your comments, which is one of the major reasons for my poll: to test the water and hear online misconceptions/ perceptions about the barter industry and barter in general.

 

I fully agree with you that "bartering takes time, and time is money." However, unless you are running at 100% efficiency, i.e., you are billing and working every hour, lost time = lost money. That is where barter via a company like mine comes into play. We can take hours that you are not billing out from not working and potentially fill them with work from our extensive client base at the same price as cash. In essence we take downtime that costs you money (since you are still covering your operating expenses) and turn it into usable revenue (MBE trade dollars). You then spend our MBE trade dollars on useful things you would have spent cash on - Homerun!

 

Admittedly, there have been other, older barter companies that do not insist (like we do) on "100% trade, 100% of the time", that allow cash-barter blends, and are totally mismanaged. Trading your surplus for useful things always makes sense. But I didn`t want this to turn into a sales pitch, this is market research for me right now.

 

Again, I hope this attracts more voters and comes half-way to fulfilling my research goals. Thank you once again for your participation.

 

Anthony

Anthony,

I think your idea sounds like a good one.  What I have experienced is that if there is a fit, there is a good bartering experience.  For example, when Shannon Orr was new to SuN, she posted an intro message, and I went to her website to check out her jewelry.  I posted a reply to her intro that said I liked one piece in particular.  She PM`d me to ask me to buy it.  I replied to her that being a bootstrapping entrepreneur, jewelry was not in the budget, but if she had any need for my products, maybe we could trade.  She did, we did, and we were both satisfied.

 

I designed my own logo, but I needed help with the packaging.  Luckily, a photographer friend referred me to a talented package designer who liked my bags well enough to trade some graphics work for a diaper bag.

 

The models I have used in my marketing materials and web site have all traded me their time for products.

 

The photographer who made this shot for me traded it for photo credit on my trade show banner and website.

 

I once upholstered an antique settee in exchange for some money and a sectional for my family room.

 

The list could probably go on.  Maybe Edgar is made of money, but I am made of ingenuity.  I think bartering will become bigger as the economy gets harder.

I agree that time really is money.  But, when I am free with my time and making no money, there is nothing better than to Barter.  When I have nothing to do and someone wants to barter through the company I am part of, I take it! 

 

I love the fact that I can barter when I have nothing to do and then turn around and have my truck fixed, or get a new office desk....even get my home landscaping done.  What does it take me?   Five whole minutes to find someone that can help me?

 

Sign me up, take my name, address, hell...you can have my money too! lol

 

But to have nothing, barter, then suddenly get some things I didn`t have the budget to get....is AWESOME!

 

I`m part of a great network that is growing at a fantastic rate.  It`s worth everything I put into them. 

 

All I`ve put into my barter company, I have gotten back 10 fold so far.

 

P.S.  I am not a robot!   

As far as Uncle Sam is concerned (IRS) they actually have a spot on their website about bartering and barter companies - it was regulated back in 1982 - ALL barter activity is subject to the same tax implications as cash revenue.

 

And yes, you really should barter with your bookkeeper - simply put, why spend cash these days on things you can barter for?

 

"A dollar saved is a dollar earned!"

 

In this current economy you should encourage all your vendors/ suppliers to barter with you and patronise your company. If you don`t have a direct or equal fit, that`s where companies like Merchants Barter Exchange really come into their own by allowing for indirect/ independent bartering.