WHAT IS BARTER?
What is barter or bartering? Simply put, bartering is the act of exchanging goods or services without using money. Bartering is an age-old concept and is not used as often as it once was years ago, but it’s still a very effective way of exchanging goods and/or services when in need. Bartering can include business-to-business (B2B), business-to-consumer (B2C), or person-to-person (P2P). The possibilities are nearly endless. If you’re still curious and wondering what is barter then continue to read the article below and let us know if you have any questions!
How does bartering work?
A good example of bartering services would be Joe, who owns and operates a lawn care company and Scott owns a social media marketing firm. Scott could offer his marketing services to Joe in exchange for lawn care. Joe and Scott would work together on an appropriate trade of services and no money would be exchanged. In the end, Scott would help in marketing Joe’s website to increase his customer base and Jim would have his lawn perfectly manicured each week. Sounds like a great deal, right? This is only one of the many ways you can use bartering in today’s society.
Bartering can also be useful when it comes to exchanging tangible goods. We’re sure many of you have used bartering of some kind during your life rather you’re aware of it or not. Take a second and think back to when you were a child in school. Your friend had an awesome new snack that you wanted and you had a snack that they wanted. You two would trade and everyone was happy. Bartering can be done many ways and often involves quite a bit of flexibility. Once again, no money is exchanged to obtain what you want or desire.
Bartering can also involve a mix of services and goods. A great example of this would be a farmer who is looking for help around the farm. In exchange for help around the farm, the farmer can offer fresh milk, eggs or beef. The farmer obtains help for his farm and pays his help in tangible goods. It’s really that simple!
What are the cons of bartering?
While bartering can seem fairly straightforward and easy, issues can arise. One issue could be the trustworthiness of the person you may be bartering with. One way to circumvent this issue would be to use a bartering site like Florida Barter. Here, you essentially involve a mediator or broker to help assist in your bartering transaction. While not perfect, it offers a sense of comfort when dealing with someone you may not personally know. Not only does Florida Barter offer a mediator of sorts, the site can help you to find other persons and/or businesses who are looking to barter and offer their goods as well as services.
Another issue that could emerge would be a difference in values of said goods or services. You need to be aware of the value of your goods or services as well as the value of others offerings. For example, if you’re looking to barter for auto repairs, it may be useful to you to shop around at local auto repair shops to obtain a reasonable price for the services you require. When it comes down to negotiating, you will have a better understanding of the value of what you need and what you can or will offer in return.
Where to find others willing to barter
There are many places online and offline where you can find others who are looking to barter. The aforementioned site, Florida Barter is an excellent site with an extensive list of businesses who are ready and willing to negotiate. If you join Florida Barter, contact us and we will get you a $100 Barter Dollar bonus for becoming a member, which is free! If you’re not local to Florida, an easy Google search may turn up a local barter site that may fit your needs. Another site that is great for bartering would be the one and only, Craigslist. There are thousands of users looking to barter services and goods here. More than likely, there is a specific section of Craigslist dedicated to your city or one nearby.
If you’re not a fan of Craigslist or are having trouble finding a local bartering site, there is always Facebook. As Facebook continues to grow its user base, they’re also expanding their services. From bartering groups to the new Facebook marketplace, there are plenty of ways to search for other users looking to barter.
If you prefer the old fashioned way, you could always ask friends or family. One of the benefits here would be that you know exactly who you are dealing with and generally know if they are trustworthy or not.
How can I get started with bartering?
If you have questions regarding bartering or would like help setting your business up for bartering, Online Presence Manager is here to help! You can give us a call toll-free at 727-475-6460 or use our contact page to reach us.
