I occasionally barter websites in exchange for goods and
services...
What I like about barter is that
it can be a fun adventure that introduces me to businesses,
services, and products I perhaps wouldn't have discovered
otherwise. Also, bartering
with a business makes our relationship different than the normal
business/customer relationship. We become associates exchanging our things of value with
each other.
A fair trade...
One thing I've noticed about
people and barter is that they sometimes misunderstand barter and
barter lists. For instance, it seems fairly common to think
I'll trade say $1200 in website work for a set of $485 outdoor
fireplace because the outdoor fireplace is one of the things on my
list. However, that's not the way it goes. It's retail
value for retail value. If it's within a couple hundred
bucks, and I don't need cash at all, I might decide to take it
anyway, but
I'll decide that on a case-by-case basis. If you have one of
the items on my list and it's not equal to what I'm giving you in
return,
then perhaps you have something else you can offer to make up the
difference or you can pay cash on the difference.
A real life illustration...
There once was a lady who
answered a barter ad I ran who worked at a La Creuset store and
could get the pans I was looking for with her employee discount (let's say it's 30%).
A set of La Creuset cookware was in my list. A basic 5-piece
pan set retails for about $350, so I had a list of stuff I wanted
to fill the gap after that in exchange for the $1200 in web site I
was giving her. She told me she was going to buy
my pan set so we could get the work started. I gave her a
list of items and colors I wanted. She was offended and
flaked because I was asking for too much stuff. "Wait a
minute", I said... "we haven't even approached the $500 mark,
let alone $1,000... I thought we were doing a fair trade".
She thought we were doing a trade where she'd get
$1200 worth of website services for a retail value of $350!
With her store discount $1200 worth of pans would only have cost
her $840. I didn't expect her to spend $1200, but I expected to
get $1200 worth of pans since she was getting $1200 worth of work
out of me. I don't care if she only paid a dollar for them
as long as the retail price was a match. This is why La
Creuset cookware is still on my list ;).
Things I'm willing to barter
for provided it's good quality stuff:
(not listed in any order of priority)
General Stuff
- If you own a restaurant, we can trade
a website for meals at your restaurant. I love to dine out.
I even write reviews!
- If you are a hotel/motel owner, you
can give me room stays and/or conference room rentals in exchange for
your website. I have family that comes into town occasionally or
want to get out of my house for a day or so sometimes. I actually have a pretty significant need for
conference room rentals in various local towns (Gilroy, Morgan Hill, San
Jose, Hollister, perhaps even Salinas, Watsonville and Monterey) because
I hold workshops in all these areas.
- Your artwork. I'm an artist
myself and love collecting the works of other artists. Of course,
I have to love it in order to feel like it's a good trade. **I'm
not generally interested in art a non-artist may have laying around.
- Contractors and sub-contractors... I
might need some work done. This might be limited until I'm a
homeowner or start rehabbing houses more often. I can use a
handyman on a lot of occasions even now and sometimes need someone to go
pick up furniture or something big for me.
- Are you a nail, hair or day spa?
I use manicure and pedicure services all the time as well as eyebrow
waxing. I'd also use hair services like hair cuts, colors, and
perms.
- Service providers like accountants,
financial planners, doctors, lawyers, tax preparers, grant writers,
notaries, housekeeping services - you name it, I could probably use it.
- If you're a seamstress, we can
definitely make a deal. I sometimes need alterations, but mostly
when I buy a pair of pants or a top I like, I want to have some more
like them made, perhaps with some changes and in different fabrics.
I have a very tiny build which makes it hard to find clothes that fit
really great, so I'm totally open to custom made clothing as well.
I also have wacky ideas for clothes or accessories I'd like made.
Additionally, I have some handbag designs in my head that I'd like to
have made so I can sell them. We can work a deal.
- Electronics like televisions, DVD
players, video recorders, web cams, digital cameras, projector for my
laptop, desktop computers,
notebook computers (laptops), related items, game consoles and games, audio
equipment and the like. I also like things like PSP's, Zune's,
IPods, etc.
- Appliances are great such as new (or
like new, as in still have the receipt and no damage, etc.)
refrigerators, freezers, cooking appliances, washers, dryers,
dishwashers, etc.
- Furniture. I'm into
leather pieces, microfiber pieces - all kinds of furniture. As for wood furniture, I have a
special taste for the rough-hewn grace of Mexican pieces or similar.
