* * ANNOUNCEMENT * *
25
Years Of BarterNews Issues Now In Digital Format
Welcome to the largest
repository of barter contacts, strategies, and barter techniques in
the world. All 64 issues of BarterNews now available in
digital format at
http://www.barternews-ezine.com.
Humphreys Proudly Announces New Tradia Web Site
On March 19,
2008, Tradia Commerce Network launched its new web site to members,
franchise owners and brokers nationwide. Tradia Online, is the
culmination of a two year effort made by the IT department, and is
the foundation of the Tradia Commerce Network. It replaced the web
site that had been used for over six years.
Matthew
Humphreys, Tradia founder and president with over 28 years
experience in the retail barter industry, said, �I have never seen
software capable of performing at this level. I really thought I had
seen it all but our IT team working in tandem with current Microsoft
technology is writing break-through automation that will change the
way barter is viewed, marketed, and managed.�
The new site
was designed as a �software plus services� platform, as it offers
members the opportunity to manage their entire trade account online.
They can list classifieds, auctions, update their business directory
listings, post want ads, make travel requests, see their entire
transaction history, and update all their account information. They
can read all the Tradia news, browse articles on barter, and connect
with other members online.
The Tradia IT
team is made up of Alan Paget and Jennifer Lucas. Jennifer, the IT
Manager, whose previous employment includes Nature�s Sunshine and
Best Buy, is Tradia�s internet programmer, network administrator and
graphic designer. Alan, a former Microsoft employee, manages the SQL
database and Visual Basic programming. They have both been with
Tradia for over three years.
Tradia
Commerce Network was founded in 1995. It is the largest privately
held barter exchange in the United States with franchises and local
trade directors serving over 5000 cardholders nationwide.
For more in
formation go to
www.tradia.net.
ITEX�s White Responds to Western Sizzlin�s Unsolicited Tender Offer
Changes
ITEX
Corporation (OTCBB:ITEX), a leading marketplace for cashless
business transactions in North America, has issued the following
statement regarding Western Sizzlin�s (NASDAQ:WEST) decision to
remove conditions to its unsolicited exchange offer to acquire
shares of ITEX for consideration consisting solely of shares of
Western Sizzlin common stock:
�The situation has not changed --
our Board of Directors continues to believe that Western Sizzlin�s
bid is wholly inadequate and recommends that shareholders NOT tender
their shares. Not only is the offer worth less now than originally
announced, it does not reflect the true value of ITEX or its growth
prospects. Furthermore, the value of the consideration being offered
is uncertain, illiquid, and fully dependent on the future value of
Western Sizzlin common stock. For the few ITEX shareholders that
have tendered, we urge them to withdraw their shares by notifying
the Western Sizzlin exchange agent immediately, as they will lose
the right to withdraw tomorrow (3/26/08) afternoon.�
Steven White,
ITEX Chairman/CEO explained, �Demonstrating the volatility and
illiquidity of Western Sizzlin common stock, since the exchange
offer commenced on December 27, 2007, the stock price has declined
by approximately 12%; there have been nine days with no trading
activity, and at one point their stock hit a low of $12.80.
�Western
Sizzlin believed that obtaining its recent NASDAQ listing would
result in enhanced liquidity. But lack of liquidity continues to
weigh on its stock. ITEX�s stock continues to have almost twenty
times the average daily trading volume of Western Sizzlin.
�Western
Sizzlin has extended its exchange offer twice with the latest
extension and shareholder withdrawal rights set to expire on March
26, 2008. The firm has continued to pursue its offer with minimal
success. The vast majority of ITEX shareholders have demonstrated
that they recognize the offer is not beneficial to them.
�On March 13,
2008, Western Sizzlin dropped many of the conditions related to its
offer, including a previous requirement that it acquire 60% of
ITEX�s shares before the exchange could take place,� White
continued. �Essentially admitting failure, Western Sizzlin can now
accept whatever shares are tendered with no minimum. More concerning
to me is that the offer is scheduled to close, terminating ITEX
shareholder withdrawal rights, three business days before Western
Sizzlin must file its Form 10-K disclosing its operating results for
the 2007 fiscal year. Thus, our shareholders are placed in the
position of having to make an irrevocable decision shortly before
the release of information that might be material.�
(Schedule 14D-9 and other public filings made by ITEX with the SEC
are available without charge from http://www.sec.gov, or from
http://www.itex.com.)
Wall Street Journal Publishes Article On Barter
The Wall Street Journal did a piece
for the small-business owner titled, �Barter A Bit and Give Your
Cash A Rest�, by Kelly Spors.
(To read the article
click here.)
Alternative Media Sees Explosive Growth
Spending on
so-called alternative media, including social networks, digital
out-of-home networks and mobile content, will increase 20.2% to $88
billion in 2008, according to a new study by PQ Media Research. Its
first report focusing on alternative media further forecasts that
the fast-growing sector will hit nearly $161 billion by 2012,
accounting for 26.6% of total U.S. advertising and marketing
spending.
PQ Media
defines alternative media as: �Media buying strategies that attempt
to bypass the clutter of traditional advertising and marketing in an
effort to reach target audiences, primarily through new media such
as the Internet, but also by using alternative means through
traditional media such as product placement in broadcast
television.�
The research
firm breaks the category into 18 sub-groups. Among those,
consumer-generated media, mobile ads, video game ads, word-of-mouth
marketing, and webisodes are expected to see the biggest gains in
the next five years.
The biggest
alternative sub-categories as of last year were event sponsorships
and marketing, search and lead generation, e-direct marketing,
online classifieds and displays, and local pay TV.
