Tradebank

The barter industry is a $20 billion-a-year industry and continues to be one of the fastest growing, most dynamic industries in the world. Currently, 92% of Fortune 500 companies and hundreds of thousands of other businesses around the world barter. In barter’s simplest form, two businesses or professionals exchange items of equivalent value.  Tradebank, however, opens up a whole new dimension.  Now you don’t have to find someone who simultaneously needs your product or service and has what you need.  Only one trader’s need is required to start the process, and with the help of a trade broker, everyone comes out with something they need.

Barter is a business tool that can be used by anyone who wants to conserve cash and increase profits—the market is basically limitless.

Today, barter has become a highly valued business method and Tradebank International is a world leader, with offices across the United States, Canada and East Central Europe. Tradebank International is revolutionizing the barter industry using the internet and state-of-the art proprietary technology. Since its start in 1987, Tradebank International has completed over two million transactions, each helping clients conserve cash, expose new customers to their product or service, and make their business more profitable.

Investment Required

The fee for a Tradebank International franchise is $30,000 for a territory with a population of up to 500,000; there is an additional $5,000 for each 500,000 additional population.

Tradebank International provides the following range of investments required to open your initial franchise. The range assumes that all items are paid for in cash. To the extent that you choose to finance any of these expense items, your front-end investment could be substantially reduced.

On-going Expenses

Tradebank International franchisees pay ongoing fees including a new client retainer fee of $495 per client, a client's second account fee of $100 per client, and a quarterly accounting fee of $29.95 per client. Additional fees payable by franchisees include a brokerage fee of 12% to 14% of client purchases. Please note that the new client retainer fee, quarterly accounting fee, and brokerage fee are subject to a partial refund.

What You Get–Training and Support

Tradebank provides franchisees with a step-by-step procedure to set up their new franchise and offers ongoing, comprehensive training. Tradebank provides franchisees with five days of training in marketing and sales at Tradebank’s corporate office, and five days of training in a franchisee’s new territory. A professional Tradebank Broker is assigned to all new franchisees to provide the broker services until franchisees attain their first 50 clients, allowing them to concentrate their efforts on building their business. Later, additional training is provided for franchisees and their brokers in brokerage and operational concepts. Ongoing training is also offered at national and international training seminars.

The Tradebank corporate office does all “back office” bookkeeping, updating accounts on a 24/7 basis for every transaction fee charged to the clients and providing all clients with monthly statements. Marketing programs, strategies and material including a monthly newsletter for clients are supplied. Additionally, Tradebank International provides franchisees with direct access to their proprietary internet trading system, a copy of the operations Reference Manual, and a phone system for customer assistance.

Territory

Tradebank International grants exclusive territories.

Note: The tables and information regarding the number of operating units, investment required, on-going expenses, training and territory grants were taken from the company’s 2011 FDD. The 2011 write-ups will be incorporated into the 2012 Edition of Bond’s Hottest New Franchises publication.