Bartercard
Author
Discussion

UKBob

Original Poster:

16,277 posts

288 months

Wednesday 15th February 2006
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Has anyone heard of or used this service. I saw an ad in a business paper and it looks interesting.

john75

5,303 posts

270 months

Wednesday 15th February 2006
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Look interesting sounds rather like the LETS Local Exchange Trading systems that became so popular amoung the green movement in the mid 1990's

mybrainhurts

90,809 posts

278 months

Wednesday 15th February 2006
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Is it based in Nigeria...?

UKBob

Original Poster:

16,277 posts

288 months

Wednesday 15th February 2006
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mybrainhurts said:
Is it based in Nigeria...?
No no, its safe. You just send the signup fee to nigeria.

FUGatso

563 posts

255 months

Wednesday 15th February 2006
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Was pitched to by a very nice Australian gentleman who wore too much Argos jewellery and took my business acumen for granted (jeans and a t-shirt doesn't mean I'm not a businessman Prck)

The concept seemed sound until right at the death, fees and percentages were discussed. Thought it was a load of old tosh myself.

IMHO

Smallend

431 posts

260 months

Wednesday 15th February 2006
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UKBob said:
Has anyone heard of or used this service. I saw an ad in a business paper and it looks interesting.

Bob - Meeting them tomorrow - I'll let you know!
Mail via the profile if you want

Thelemming

4,319 posts

288 months

Wednesday 15th February 2006
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Used to work in the same building as the UK operation in Milton Keynes. All I can add is from a personal rather than a business point of view they seemed like a nice bunch.

carsarecool

4,455 posts

262 months

Wednesday 15th February 2006
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I'm a member and have been for about 14 months.

Basically,you get a credit line of £5 - £10k to spend on almost anything.

Once you spend, Bartercard get you business to repay the debt.

If I spend £10k on advertising/printing/car servicing etc etc etc... I repay the loan with £10k of office furniture business that Bartercard get me.

On furniture, we can make 50%Gross Profit, so the loan is repaid at half the cost, but you have to be canny when spending, as some members may inflate their prices to increase their own GP levels to repay their debt lines.

Basically, it works well. Cost to my business, £15 per month and approx 5% transaction charges. Plus joining fee.

Have a look. It works for some businesses with high GP levels, not so good if you have a lower GP percentage.

If you need any more info, PM me from my profile.

Cheers,

Mart

UKBob

Original Poster:

16,277 posts

288 months

Wednesday 15th February 2006
quotequote all
Smallend said:
UKBob said:
Has anyone heard of or used this service. I saw an ad in a business paper and it looks interesting.

Bob - Meeting them tomorrow - I'll let you know!
Mail via the profile if you want
It sounds interesting. Let me know, and thanks - yhm.

UKBob

Original Poster:

16,277 posts

288 months

Monday 20th February 2006
quotequote all
Im going to sign up Aside from the £1000-£1500 joining fee, the benefits are as follows:

1) They turn on business for you like a tap. If you want a slow steady trickle they make sure the business comes in. If you want more enquiries than you could ever possibly hope to deal with, they'll make sure you get them. Its free business basically, and you can have as much new business as you want or think you can deal with. It does sound too good to be true - but apparently, its all good stuff, so long as you have the time to deal with whatever new business they find you.

2) The network is sufficiently large to enable you to buy anything. Houses, holidays, flights, electronics, white goods, food, whatever. If you make 50% margin on your own businesses' products, then everything you buy will be at a 50% discount. And its business you would otherwise not have had, all for free (except the signup fee) and as mentioned above, after speaking to them today, it really does seem to be a case of them being able to send you more business than you can deal with, you just need to ask for more or less

I dont like schemes, but this one looks good

UKBob

Original Poster:

16,277 posts

288 months

Monday 20th February 2006
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If anyone wants to find out more, Nicky Taul's number (posted with permission) is 01494 754230

Maycott

586 posts

273 months

Monday 20th February 2006
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Bob

I worked on their advertising and marketing a couple of years ago and know lots about it. All reputable and works well for some companies, not so well for others. I have no vested interest in them now so feel free to mail me via my profile for unbiased information

Eric Mc

124,768 posts

288 months

Monday 20th February 2006
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How do you handle VAT in such a scheme?

carsarecool

4,455 posts

262 months

Monday 20th February 2006
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Eric Mc said:
How do you handle VAT in such a scheme?


You get all transactions on a VAT invoice from Bartercard.

Eric Mc

124,768 posts

288 months

Monday 20th February 2006
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I presume that is to ensure that you declare all the Output VAT on your sales and claim the Input VAT (where appropriate) on your costs.

The VAT regulations do cover "offset" schemes such as these but there are many people out there who forget all about the VAT implication of "Non-Cash" transactions - especially if they are on "Cash Accounting".

>> Edited by Eric Mc on Monday 20th February 16:25

carsarecool

4,455 posts

262 months

Monday 20th February 2006
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Having spoken to my accountant prior to joining up, I know that the Inland Revenue are aware of the scheme and all VAT invoices apply in the usual way.

touchingcloth

11,706 posts

262 months

Monday 20th February 2006
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This sounds very interesting, especially with an instant line of credit which is theoretically interest free. However I operate in a relatively niche market - if I open up an account and spend £5k on, for instance, developing my website with Ukbob, but then have no sales to clear my "debt", am I just tied in until I do clear it? It could be years in theory, is it possible to pay your way out with real money?



>> Edited by touchingcloth on Tuesday 21st February 10:03

mikeg996

875 posts

245 months

Tuesday 21st February 2006
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My experience of schemes like this (and Ecademy, BNI, et. al) is that they are fine if you're in a fairly generalist business. If you sell stationery, sell office furniture or do basic web design, that's fine you'll do well. If you're in a more specialist market, or selling high value products or services, you will struggle.

stevieb

5,253 posts

290 months

Tuesday 21st February 2006
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But is the money ties into the scheme, say if you sell 10k worth of good does that money then stay on the bartercard to use with other companies within the bartercard membership? OR can you withdraw the money from the scheme.

mikeg996

875 posts

245 months

Tuesday 21st February 2006
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I would suspect the former, although I don't know for sure.