Comments on: Which Is Better, Direct or Indirect Trading?

By: Carl Buchanan

Carl Buchanan — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 20:53:07 +0000

Bob:
I agree with you in that a company in the process of exploring barter should consider trading through an organized barter group.

My company has traded for 25 years and the majority of barter we do is indirect trading. But we always keep our eyes open for additional business through direct trades. I have even taken an inventory I acquired in a direct trade and sold it for trade dollars.

By: Bob Meyer

Bob Meyer — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 03:54:05 +0000

Thanks for the comment Carl. It’s been several years since we’ve had a chance to talk face-to-face. Looking forward to some more conversations when I get up your way.

By: Chris Benton

Chris Benton — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 04:57:34 +0000

I think it all depends on the situation.

If you find someone to do a direct trade with whom you benefit as much as they do with you then a direct trade will work just fine. In most cases though the direct trade doesn’t work because it doesn’t benefit both sides the same way.

Through a trade exchange, it benefits both sides the same way because you use trade dollars just like you would cash. So in my opinion if you find that perfect trade then that is the best way to go (maybe 1% of the time that will happpen), otherwise through a trade exchange just makes good business sense.

Chris Benton

By: Matthew Humphreys

Matthew Humphreys — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 03:20:04 +0000

The Barter Industry has more in-fighting than modern-day religion. We spend most of our time living in fear, working overtime to herd cats instead of building what we have to be bigger and better.

Direct trade happens when it makes sense to the parties involved OR, if they don’t have an ethical relationship with their barter group.

Trade Exchanges exist because we make barter work better in most cases like the money system makes business better.

We tell our members that a direct trade that makes sense is a great deal as long as it is ethical. If we created the relationship and the deal, we deserve the business and they usually do the right thing.

When they don’t do the right thing, we remind them that they have offended the Barter God and will be punished…