If you run a mobile car washing firm we recommend trading for as many products and services as possible. You should trade for both personal and business items. You need to keep in mind that your gross sales will go down as you do this because money will not be taken in for these services you perform. You will however, notice a significant increase in your standard of living. This is because you will generally end up trading: Wholesale To Wholesale; Retail To Retail; Retail To Wholesale; Wholesale To Retail

In other words, if you trade a pair of shoes which costs the shoe store owner $15.00, which he usually sells for $45.00, for a wash and wax on his car which costs you about $11.50 (including labor, product, soap, eater, etc.) which you usually sell for $50.00, that is wholesale to wholesale. $11.50 of your cost for $15.00 of his costs.

This is the best way to trade. You basically are out your time, which you value at $11.50. The shoe store owner loses nothing because he got a $50.00 wax job for $15.00. Everyone is happy.

Trading retail to retail is by far the easiest. This is trading the $50.00 wax job for a $50.00 pair of shoes. Its really easy to figure out and very easy to sell. Both parties walk away feeling good.

When you trade retail to wholesale, you really come out ahead. For example, if you wash the shoe store owners car three times which equals $15.00 worth of your services at retail for his wholesale cost of $15.00 for the shoes, you really win big. Your cost for three washes is $1.13 times three, which equals $3.39, your actual cost and he gives you a $45.00 pair of Nikes. Excuse me, but this is a great deal. The only problem is that it is too good of a deal, so give a little extra. Wash his managers car and a customer who buys three pairs of shoes while you are there. Tell them Since you are such a good customer of Sams Shoe Store, Im going to give you a free car wash. This makes Sam happy, the customer happy with you and Sam, and Sams manager happy with you and his boss. You will probably end up with four new customers from this deal:

Sam

Sams Manager

Sams Customer

A Referral Customer from one of the three

Now you are ready to drive into the sunset sporting a new pair of Nikes, driving a mobile car wash rig.

Try not to trade wholesale to retail unless you are doing it to kill time or for a family member. If Sam was your father it might be ok to take this scenario: Your cost for a car wash is $1.13. The cost for the Nikes is $45.00. $1.13 divided by $45.00 is 39.82, almost 40. Thats a lot of car washes for a lousy pair of shoes.

Oh well. They are Nikes (the best) and Sam is your father. On second thought, we dont recommend this after all. For instance: $ 5.00 Price Per Car Wash X 40 Number Of Car Washes = $200.00 Total You Would Have Made. You see you could have bought 4.4 pairs of shoes for that amount of money or some really nice expensive cowboy boots.

So, our basic advice is this: Its ok to trade and it makes good sense, but please make sure its a Win/Win situation for every one involved especially the other guy. (Sam)