I like strap hinges and related things.
- Outdoor Furniture and garden/yard
accessories. Decorative items, functional items, chimineas or
outdoor fireplaces, outdoor kitchens - you name it. For instance I
need one of those nice metal canopies with the drop down bug screens, an
air bed, and other related outside stuff.
- If you're in the fashion business, I
love clothes and shoes. Same with jewelry, particularly handmade
jewelry.
- Hearing aids... If you have a
hearing aids business, I could greatly use your products and services
since I am hearing impaired myself.
- Optometrists... I'm a prescription
eye glasses
wearer. Call me. 'Nuff said.
- Cobblers, shoe repair, watch repair
and related services. I can use you, but you'll probably need to augment
with cash or something else unless your site is pretty small or really
simple.
- Office furniture like desks, file
cabinets, chairs, conference room stuff, cubicle systems/dividers, nice
folding tables, etc. Even used as long as it looks great.
- Office equipment like conference room
white boards, projectors, copy machines, printers, etc.
- Office supplies like paper, toner, ink
cartridges for printers, staples, paper clips, pens, etc. - the typical
stuff.
- Kitchen items. Cookware, kitchen gadgets, flatware,
dishes, etc.
- Health Club Memberships... if you have
a health club we can trade a family membership as well as other
services to meet the total cost of the site OR we can trade used, but
good condition, gym equipment from your gym.
- Books, music, movies... if you've got
a store or something we can work something out.
- Home rental - waive the cost of
my deposit and we have a deal!
Automotive
- Auto body work and paint. I
collect old school BMW's, Mercedes, and Jaguars and I usually need them
painted. In fact, I have a need for paint on my 1985 BMW 325E.
I'm not looking for anything racy... just a dignified shiny black or
very dark metallic gray or even a flat black wrap (like a batman car
lol).
- Auto window tinting so I can protect
the interiors of these older cars as well as give them a little dignity.
- Auto parts and accessories... I'm
always fixing up my cars with nice, little touches like new interior
trim pieces, shift boot covers, seat covers, dash mats, those air shield
things for windows, etc. and replacing things an old car needs.
- Auto repair services for
European cars such as BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar. I have a mechanic I
love already, but I know at least one of my cars will need a new
engine (well it can be a rebuilt engine as long as I'll get another
couple hundred thousand miles out of it).
- Tires and wheels for the
aforementioned European cars.
- And speaking of cars, if you have a
great looking older model of BMW, Mercedes, or Jaguar with straight,
decent body, great interior for its age, and had no trouble passing
smog, I might be willing to trade for your car. I'm very petite,
so I prefer cars of the pre-airbag generation (that's when all the great
body styles were anyway). I might be interested in something more
recent if it's compelling enough. I'm not looking for anything I
have to fix to get it running or anything I have to tow. It needs
to be ready to roll as it is, but just needs some TLC, minor cosmetic
fixes, and good maintenance. I might be open to salvage title,
but the rest of the car would have to be stellar for salvage title to
look good to me.
- Auto upholstery services.
As I said, I like to collect old European cars and often the interiors
are not so great anymore.
If you don't see
what you have on the list of things I want...
...it doesn't mean I don't want
it. It may just mean that I don't know I need it or want it
until you tell me about it :D. Granted, it may also mean I
don't have a use for it, but my point is that you never know until
you ask. If you want to barter for a website and your item
isn't on my list, write me and ask if I'm interested. You
just never know.
There may be times I either
don't have a need at that particular time or I need cash more than I need
whatever's on my list...
First off, someone else may
already be providing me the item or service you want to trade me
for a website. However, if that's the case, I'll let you
know. I try to take things off my list when I get them, but
you might write when something is in process.
Secondly, my first priority is
always cash. However, I'm very open to barter. The better
business is, the more open I am to barter. I know many
people are the opposite - they barter when they're desperate.
However, I can really only afford to barter when paying work is
abundant.
Want me to take
your barter offer, but I say no because I need the cash?
Here is one solution... Find me a
paying website customer or someone that needs a residential or
commercial mortgage (the person needing a mortgage must be
prepared to move on it now and must close their mortgage with me
in order for it to benefit you) and I'll take your barter offer.
Ask me for details if you're interested in this.
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