For one thing, contrary to popular belief, using barter e-marketplaces isn't a way to avoid paying taxes. The value of barter sales is taxable and reported by e-marketplaces to tax authorities. In addition, experts say, relying too much on barter e-marketplaces is risky. So, it's not clear which, if any, will survive. Participants can offer to trade just about anything on sites such as BarterTrust's.
Some companies even trade bad debt.
The BarterTrust dollars reflect the real U.S. dollar market value of the items and services up for auction. On BarterTrust, as on many of the new barter e-marketplaces, sellers decide the value of the goods and services offered. Sellers also decide if they're willing to negotiate on the price they've set or if the price is fixed. But issues such as fulfillment are generally left up to the buyer and seller to work out. Officials at companies like IMG, however, say the fees are small considering the return.