What's the difference between selling as a casual seller and setting up a "trade account" with a scrap buyer?
Short answer: A casual seller typically makes one-off or infrequent sales, usually paid on the spot with minimal paperwork, while a trade account is a formal ongoing arrangement with a buyer — involving your business details, agreed pricing or terms, invoicing, and often payment on account rather than cash on the day — set up because you generate scrap regularly enough that a repeat relationship benefits both sides.
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List Free →What defines a casual sale
A one-off or infrequent seller — clearing out a garage, an occasional trade job — typically just turns up, gets weighed, and gets paid, without any ongoing relationship or account setup needed.
What defines a trade account
A trade account formalises a repeat relationship: your business is registered with the buyer, pricing or terms may be pre-agreed, and transactions are typically invoiced rather than paid in cash on the spot — this suits businesses generating scrap as a byproduct of regular operations.
When it’s worth setting one up
If you’re generating scrap consistently enough that you’re dealing with the same buyer repeatedly, a trade account usually saves time and can unlock better terms compared to being treated as a new casual seller each visit.
How ScrapTrade Makes This Easier
ScrapTrade supports both casual one-off listings and ongoing business sellers, so you can start casual and formalise into a trade relationship once your volume justifies it.
Ready to sell scrap as a business without the account-setup guesswork? ScrapTrade connects verified buyers and sellers with escrow-protected payments and transparent weighing.
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