http://barterindependent.com/barter-guides/secrets-trade-revealed#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed

http://www.sideroad.com/Bartering/bartering.html

Jack Schacht’s profile on Sideroad.com, where the article resides, explicitly states, “For permission to reprint articles, please contact Jack Schacht directly. If no email address is listed, visit the website listed above.”

If the Barter Independent has received this permission, it has not announced it.

The article, entitled, “Why the health of ITEX is the most important factor in the barter world”, Eric outlines his concerns with ITEX’s reputation, and insinuates that ITEX is willfully ignorning the problems in their system. In the same article published this morning Wood insinuates that ITEX’s reputation may be hurting that of Merchants Barter.

“As a proponent for barter, I’m very concerned that the actions of some ITEX members can spoil the entire industry.”

Never mind that the entire industry is doing business with less than 1% of the businesses that exist in the United States. Never mind that similar complaints in similar proportions could be found about any barter exchange in the world. Never mind that being the biggest also means you get the lion’s share of complaints.

We respectfully suggest to Mr. Wood that he stop writing about ITEX and the industry and focus his time and attention on generating some goodwill for his own company, Merchants Barter Exchange. After all, his Linkedin profile says that he is, “President at Merchants Barter Exchange”.

Mr. Wood, the most important factor for your company is your ability to acquire and provide service to your clients. Your company’s success does not hinge on ITEX or any other barter company.

In January, an InterstateQ.com report exposed certainly unethical and possibly illegal practices by OutGayLife.com and Moonviper Web Services owner Eric Wood, who had been reposting and republishing news stories, features, blog posts and articles from LGBT publications, blogs and mainstream press and news organizations. At the time, InterstateQ.com found at least 17 separate cases of possible infringement on the copyrights of LGBT publications, blogs and mainstream publications, including the Asheville, N.C.-based Stereotypd, The Advocate, former Washington Blade editor Chris Crain’s blog, The Atlantic, New America Media, BoxTurtleBulletin.com and others…Michael Jones, the lead Gay Rights writer for Change.org, told InterstateQ.com several of his site’s articles had been republished. Jones said Wood did not have permission to republish the stories. Wood also failed to cite the original author or source and failed to link back to the original material.

One of the recent articles on BarterIndependent entitled, “Making a Go of It the Old-Fashioned Way, Through Bartering”, was lifted from a New York Times article published in February, 1993. Mr. Wood makes no distinction between what is self generated content and stolen content, in fact not changing the title of articles when publishing them as his own.

A few to compare for yourself:

http://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/14/nyregion/making-a-go-of-it-the-old-fashioned-way-through-bartering.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=1

http://barterindependent.com/industry-news/making-oldfashioned-bartering

http://www.designtaxi.com/news.php?id=2589

http://barterindependent.com/barter-blog/working-together#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed

http://www.nytimes.com/1993/02/14/realestate/commercial-property-bartering-real-estate-a-creative-way-to-dump-a-lease.html?pagewanted=all

http://barterindependent.com/innovative-trades/commercial-property-bartering-real-estate-creative-way-dump-lease

Clearly, reposting content from other sources is standard practice among bloggers and news reporting agencies, with certain caveats: link backs and credit to the original source.

Here on the Barter News Weekly, we also seek out content from all over the world to aggregate here to provide the most comprehensive source of barter industry material, but in every article where someone else’s content is used, credit is given to the original source with a link back to the original story.

Through the “Barter Independent” project, Eric highlights the many different types of barter organizations available worldwide, including the pros and cons of working with each.”

One of the first exchanges featured is Premier Barter of Arizona. Here is a little piece of what they have to say:

What are your fees? Please provide start up fees, monthly fees, and ongoing (trade) fees.

Our membership fee is $295. We have a 5% cash and 2 ½% barter fee on each transaction (buying or selling). We have no monthly or annual renewal fees.
Does your organization use a centralized trading system, an internet based trading system, or a local broker type system?

Our organization uses Barter21 software to manage and operate. The software allows members to go on the internet and look for other members both in Premier Barter and in other exchanges in the network. The network is a trading platform. For exchanges participating in the network it allows the brokers and members to interact (look up, trade with) members of other exchanges in the network. We also broker our members. Personal interaction increases trade volume.

What are your PRIMARY trading areas?

The Phoenix metropolitan area. We do not concentrate in a particular area of “The Valley” but instead have built a member base throughout.

See the full story at http://barterindependent.com/us-barter-exchanges/arizona/premier-barter