I'll Trade You...
Shaky economy gives bartering a boost.

By Rebecca Ross
 
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA — Michelle Abrams wanted some nice family portraits. Professionally-shot photos can be costly, so the 34-year-old Navarre, Florida, resident polled her online pals at PensacolaMomsLikeMe.com to see if anyone was interested in making a trade. "I'd seen the Craigslist bartering site online, so I knew other people were bartering for goods and services" Abrams said. "I thought it would be interesting to try, especially in this economy."

Her curiosity paid off. Abrams, a Mary Kay representative, found a barter partner in Elizabeth Sloman, an independent photographer in Pensacola. Sloman agreed to trade about an hour's worth of her photography skills for a selection of Abrams' Mary Kay products. "I saw it as an excellent opportunity to get a great amount of Christmas shopping done without spending a penny" Sloman, 29, said. "I knocked out four people minimum on my Christmas list."

Thanks to a shaky economy and the social networking opportunities on the internet, the ancient art of bartering is a hot topic. On the Pensacola barter section of Craigslist.org, an online advertisement site, a mind-boggling variety of trades are listed. One recent poster offered a diamond bracelet in exchange for a designer purse. Another sought to swap his computer repair skills for a bilge pump.

But not everyone is comfortable haggling with anonymous internet strangers, Sloman, an experienced trader, said. "I think most people prefer dealing with people they know, or at least feel acquainted with" she said. "I see a lot of bartering going in online moms groups, for baby clothes or toys. At least there, you know you've got a whole online community to step in if something goes wrong."

Thanks to her online friendship with Sloman, Abrams' first bartering experience was a positive one. "I can see myself doing this again" she said. "I'd definitely recommend everyone give it a try."

Area businesses have been bartering products and services for years. The Gulf Coast Trade Exchange, established in 1977, is a barter network of about 500 businesses along the Gulf Coast. Members earn barter dollars by "selling" goods and services to other member businesses. "Businesses pay to join, then we set them up with an account very much like a bank account, in which we track all transactions with other members" GCTE owner Fran Crumpton said. "We then charge a 10 percent commission on their trades."

Crumpton said that some of the most popular barters are for advertising, printing, fine dining and vision services. "It's a great way for local businesses to network and save money, which is a big concern these days" she said. "I think we're on the verge of this kind of trade exchange really take off."

Tips for trading;
Be Specific: Be specific on what you have to offer and what you want.
Be Fair: Be sure you're both trading products or services of fair and equal value.
Keep Records: Keep a written record of your trades. Treat it like an actual sale.
Communicate: Keep in contact with the person you are trading with.
Look For Trades In Appropriate Places: There are several different ways you can seek out what you need. Message boards and online groups are popular options; many sites have a special section just for bartering.
Be Safe: Meet in a public place, tell a friend where you are going and bring your cell phone and a friend with you.