[慢速VOA] 交换网站与以货易货(2)[080816]
No Money Down: Give-and-Take Sites and Bartering Exchanges (2/2)
Now there are more than fourteen thousand members. In addition to Freecycle, there are many similar Web sites such as reuseitnetwork.org and freesharing.org.
Other Web sites let users exchange goods and services, or barter. In this ancient form of trade, no money changes hands.
At first, bartering took place as an exchange between two people. But modern bartering is more complex and is commonly done between businesses. It uses a third party -- a trade exchange company -- to help carry out the barter deal. Trade exchanges permit users to trade goods or services for credits. Businesses can trade these credits for other goods or services. Trade exchange companies usually make money from fees paid by members and by receiving a percentage of the value of barter deals. Bartering helps companies save money, move unused products and connect with new buyers.
Two main trade groups serve the barter exchange industry. They are the National Association of Trade Exchanges and the International Reciprocal Trade Association. Both have separate systems of credits that make bartering easier. It is estimated that more than four hundred fifty thousand businesses use bartering in some form.
