Years ago, especially in rural areas, people usually exchanged their existing items for what they needed, and both sides of the exchange could complete this unique way of trading as long as they both accepted this way and could meet their own needs.
Today, it is common to use money to get things, but with the development of the Internet, this ancient and flexible "barter" has rekindled in Canada.
According to Narcity's report, a toronto man recently made a cheese strip worth only a few cents into a hot commodity after placing an advertisement in Yongdeng Das Plaza.
The brand of cheese strips is Black Diamond, which is a very popular Canadian children's snack product, which is sold in Walmart, Superstore and other supermarkets. Each cheese strip is 100% real cheese and contains DHA, an Omega 3 fatty acid that primarily supports normal physical development of the brain, eyes and nerves of children under two years of age.
"Accept a cheese strip for trading. The taste of marble. Or the original packaging. No low price. I know what I have," the giant ad read.
The advertiser who made such a big fuss was Angel Domingo, a 48-year-old professional trader who was well aware of the value of his own items and would not accept anything less than its value.
"It was a very good cheese strip. I haven't seen a cheese strip in a long time, and I think, you know, it's still valuable. I want to dispose of it," Domingo told Narcity. According to him, the cheese strips are still edible and are valid for a few months.
Domingo said that he initially put the product on Kijiji, but no one responded, so he came up with a new trick, and paid for a huge advertisement for cheese bars in the center of the square, just to see how far this snack could take him, which was also quite arrogant.
The ad was released on August 2 and will last two weeks, but Domingo didn't say how much the specific ad slot cost him, but it's clear his wife isn't happy with his wave of operations.
Unexpectedly, the ad went viral, and in just a few days, Domingo unexpectedly received about 200 offers, which surprised him. But he said he didn't want to exchange cheese strips for cash, he was looking for items he needed in exchange, and there was no offer to get his attention yet. So far, the most popular of the items he has seen is a box of lucky charms, but he says that if he has enough time, he can also make them.
What's even more bizarre is that among the many offers, the items that everyone took out in exchange were also strange, and the most memorable ones were two Persian cats and an old cement truck. Someone is even ready to offer their girlfriend in exchange, which of course is illegal and immoral.
Speaking of the origin of this cheese strip, it is actually very ordinary. Domingo had recently moved to Toronto, and while sorting through his belongings, he found this cheese strip behind the refrigerator of his new home, apparently inadvertently left by the former owner. Ordinary people may have thrown it away when they saw it, but Domingo thought it had extraordinary significance, and he must have a relationship with cheese strips.
"It's the only thing sitting there. A destiny," he mused.
All in all, the ultimate fate of the cheese strips still depends on the incoming offers, which has made Domingo have been focusing on this particular deal lately. "It's my rule of thumb, and I'm not going to do it unless you absolutely need it. Money is not an issue, I just love trading. He said.
There are obviously not many "barter" enthusiasts like Domingo, and just a few days ago, a female blogger in Toronto embarked on her magical journey of trying to exchange a hairpin for a house.
"We wanted to trade a hairpin for a Canadian house. Everything will be recorded and posted on our YouTube channel @momvlogs and TikTok@thetradesproject," the post read. But so far, the TikTok account hasn't uploaded any videos. Interested friends can follow the account for tracking.
Daily Hive also investigated this, with the YouTube channel linked to the post appearing to be a young family that once lived in Dubai.
The blogger chose to do so because canadians have succeeded in a similar way. Montreal blogger Kyle MacDonald, for example, had swapped a red paper clip for a house through a series of deals many years ago. MacDonald made a total of 14 deals at the time, and it took nearly a year to acquire a two-story farmhouse.
In the deal, he had exchanged a pen that looked like a fish, a handmade door handle, a camping stove, a 100-watt generator, an "instant party kit"—an empty barrel and a glowing Budweiser logo, a Bombardier snowmobile, and more.
After his popularity, he even swapped an afternoon with rock star Alice Cooper, earning a KISS snowflake glass ball and a paid role in Corbin Bernsen's film Donna on Demand. Eventually, the 1,100-person town of Kipling, Sasque, about two hours east of Regina, offered MacDonald a farmhouse in exchange for a role in the film.
Pat Jackson, the mayor of Kipling, also personally received MacDonald and his girlfriend: "We will show them the house, give them the keys to the house, give them the keys to the town, and let them have fun." ”
The surprise-filled journey also captivated international media, with MacDonald saying the farmhouse might be the end of the story, but maybe he would let it continue.
I have to say that it is quite rare to have such a wonderful experience in life. Friends who also want to be a landlord in Canada may wish to try the same operation.