Direct selling
Selling through a broker is convenient. It's also usually a discount
A broker earns their keep by buying your material for less than a processor would pay, then reselling it for the difference. That difference is not a fee you see on an invoice. It is simply a lower number on the offer you get. Selling directly changes that math.
The problem
"I don't actually know if this offer is fair, or just convenient"
"A guy comes round, takes everything off my hands same day, pays cash. I've got no idea if that price is anywhere close to what it's actually worth."
This is the exact trade a broker sells you: convenience for margin. It is not a scam, and plenty of brokers are entirely legitimate businesses. But a broker's business model depends on paying you less than the material is worth to an actual processor, because that gap is their income. You are free to make that trade, but you should be able to see the actual number you are trading against, and most sellers never get to.
What the gap can actually look like
| Selling channel | Who sets the price | What you typically see |
|---|---|---|
| A local broker or collector | The broker, based on what they can resell it for | One private number, usually below processor rates |
| A processor or licensed yard | The processor, against current commodity pricing | A transparent breakdown by weight and grade |
| ScrapTrade | You and the buyer, through a listed price or competing bids | Every offer, visible, compared against live material pricing |
Exact gaps vary by material and local market, but industry estimates commonly put broker offers for ferrous metal 20 to 35 percent below direct processor rates, with non-ferrous metals sometimes seeing an even wider spread because their higher value gives a broker more room to work with. Treat this as a general pattern to be aware of, not a guaranteed figure for your specific load.
Want to see what your material is actually worth before you accept a broker's number? Check current rates first.
Check live pricesHow it works
Selling direct, without losing the convenience
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List it yourself
Add material, weight, and photos or a GPS-verified listing. This takes a few minutes, not much more than waiting for a broker to show up.
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Real buyers respond, not one reseller
Verified buyers, the kind a broker would have resold to anyway, see your listing directly and offer or bid on it themselves.
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Get paid through escrow
A 5% deposit is held via Stripe until you've handed over the material and the buyer confirms it, the same protection a broker relationship never gave you in writing.
Why this actually pays off
What direct selling changes
You see the real number
Live material pricing and, where relevant, competing offers replace one private, unverifiable quote with something you can actually check.
No resale spread to fund
Because ScrapTrade doesn't buy or resell your material, there's no markup being built into the number before it reaches you.
Still fast, still simple
A fixed-price listing can sell as quickly as a broker pickup, without giving up the price transparency in exchange for the speed.
Support if you're used to a broker doing the work
Seller support can help with listing and pricing questions if going direct for the first time feels like more work than it actually is.
Trust, and the honest objection
"Isn't ScrapTrade just a different kind of middleman?"
The distinction that actually matters
ScrapTrade never buys your material, never takes ownership of it, and never resells it. You deal with and are paid by the actual buyer. The platform's income is a disclosed commission on the completed sale, stated upfront, not a hidden spread between what you were paid and what your material was resold for later. That is the structural difference between a marketplace and a broker, not just a branding one.
The offer, plainly stated
What's included, what it costs, and the next step
| Cost to list | Free. No cost to test what buyers actually offer. |
| Cost to sell | A disclosed commission on completed sales only, stated upfront. |
| What's included | Fixed price or live auction, live material pricing, escrow-held deposit, and seller support. |
| What you get that a broker doesn't offer | Visibility into the actual offer or bidding activity on your listing. |
| Next step | Check live pricing, register, and list your material directly. |
Frequently asked questions
Isn't ScrapTrade also a middleman, since it takes a commission?
No, not in the way a broker is. ScrapTrade never buys your material or takes ownership of it. You deal directly with the actual buyer, see their offer or bid yourself, and the platform's commission is a disclosed percentage on the completed sale, not an undisclosed spread between what you were paid and what the material was resold for.
How much less do brokers typically pay compared to direct buyers?
It varies by material and market, but industry estimates commonly put broker offers for ferrous metal 20 to 35 percent below what a licensed processor pays directly, with non-ferrous metals sometimes seeing an even wider gap because of their higher base value.
Are brokers ever the better choice?
Yes, for sellers who need an established network they don't have yet, particularly newer dismantling or demolition operations without existing buyer relationships. A broker's convenience has a real cost, and it's a fair trade-off for some sellers, just not an automatic one.
Can I see what buyers are actually offering before I commit?
Yes. Fixed-price listings show your asking price to every buyer at once, and live auctions show competing bids in real time, so you see the actual market response rather than a single private number from one broker.
See what your material is actually worth
Check live pricing, then list directly and let real buyers make you an offer you can compare.
Related reading: Sell scrap online · Sell scrap fast · Why choose ScrapTrade