The Food Channel released their top ten trends in the food industry today. Number nine on the list was bartering. According to their site, the anticipate an upswing in direct and organized trade as cooks and restaurants attempt to fill empty seats and keep doors open.
In fact, BizXchange and Craigslist are specifically mentioned in the article:
It’s not a straight trade anymore, because people have come to realize that what one person makes may not be what the other person needs. But someone out there needs it—that’s why barter-exchange companies like BizXchange are springing up to redefine banking with “trade dollars.”
We predict that we’ll all see more of the barter system come into play now that technology can assist with the connections. You see it on everything from Craig’s List to Bright Neighbor. We’ll be trading skill and time for food, and vice versa. Not necessarily one-to-one, but through new networks made possible by technology.
We’ll also see a version of barter during this holiday season, as we exchange our old idea of a retail gift for a homemade dish. That giant red bow you used to see on top of a car? Put it on a casserole dish with the recipe attached. Exchange a little food comfort with your friends—beyond cookies; think homemade soups that you’ve frozen and paired with a loaf of homemade bread. And think a box of tomatoes in exchange for babysitting. It’s a simple idea that starts simply, and that we will embrace like never before.
See the full story at http://foodchannel.com/stories/2163-9-food-trend-for-2010-will-trade-for-food
Yes, the old age tradition of bartering has it’s limitations while a barter trade exchange gives more options and casts a wider net for trade owners.
I have helped restaurants in my exchange barter their empty seats for car rental, for advertisements in magazines, for TVs etc
Barter is the way to go….conserve your cash and trade it instead.
Amir Esa
Barter Trade With Amir