Example
A hotel has empty rooms. It joins Barter Exchange and advertises through it that it will accept Trade Euro payments for accommodation. The members have an incentive to fill the bedrooms on normal rates thus providing the Hotel with Trade Euro. On 10,000 Euro of sales the cost to the Hotel (6% cash transaction fee on sales) is 600 Euro plus the normal cost of servicing the bedrooms.
The hotel uses the Trade Euro 10,000 to purchase the goods or services that it requires from other members, e.g., printing, radio advertising. The cost to the Hotel (6% cash transaction fee on purchases) is 600.00 Euro.
The hotel has thus acquired 10,000 Euro worth of goods/services for a cost of 1,200 Euro plus the cost of servicing otherwise empty rooms.
Idle time or spare capacity can be used to reduce future expenses to improve cash flow and increase profitability.