In the early days of the commercial barter industry, barter company owners didn’t cooperate or even communicate with one another. This issue’s cover story related how that began changing, as our article about the National Association of Trade Exchange’s (NATE) Third Annual Convention indicated.

One of the highlights of that convention was the attendance of three outsiders, from firms that each did hundreds-of-thousands of dollars annually through trade exchanges. The three were representatives from a fine art dealer, a 4-color printer, and a new car (more…)

California’s top barter companies were the focus of this issue’s cover story, “California’s Top Independents Unite.” We took an in-depth look at how the ten independents throughout California cooperatively worked together for the betterment of their clients. In addition we related each of the companies’ unique strengths.

An exceptional story, and the only one written on this topic in the 25-years of our publication, illustrated how a corporate barter company could actively and positively interact with a trade exchange. It was written by (more…)

The tenacious architect and father of the U.S. commercial barter industry, Mac McConnell, was the focus of this issue’s 22-page cover story. A candid interview with him, tackling a variety of topics, revealed his opinions on why the barter industry hasn’t attained the stature many foresaw in the late 1970s. McConnell, with 27 years in the industry behind him at the time of this interview in 1986, was a fervent believer that barter’s the greatest business tool around. After reading his comments it’s very hard to disagree (more…)

One of barter’s elite salesmen, TradeAmericanCard’s Paul Orozco, was the subject of this issue’s cover story. His “on the street” insights regarding the small business owner in the U.S. was most revealing.

We also talked with the irrepressible Mike Ames, founder of TradeAmericanCard in Orange County (CA)…one of the largest and oldest independent barter companies in the country. We learned from Ames how he built his barter company one client at a time.

Marc Rousso, a millionaire stamp collector, detailed his bartering efforts for homes, yachts and jets! Then (more…)

Mike Gershman, the author of Smarter Barter, follows up last issue’s interview with a most provocative article, “Only Suckers Pay Cash For Broadcast Advertising!” You won’t want to miss his insights and startling conclusions.

Have you ever taken a three-week vacation on barter? Our two adventuresome staff members take off on a fascinating journey from Southern California all the way up the beautiful coast to one of the most fascinating cities in the world, Vancouver, Canada. As you read this article you’ll not only be amazed at what they found along the way in the way of restaurants and accommodations, you will (more…)

Ever thought about a Windjammer cruise on barter? We did, and then sent two staff members down to the Bahamas for a personal six-day adventure. And what a trip it was, as they mingled and detailed the thoughts of the other thirty people on board who also (it turned out) bartered for their passage!

One of the more popular stories we’ve published is in this issue, “An Inside Look At How The Media/Travel Barter Broker Works.” A lot of insights were not only provided, but some new ways were suggested of looking at both sides of the (more…)

This was our largest issue published, 160 pages, with much of it devoted to a most energizing subject, travel! A wide variety of travel was covered…from bartering for cruises on ocean-going sailboats on up to the major cruise lines. We took an in-depth look at home exchanges, including contacts for 10 companies providing such services. Also detailed was how to barter for a (more…)

Back in the mid-1980s two popular trading commodities were art and gemstones. In this 132-page issue we took an in-depth look at the bartering of both items. (We’ve never seen this information available anywhere else in our 25 years of covering the commercial barter industry.)

The cover story and interview with artist Michael Whipple is a classic! His embracement of barter enabled him to move from obscurity onto (more…)

Here is a look at Issue #6 of BarterNews…

One of the founding pillars of the commercial barter industry was the first executive director of IATE (now IRTA), Paul Suplizio. We interviewed the 55-year-old executive director and West Point alumnus. It was an exciting time for commercial barter, which is very evident when reading this extensive 17-page far-ranging interview with Suplizio, covering and dissecting the many challenges as well as accomplishments of the young (more…)

What goes around comes around…Issue #5 of BarterNews published in 1983 has some excellent advice for us today given our economic challenges…

Moreton Binn, one of the most creative corporate barter company executives, and the founder of Atwood Richards—for decades the largest and highest profile barter company in the world—shared his thoughts on “The Role Of Barter During A Recession.”

We interviewed Tolfe Lee Albert, the West Coast VP of the William B. Tanner Company. In this extensive 9-page coverage we illustrated three ways of bartering which included (more…)