Barter Bridge
Product Plan
Purpose
Align on what BarterBridge is, what it is not, and which decisions must be made before development.
Product Vision & Problem
The Problem
Barter fails due to unclear value, awkward negotiation, and lack of trust.
Our Solution
BarterBridge provides structure, AI-assisted fairness guidance, and built-in negotiation.
Target Users
Individuals
People looking to trade personal items and skills
Freelancers
Independent professionals offering services
Creators
Artists and makers with unique offerings
Small Businesses
Local shops and service providers
Not targeting large enterprises or regulated financial exchanges in V1.
Marketplace Model
Two-way marketplace. All users can create Offers, Wants, or both. Trades happen via Trade Proposals.
Create Offers
List what you have
Post Wants
Request what you need
Propose Trades
Connect and exchange
Trade Flow
01
Create listing
Post your offer or want
02
Discover
Browse potential matches
03
Propose trade
Initiate an exchange
04
Negotiate
Discuss terms and details
05
Accept
Agree on final terms
06
Complete
Execute the exchange
07
Review
Rate the experience
Value & Fairness
User-provided value anchors + AI-assisted suggestions. AI never enforces prices; it only guides fairness.
User Input
Users set their own value anchors based on what they believe is fair
AI Guidance
System provides suggestions to help users understand relative value
User Control
Final decisions always remain with the users, not the algorithm
Barter Units
Primary Model
Direct barter (item/service). Optional conceptual cash top-ups.
No barter credits or escrow in V1.
User Roles
Single account type with Individual or Business profile mode. Both can offer and request trades.
Individual Profile
Personal trades and exchanges
Business Profile
Commercial offerings and services
Both modes have equal access to create offers, wants, and trade proposals.
Trust & Safety
Reviews
Users rate their trade experiences
Reputation Indicators
Track record visible to all users
Reporting
Flag inappropriate behaviour or listings
Blocking
Users can block problematic accounts
No identity verification in V1.
Geography
Support both local and remote exchanges. Discovery defaults to local where relevant.
Local Exchanges
  • In-person trades
  • Location-based discovery
  • Community building
Remote Exchanges
  • Digital services
  • Shippable items
  • Broader reach
Out of Scope (V1)
No price fixing
Platform won't dictate values
No payments
No integrated payment processing
No escrow
No holding of goods or services
No trade credits
No internal currency system
Success Criteria
Users complete real trades, negotiate naturally, and trust the platform.
Real Trades
Users successfully complete exchanges from start to finish
Natural Negotiation
Communication flows smoothly without friction or confusion
Platform Trust
Users feel confident and safe using BarterBridge
Open Decisions
Key questions to resolve before development:
  • Target focus
  • Value anchors optionality
  • AI confidence thresholds
  • Cash top-up language
  • Trust level
  • Local-first positioning