The Prevalence of Barter in Magazines: An Empirical Study

Based on a random sample of the top 200 magazines by circulation within the United States, the magnitude of barter in the magazine industry was examined. First, data was collected to evaluate the prevalence of barter in the industry. Second, the managerial implications relating to barter were evaluated to provide a basic understanding of barter and its role in the manager's strategic plan. The findings reveal that barter, although growing, is not that prevalent. Managers accept baiter but rarely solicit it. However, for those managers that accept barter, much of it is used for promotional purposes.