| Since time began, bartering was existent. If you | | | | not need 10 bags of potatoes for your work on |
| give me two of your loaves of bread, I'll give you | | | | Joe's accounts. It wouldn't be a fair trade. The |
| a basket of cherries - or perhaps a ride into town | | | | accountant's fees are much higher than the price |
| on your donkey for a this sack of onions. And | | | | of fruit and veg. It could take a truck full of veg |
| then there's the most famous barter in folklore - | | | | to pay the accountant. It doesn't take a genius to |
| a cow for a bag of magic beans! Jack knew when | | | | figure out that this trade would not work. |
| he was on a winner. | | | | However, once there is an equitable way to |
| These days we all still do it in smaller ways every | | | | trade, the whole world of business takes on a |
| day. Just watch the average school playground | | | | brand new shine. If your business is part of an |
| during lunch break. A ham and tomato for a sushi | | | | exchange where all business members agree that |
| roll; a bag of crisps for a muesli bar and so on. | | | | one trade dollar is equal to one local dollar (AUD, |
| Even in the big wide world of business it still | | | | USD, YEN etc) then the real game can begin. |
| happens too. | | | | If I need a new office fitout, for example, and I |
| One of the most famous trades, barters or | | | | want to preserve my cash, I go to my exchange |
| exchanges was done on behalf of the Pepsi | | | | directory and ring another business who agrees to |
| Corporation. Pepsi, of course, wishing to extend | | | | work by using barter dollars. In this way, I get to |
| the reaches of its empire into Russia in 1976, | | | | improve my business environment without using |
| went into negotiations with Russia to set up | | | | cash. I preserve my cash funds for other |
| bottling plants and distribution centres. Russia was | | | | purposes and instead of feeling the squeeze |
| OK with that, but what it really wanted was to | | | | during tough times, I can put my cash and barter |
| sell its Vodka internationally. Instead of money | | | | to use to continue growing my business, |
| changing hands, these two giants on the world | | | | increasing my income and growing my wealth at a |
| stage, brokered a barter deal that is still talked | | | | faster rate than would be possible otherwise. |
| about 30 years on. Pepsi agreed to sell Vodka and | | | | So, why isn't everyone doing it? Because they |
| Russia agreed to the introduction of Pepsi to the | | | | don't know enough about it. Now that you're |
| country. | | | | better informed, you can do it too. It is the same |
| Pepsi now, in Russia, has the biggest production | | | | as any other business transaction but without the |
| plant in the world, and Stolichnaya Vodka is also | | | | minus in your bank account. It is now one of the |
| doing very nicely. | | | | fastest new ways of doing business and |
| So how can you make barter work for you in | | | | becoming successful. So what are you waiting |
| your business? If you're an accountant you may | | | | for? |