From 2002 to
2007, alternative media grew at an annual rate of 21% to $73
billion, making up 16% of overall ad and marketing dollars. But
despite the optimistic outlook, some caveats await marketers rushing
to embrace alternative media to boost return on investment. One is
to avoid creating more clutter by trying to cut through traditional
media congestion.
�A key
challenge is riding that line between effective advertising and
marketing without annoying consumers to the point where they�re
completely turned off,� said Patrick Quinn, president and CEO of PQ
Media. Word-of-mouth marketing, mobile media and out-of-home digital
advertising are especially susceptible to alienating consumers with
overly intrusive advertising.
A looming
recession will also contribute to slowing growth for alternative
media in the next couple of years, along with a natural slowdown
caused by measuring against a larger base of ad revenue.
But Quinn
emphasized that long-term factors, such as the desire to reach
elusive 18- to 34-year-old males by alternative means, will continue
to drive growth in the coming years. Such trends will also make
alternative media less subject to cyclical spending patterns than
traditional media like TV, radio and print.
But when
alternative outlets account for one-in-four ad dollars by 2012, will
it still be alternative? �It won't be so alternative then, but
others will come along to take their place,� assured Quinn.
Economics Taking Over�Changing Shoppers Habits
When it comes
to stocking up at the local grocery store, overall food quality
matters less than you might think. A new study from Vertis
Communications finds that just 1% of adults say overall food quality
is the reason they choose a supermarket, while the perception of low
prices and convenience - especially how close the store is to either
work or home - is far more important.
�Economic
factors, such as gas prices and the housing market, are changing
shoppers� habits drastically,� says Scott Marden, director of
marketing research at the Baltimore-based Vertis. �More than 90% are
affected, and many are shopping closer to home, stocking up more and
combining shopping trips.�
The company
says there are other big changes afoot. In the last four years, the
chief grocery shoppers in families are showing great receptivity to
grocery stores� prepared meals, increasing from 28% in 2004 to 40%
in 2008.
And in just
two years, there has been a considerable shift in adults who judge a
store by its parts: �There's been a 5% increase in the number of
adults that listed a department other than meat and produce as the
determining factor in where they shop for groceries,� he says.
�Organic and seafood are showing signs of increased importance.�
The survey
also found significant changes in the media that shoppers use before
they go shopping. �While grocery insert readership has held steady
more than four years, the percentage of adults using them to decide
where to shop has increased significantly, from 52% in 2004 to 59%
in 2008.� And the number of shoppers who get help from the Internet
has doubled in four years.
It also found
gender differences, noting that women are paying closest attention
to rising food prices. Almost half of all chief female shoppers say
that price-related offerings, including the lowest everyday prices,
best advertised specials and store coupons, are the most important
factor in choosing where to shop. Men, on the other hand, are more
likely to make a choice based on convenience.
Hotel
General Managers
Work With Audio/Visual
Vendor On Barter
Collect cash, as usual, from the guest accounts staying at
your facility that require the use of professional AV
services. And rather than shouldering your ongoing employee
costs, or your current vendor�s cash agreement for AV
services, here�s a much better alternative:
Work with a proven national vendor (a sterling 25-year track
record) who will provide all of the AV services for your
hotel on a 100% TRADE BASIS! (Payment to be in the form of
trade dollars.)
Your hotel�s annual AV billings must be a minimum of
$200,000, and this offer is available only in the
continental United States.
For a confidential introduction contact Bob Meyer via
e-mail:
bmeyer@barternews.com.
Attention Trade Exchange Owners:
If your member hotel(s) have a minimum of 10,000 sq. feet of
meeting space and annual billings of at least $200,000 for
AV services this is a great opportunity to earn substantial
cash service fees on the hundreds of thousands of trade
dollars your hotel member will be paying the vendor. Contact
Bob Meyer at the above e-mail. |
(Advertisement)
How To Get More Sales In
Hyper-Competitive
Restaurant Industry
Our street-smart restaurant
marketing report shows proven ways to rapidly boost your
restaurant�s sales & profits.
More-->
Our Web Site Has A Search Tool For You
Ever
wondered if a certain topic, person, or organization has been
written about on the Barternews.com web site? Now you can easily
find out, as we�ve added a search tool. It will quickly give you the
answer to your questions, in 3 easy steps that take about 12
seconds!
At the top
right of the page, just under where you sign up for the Tuesday
Report you will see a little Google box. It is where you can (1)
type in the name of a subject, company, or person. Then (2) click
the button www.barternews.com to search the site, followed by (3)
hitting the search button.
The Growth and Use of Secondary Capital (New Money) Creates
Unprecedented Wealth In Today�s New Age Of Possibility
There are
many forms of secondary capital�which can be defined as any
financial instrument that measures and communicates value in a
common language. Would you like to see and learn more about the many
forms of secondary capital?
We have 70
free, informative and inspiring, articles for you in our �Secondary
Capital Section.� Check it out...
www.barternews.com/secondary_capital.htm.
Get
New Money-Making Ideas And Valuable Contacts!
You can obtain
useful, informative ideas and contacts in every available back-issue
of BarterNews.
Every
barter company in the world is listed on our web site,
click through to our Global List
of Barter Companies.
Give
A Gift To A Friend Or Associate.
If you know someone who might benefit from this newsletter, feel
free to forward it to them! (See the �box� at the end of the
newsletter for the forwarding service.)
We welcome your
comments, questions, and observations.
�
Copyright BarterNews 2008. Redistribution of BarterNews
content expressly prohibited without the prior written permission of BarterNews.