A Multi-Billion Dollar Industry

According to an International Trade Association it is estimated that 8 out of 10 corporations now utilize some form of barter and may actually be building it into their plans. The association estimates just in the U.S. , over 470,000 companies actively participate in barter for a total of over $12 billion in annual sales. Over 65% of the corporations listed in the New York Stock Exchange are presently using Barter to reduce surplus inventory and bolster sales and to ensure that production facilities run at near capacity. The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that 20 to 25% of world trade is now barter, and corporate barter is now a 20 billion dollar industry. Barter continues to carve out an important place in the U.S. and world economy.