An Overview

• Can you use new business?
• Do you have un/underutilized products or services?
• Do you have products and services you need to purchase for your business?
• Are you finding it difficult to compete with the "big boys" with the "deep pockets"?
• Wouldn't you like to have a competitive edge?

Barter is an excellent way to get the new clients you need to grow your business. Barter can help you utilize your products and services more fully. Barter allows you to purchase some of the products and services you need for your business without spending cash. This article will give you an overview of how you can use Barter to grow your business.

WHAT IS BARTER?

Barter, also referred to simply as trade, is the oldest form of commerce or business in the world. Barter is simply the exchange of one product or service for another without the exchange of cash. Described another way ? barter is using what you have to get what you want or need. Virtually all of us have experienced barter, particularly in our youth ? trading baseball cards, doll clothes, etc. Businesses of all kinds and all sizes, from home-based, self-employed companies to multi-billion dollar corporations, are trading more than ever for a wide variety of products and services. Barter is now a multi-billion dollar per year global industry. Herein, we will show you how you can take advantage of the opportunities afforded by barter to grow your business.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

There are a number of ways and types of barter that you can utilize to grow your business. The two types of barter that are the most accessible and easiest to utilize are discussed herein. They are Direct Trade, or one-on-one trading, and trade via a retail Trade or Barter Exchange.

Direct Trade, or one-on-one trading, is where you offer to trade your product or service with a business owner or professional who offers a product or service that you want. An example would be a restaurant owner who offers to trade a certain number of meals to a printer to have their flyers printed.

A Trade or Barter Exchange is a network of business owners and professionals who have agreed to offer their products and services on a trade basis to other clients of the exchange. The exchange markets your products and services to the other exchange clients. Utilizing a Trade/Barter Exchange is usually the most efficient manner to maximize the benefits of barter for your business since you do not have to negotiate and account for each trade yourself.

WHICH PRODUCTS AND SERVICES CAN YOU BARTER?

Anything that can be sold or bought on a cash basis can also be bought or sold through barter. Many people will buy your products or service, or more of it, on a trade basis when they would not do so on a cash basis, due to cash flow, their buying discount with trade, etc.

The retail business can be exciting! We know because every year about this time, our warehouse starts filling up with a variety of products from the businesses with whom we deal –mostly Texans – but from around the country as well. Our goal is to be able to supplement your holiday and year-end shopping needs for family, friends, employees, business acquaintances and charities.

Through MerchanTrade, you should be able to put a good sized dent in your quest to not only save cash, but also make someone you know smile with a thoughtful gift. Our hours in the warehouse will gradually increase to accommodate the demand through the holidays,. However, because much of our inventory is unique, it would be wise to start buying early in September and October. So much of what is available in these two months may no longer be here in November and December.

For your shopping convenience, we will be able to accommodate some shipping requests, but for the most part, you will need to come to the warehouse to load up. It is worth your effort. To facilitate your choices, we will be including pictures with descriptions of much of our inventory in the weekly email, so be sure to click on the link provided to see what’s in our warehouse at any given time.

If you see something you like online, be sure to call us so we can put “SOLD” on that item for you. We operate on a “first come, first served” basis, so be aggressive if there is something you really want. You can be assured the prices will be comparable to regular retail or better so you will be saving as opposed to paying cash for it elsewhere. Our commitment is to keep the prices fair so you know you’re getting your moneys’ worth.

Let’s face it, if you are not truly saving money by shopping here, you shouldn’t be buying. However, we are confident you will find that making the trip to shop in our warehouse will be a profitable venture for you.

Look for our advertised warehouse hours in this newsletter and in our weekly emails. In the upcoming months, we will be buying inventory with you in mind so be sure and participate. You’ve earned the ability to shop this way! We’ll see you there!!!

IS THERE A GENERAL RULE ABOUT HOW MEMBERS WIND UP ON THE "DO NOT AUTHORIZE " LIST?

As you might expect, being listed on the “Do Not Authorize” list is about failure to pay MerchanTrade fees in a timely manner. Let me give you one scenario...

A member buys a $1000 worth of furniture from a MerchanTrade member on July 10th, 2010. They understand that a $100 fee (10% of 1000) will be due to MerchanTrade at the end of August 2010 (because the MerchanTrade statement will not be sent to them until August 1st – and it is not actually due until August 31, 2010).

If they have not paid the $100 by September 1st, (by the date of the next statement), they are charged an additional 3% one-time late penalty on what they bought back on July 10th, 2010. Their total fee is now $130.

If no attempt is then made by the buyer to pay anything toward this fee, the member is put on the “Do Not Authorize” list as of October 1st, 2010, and is not allowed to spend until all past due fees have been paid.

In addition, as a consequence of that member’s history of not paying fees until forced, MerchanTrade reserves the right to require prepayment of future fees before purchases will be allowed to clear.