Trade dollars used in transactions By lan Noble News Reporter DO you have excess inventory or capacity in your business? If so, North Vancouver's Cliff Sweeney thinks his ovo- year-old operation can help you move it, Sweeney owns the B.C. franchise for Mutual Exchange Canada, a aenwork- ing company that brings ‘together 1,800 businesses in Vancouver ‘offering 500 dif- ferent goods and services. Through MEC, the com- panies buy ‘and. sell their ~ © goods and services with MEC trade ‘dollars. Bor example, Sweeney said _a club recently spent 40,000 trade dollars paying plumbers, ‘electricians, drywallers and others 'to renovate its premis- es. In turn, the club is allow- ing people to purchase mem- bers ips with their trade dol- ars. “Competition. today is” fierce,” - . said: . Sweeney. “Companies are looking for.a * strategic .advantage. This is one way, of increasing. market : - share because: we. offer (busi- nesses) -an .established and growing ‘network of - quality . _““eompanies which ‘are very cach month is growing by 8% monthly. One of MEC’s North Shore members — which includes guest Houses, inter: net publishers, roofing con- tractors, PR firms, and car dealerships — is | Mark Hagenson of Interaction, a CD-ROM specialist on Fast Thicd ia North Vancouver. Hagenson, who's becn & member since January, said he has sold computers and soft- ware thar would — have remained on his shelves ly taking trade dollars. Hagenson said MEC has brought in extra business but not as much as he would like. He added, however, that he has not attended networking seminars offered by MEC. He usually spends the trade dol- lars he receives at restaurants and expects his membership to be a good investment in the long run. “I would encourage. it,” ‘Hagenson told the News, after his business was picked randomly. from an MEC directory. “Basically, there is “every form of retail outlet available through MEC.” Valerie MacLean, the Better Business Bureaw’s gen- eral manager, called MEC a good business and ‘said there © have: been no. compiaints 10 No Sunday, September 15, 1996 - North Shore News - 27 Shore neon MERCHANT Mark Hagenson (left) takes trade dollars supplied by a firm owned by Cliff Sweeney (top). “brand loyal and-are going to received about it. -" spend their trade dollars inthe. ._- MEC provides: members ometwork.” ote te .with a directory of members + The*commercial exchange - cand their. products and ser- - :}- industry goes back 25 years in. . vices every. four months. “ the’ United States’and is cur- ° Sweeney said: only ‘20%. of rently. an’ $11::billion-a year. companies in any one industry ‘industry, he said.’ >)” gan-sign up with : Co Ae © former: “- MEC even hasa debit card - : “with “ swipe’ technology. 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