Online Barter Trade Exchange Grows in Hong Kong

Bartercard Hong Kong Limited, the local arm of the world's largest barter trade exchange, announced here Friday that its membership in Hong Kong has grown to 300 from 220 business categories since its launch two years ago.

"To date, Bartercard has enabled local businesses to generate 23.6 million HK dollars (3.02 million U.S. dollars) worth of extra sales, which means they have saved an equal amount in cash expenses by using the system," said Denise Cajucom, managing director of Bartercard Hong Kong Limited, at a press briefing.

The monthly transaction volume in Hong Kong was approximately 1,000, involving a turnover of 2.1 million HK dollars (269,000 U.S. dollars), she said.

She said e-commerce in all its forms is already a key element in global business life.

"Bartercard's strength is that we provide members with opportunities to conserve cash and increase profits through barter trading of goods and services with one another, without using cash, " she noted.

She said the Bartercard Hong Kong website has been completely revamped on the occasion of its second anniversary.

Two new features, namely Auction Online and For Sale & Wanted sections, have been added to Bartercard International's site.

Auction Online is destined to become another important tool for all Bartercard members. It forms an excellent forum to buy and sell almost anything, including cars, movie tickets and holidays.

The For Sale & Wanted site is an online electronic classified marketplace where members advertise goods for sale or post wanted notes for hard-to-find items.

Bartercard's turnover has grown substantially from year to year since its inception in 1991. Currently, it operates more than 50 offices in nine countries and employs more than 600 staff to assist over 37,000 member businesses in more than 1,700 industry categories to trade goods and services without cash.



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