Contra deal

Also called gifting or a product-for-post. The brand supplies goods or services, the creator supplies the coverage, and no money moves. It can make sense for gear you were going to buy anyway, for services priced far above what they cost to deliver, and as a way into a brand you want a paid relationship with later. Two things catch people out. The value received can count as taxable income, so it is rarely as free as it feels, and the disclosure obligation is identical to a cash deal. Whatever you accept in product also becomes the anchor for the next offer.