$12 Billion Barter Industry is New Secret Weapon for U.S. Small Businesses

2011-03-22 09:08:05 -

Glendale, AZ, March 21, 2011 - Every business needs a secret weapon. From tech companies with amazing gadgetry to brand marketers with hard-hitting promotions, secret weapons can turn a decent business into a powerful growth company.

In the great recession, many entrepreneurs and businesses moved to alternate economic methods to build customer growth and grow their companies in order to

survive. Many have found solace in trading goods and services for barter instead of dollars, leading to the renewed growth of barter among companies. One of the oldest forms of deal-making, barter trading has skyrocketed in recent years as a means of getting businesses to work more closely with each other on the exchange of goods and services.

"Bartering has become a big growth business, one that's expected to grow into a $20-billion annual global business," says Brian Beal, Partner of Value Card Alliance, one of the US's fastest-growing barter trade exchanges. "The economy has made many entrepreneurs open to new ways of doing business and we expect growth of barter to grow exponentially."

Barter trading for goods and services accounts for approximately 30% of the world's total business (U.S. Department of Commerce). Approximately 400,000 businesses are involved in organized barter through barter exchanges. There are approximately 600 commercial and corporate barter companies serving all parts of the world. Approximately 100 of the most professional trade exchanges are members of International Reciprocal Trade Association. IRTA estimates that the 400,000 participating businesses transacted $12 billion globally in 2009/2010 — and it is anticipated that the trade volume will grow another 5 to 10% in 2011.

Because general business budgets have become restricted, companies have looked to other means to create value. Using the Value Card Alliance, entrepreneurs and businesses join a network of over 50,000 to create added value in doing business. Mr. Beal states "All businesses have been hit pretty hard, but we all have to pick ourselves up and adjust. It takes creativity, ingenuity, and ideas. The world of barter is a way to open the doors to a number of new opportunities that weren't previously on the table."

Value Card Alliance (VCA) members prefer to purchase goods and services using VCA trading dollars within its system, as opposed to non-member suppliers who only deal in cash. Using the VCA system results in increased sales opportunities for members and new customers outside their normal geographic market because VCA members go out of their way to buy from another VCA member. VCA business owners work in the network for others' goods and services, or to turn products into cash. And that cash is very, very real.

"Our company is getting up to 5 or more sign ups each day and many are big reputable companies," says Value Card Alliance partner, Christie Acevedo. "These are signs that the barter industry is being more widely embraced by the mainstream. It truly is becoming the secret weapon for the new economic reality."

Press contact information
Christie Acevedo
cacevedo@valuecardalliance.com
602-308-0385
www.valuecardalliance.com