May
29, 2001
Microsoft
And United Airlines Agree To Countertrade-Type Arrangement
Microsoft
is "teaming" with United Airlines wherein both
will benefit in a type of countertrade arrangement when
each buys from the other. Microsoft is going to advertise
on in-flight videos and magazines (and mail to United's
40 million frequent fliers) information about their MSN
Internet access services. In return, United Airlines will
buy advertising on Microsoft's MSN network of web sites.
Fashionmall.com
Reports Barter Revenue Totals 35%
Fashionmall.com
operates a variety of vertical shopping and content portals
in the fashion, beauty, and lifestyle space. They generate
revenue through traffic-based contracts and slotting fees
with manufacturers, retailers, magazines and catalogs
which advertise, display and sell their products on the
firm's sites as well as through traditional advertising
and sponsorship sales.
The
company reported total revenue of $1,341,000 for the first
quarter 2001, up 2% from the previous year's quarter.
But barter revenue increased both in total dollars and
percentage with $470,000 barter representing 35%, compared
to $131,000 representing 10% of revenue for the same period
in 2000.
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TradeBuilders,
based in Washington (DC), helps companies go global through its
internet portal...which simplifies the international trade process
as well as increasing business opportunities while reducing risks
and slashing costs.
Using a proprietary
process, TradeBuilders virtual trade missions establish and build
relationships over the Internet, with the help of personal facilitation
and a conferencing-software platform. The technology replicates
the traditional trade mission process, and can result in business
deals at a fraction of the usual cost of developing and conducting
international business.
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Last week
we reported on Delta's "Back to Barter" efforts with
another warrant deal, working with Cheap Tickets in exchange for
an equity warrant in the seller of discounted travel.
This past
week Delta confirmed they plan to sell another five million common
shares of Priceline.com (received in the original warrant deal)...which
will bring in another $26 million.
Plus, Delta
still owns 32,212,199 common shares of Priceline! All this, for
agreeing with Priceline, to offer their surplus seats, for cash,
through Priceline.com's online selling service!!
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International
deals... Venezuela's coffee producers are facing a fall-off in
exports as well as heavy competition from major growers like neighboring
Colombia. So Venezuelan is looking to Russia as a new market,
where they will exchange coffee for tractors and other items.
Another major
countertrade deal involves China Railway Engineering Corp., which
will build a $1.6 billion ($6 billion ringgit) rail project in
southern Malaysia. In exchange Malaysia will pay 8 million tons
of palm oil over a period of five years.
And France
has renewed its Cuban $175 million barter agreement. France ships
wheat to Cuba which is paid for by Cuban sugar.
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IRTA News...
The International Reciprocal Trade Association's North American
Chapter reports that their marketing committee is placing national
advertisements in several key business publications beginning
in September.
This year's
Barter Congress, to be held in Denver September 20-23, has three
professional speakers retained in addition to the keynote speaker.
For more information call IRTA at (716) 424-2940, or visit www.irta.com.
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NATE News...
The National Association of Trade Exchanges will be holding their
5th Regional Convention on Friday October 5th and Saturday October
6th in Akron, Ohio. For more information go to NATE website, www.nate.org.
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The amount
of occupied space in malls and shopping centers in the top 50
markets diminished by 5.8 million square feet in the first quarter
of the year. (That's the first quarter of negative absorption
since 1992.)
The softening
economy is sharply curtailing demand for store space, and bankruptcies
are adding to the woes. More than 20 filings involving large retailers
or movie theater operators have filed in the past 18 months.
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Frequent
flier miles--the $80 billion currency--are being redeemed more.
Airlines gave out 6% more awards last year than the year before,
and this year, reportedly, the percentage is even higher. One
reason, the airline industry has seen their load factor (seats
on the airplanes) drop a bit. In the first quarter this year,
68.5% of the seats were used--creating 17,000 empty seats a day.
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Gemstar-TV
Guide International and Youbet.com have formed a partnership that
embraces a barter component. Youbet.com allows customers to place
bets online to horse tracks in 39 states. Gemstar has a cable-TV
channel (TVG) dedicated to horse racing.
The deal between
the two will provide TVG with access to YouBet's technology and
a share in the revenue from wagering activities. YouBet will gain
content from major horse tracks under exclusive contract to TVG
which they didn't previously have access to.
In addition,
like the Delta warrant deal reported on last week, Youbet has
issued warrants to TVG for purchasing up to 20% of their 19.4
million shares over the next 3 years at a penny a share. (After
the agreement was announced Youbet shares rose 81%, to $1.36.)
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Pricewaterhouse
predicts a hotel boom in 2002, as corporate travel is likely to
rebound after cutbacks this year. And vacationers are likely to
maintain their far-flung travel habits. Couple that with a drop-off
in construction of new hotels, and occupancy rates will bounce
back, making it easier for hotels to raise their prices.
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Magazine publishers
report not only slower spending by advertisers, but those who
once committed to buying pages on a 12-month schedule are increasingly
making short-term decisions for their shrinking budgets...sometimes
buying on a month-to-month basis. All of which bodes well for
additional media availabilities on barter.
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