Find out more about bartering

BY ROBIN SHEAR

Special to The Miami Herald

Bartering done through trade exchanges accounts for about $2 to $3 billion annually in the United States, estimates former New York Yankee Robert B. Meyer, publisher of trade publication BarterNews since 1979, now BarterNews.com.

Bellevue, Washington-headquartered ITEX Corp. has numerous South Florida franchises. The public trade exchange, a rarity, boasts $270 million worth of cashless business transactions in North America and reported an 11 percent revenue increase from $10.7 million in 2007 to $11.9 million in 2008 for the first nine months of its fiscal year.

The International Reciprocal Trade Association's 29th Annual Barter Congress is set for Sept. 22-25 at the Westgate River Ranch Resort outside of Orlando.

Here are some resources on bartering:

 Barternews.com

 National Association of Trade Exchanges, nate.org

 International Reciprocal Trade Association

 TradeFirst.com: 1480 S.W. 3rd Street, Suite 7, Pompano Beach; 954-781-5000

 ITEX in Boynton Beach: Barter Depot, 8192 White Rock Circle, Boynton Beach; 561-731-3434; http://305720.itex.com/

 ITEX in Plantation: RBB Trade Inc., 1251 Southwest 68th Ave., Plantation; 954-337-2183; http://305292.itex.com/

 ITEX in Plantation: 4350 West Sunrise Boulevard, #111, Plantation; 954-587-7001; http://305940.itex.com/

 Reciprocal Marketing Sources: 451 SW 5th Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315; 954-828-9750; e-mail: perry@reciprocalmarketing-rms.com

 Tradesource -- Florida: 409 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd, Hallandale Beach, 954-927-7447, www.tradesourcefl.com