What Is Barter?

Barter or trade is a powerful tool that represents a solution for companies with available inventory or services. By accepting payment in trade dollars instead of cash, a business maximizes their efficiency by increasing inventory turnover or billable hours. Using the trade dollars earned, that company can purchase goods or services they want – without paying cash.

A Multi-Billion Dollar Industry

According to the International Reciprocal Trade Association (IRTA) estimates just in the U.S., over 470,000 companies actively participate in barter for a total of over $12 billion in annual sales. Over 65% of the corporations listed in the New York Stock Exchange are presently using Barter to reduce surplus inventory and bolster sales and to ensure that production facilities run at near capacity. The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that 20 to 25% of world trade is now barter, and corporate barter is now a 20 billion dollar industry. Barter continues to carve out an important place in the U.S. and world economy.

How does barter work with a trade exchange?

A West Coast Barter consultant works with you to bring your company new sales and increased market share, to move available inventory and to minimize cash outlay for everyday business expenses. Clients of an exchange use trade dollars, instead of cash, to handle their transactions.

West Coast Barter provides you with an alternate distribution network. You can charge retail value for goods and services in trade dollars, instead of selling them for reduced rates in cash or having them go unsold. An exchange acts as a third-party record keeper, providing clients with monthly statements that reflect all trade purchases and sales and show the current trade-dollar balance.

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