Features

Is Barter Black

Exchanging goods for goods, goods for services or vice-versa may be the next best thing to salvage your business for accruing losses. In the face of tight liquidity conditions, the barter system is catching up as an alternative to the conventional business transactions. 
 
Singapore has come as a pioneer in taking up the old world mechanism which is queerly but efficiently working its way to help small and medium enterprises to come together and barter trade their excessive inventory in return for things which they will otherwise use cash to buy. However this transaction is not through one-to-one direct barter. Barter is facilitated through two online barter exchanges- Barter Vista and BarterXchange. 
 
At Barter Vista business owners, especially small and medium enterprises come together to barter trade their products. At present Barter Vista have about 400 members. 
 
From business to beauty, there is something for everyone on the barter websites. Users of the website pay a onetime joining fee of $520. Members who offer their services earn a barter currency which can be traded for products or services. For every transaction conducted, Barter Vista charges a cash commission. 
 
The most popularly traded services are printing, marketing, public relations and advertising. In these times when businesses are having a hard time with their cash flows, barter trading can be useful for those with spare capacity or facing the down time.  Chew Chee Yong, Managing Director of Barter Vista expects the site's trade volume and membership to double by the end of 2009.