BarterNet, for example, says some of its affiliate exchanges will use brokers to drum up business, while BigVine says it will increase its business solely through the Internet.
William Rhodes, the credit union's chief executive, freely acknowledges his organisation is using the banking giant to increase its business, adding: "If it gives Barclays a little bit of reflected glory, then I'm happy about that".
ServiceMagic, a Web-based company that helps line up contractors or cleaning services for homeowners, set up newspaper print ad campaigns through Google in regions where it was looking to increase its business.
However, while the firm only appeared to carry out very limited transactions between 2000 and 2007, its latest accounts reveal that it has suddenly begun to increase its business activities since then.
Its size and reach are crucial to its strategy, and it tries to use its variety of expertise to increase its business with doctors and hospitals.
Fidelity National Financial Inc., the largest title insurer in the nation, said yesterday that it had agreed to buy Aurum Technology Inc. for $305 million to increase its business with community banks and credit unions.
[C9.] REORGANIZATION Hoping to increase its business for corporate and consumer printing services, Hewlett-Packard said it would revamp its printing division.
In buying the company, Thermo Fisher is increasing its business in organ transplants.
Arris is also reducing its reliance on big customers like AT&T Broadband and increasing its business overseas.
It is also selling a similar device with BT Cellnet of Britain in a move to increase its business in Europe.
