If you are looking for a way to build sales, trade groups can be a good resource. There are many different forms of these. Some of them are good, and others I would avoid. Many of them are hosted on Yahoo.
Here is a review of some of the different type of trade and barter groups:
Consultant of the Month: Everytime I did one of these I was around sixth on the list. Like a good member, I would purchase the minimum amount (often $20 – $25) from the Consultant of the Month (COTM). Some months I would have a hard time finding to buy something because either I already had a ton, or just was not interested in their company.
The main negative is I would notice that after someone was the COTM, they seemed to have a family emergency, tragedy, money was suddenly tight or they just disappeared. So out of a group of 10, by the time it got to me, there was maybe 3 or 4 left. Others would drop off when they saw what was happening. I do not recommend these type of groups.
Discount Groups: These are good groups. Everyone who is a member offers their product at their discount. Some groups require a monthly or quarterly purchase, others do not have any requirements. You will not make any money from this group, but you may boost sales a bit. I get 1 or 2 orders most months. It is also nice to get your own shopping done. Plus, you pick which company you want to order from.
Trade or Barter Groups: On these groups, you trade or barter with others. Since it’s an equal exchange, you are not out anything.
Monthly Shopping Group: With a monthly shopping group, you are required to purchase a minimum amount from any consultant in the group. However, there is no guarantee that anyone will purchase from you. It is a gamble. I’ve tried a few of these. In some groups I do very well, in others I feel like I have to buy something but get nothing in return. This can be hard on you if your budget it tight.
Sales Traders Groups: These are fun. What you do is post items up for grabs and the amount it is worth, plus shipping. When your item is grabbed, you now have credit to grab other items which get posted. The only problem can be is if you have a ton of credit and no one is posting items for grabs. I recommend starting with a $50 credit of grabs and test out the group. I have watched consultants grant wishes and post grabs like crazy. They end up with a $500 credit and nothing to spend it on because no one is posting or no one is posting anything they want.