Melissa Lang isn’t the kind of woman who plunks $75 down on the salon counter without as much as a wince.
But she knows all about organic gardening and landscaping, and in some circles, that’ll land you a decent haircut without ever opening up a purse.
Lang is one of a growing number of people who trade services through online barter agencies. The Bothell resident, who works for a landscaping company, uses Dibspace.com, a Seattle-based startup still in its infancy.
Using an alternative currency known of “dibits,” Lang has swapped her green-thumb knowledge for a stylish new cut from Sweet Lily Salon in Seattle, a small business that’s increasing its clientele through Dibspace.
“I’ve used my dibits to get a $75 haircut,” Lang said. “I’m living out of my means, by my means.”
Living by her means entails doing some gardening work in the salon’s courtyard in exchange for the haircut.
Dibspace.com is just the region’s newest barter Web site. There’s BizXchange.com and ITEX.com, among others. And there’s Bellingham-based Fourth Corner Exchange.
Essentially, the systems operate similarly: Alternative currencies or trade dollars are exchanged for goods or services, usually among small to mid-size businesses. Sometimes the trades are direct swaps; sometimes services are purchased with barter currency.
Services offered on Dibspace are as diverse as pet-sitting, sewing alterations, public relations and Web site consulting.
Occasionally, there’s something a little more out of the ordinary: a burlesque lesson for $100 dibits, for instance.
“The Burlesque Revival is here! Learn some basic techniques to shimmy and wow your audience!” the offer reads.
BizXchange is a more button-up kind of operation with a high ratio of the clients in the Puget Sound area. The company is geared toward mid-sized companies — “the small mom and pop or the dog walker” most likely won’t get much from membership, spokesman Jason Richards said.
“It’s about filling excess capacity,” he said. “A small business may not have the capacity to take on additional jobs.”
BizXchange, along with many other barter agencies, charges a one-time membership fee and transaction fees.
As the economy continues to recede, barter business picks up, experts say. Companies have less cash coming in, so they’re looking for creative ways to get the things they need — or those extra workplace perks they might otherwise have to cut.
Mark Kendziorek, owner of a Closets by Design franchise in Mukilteo, recently bartered for a river rafting trip as a “thank you” for employees. And though he’s a fan of the service, he said bartering has to be carefully juggled to mesh with cash-paying customers.
“You have to be careful how you manage it,” Kendziorek said. “It has gotten us a fair bit of business, but because our product can cost several thousand dollars, it’s easy for us to end up with a large surplus.”
Kendziorek regularly uses BizXchange for direct- mailing, printing and hiring services.
Bartering might be a way to sidestep cash-flow problems, but it’s not a way to avoid paying taxes. The Internal Revenue Service requires barter transactions to be reported at fair market value on tax forms.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
