How to figure out when to sell scrap is tough? Do you do it when the prices jump fast? Do you wait and then shop around? Knowing what the market is doing is half of the battle. Talking to your local scrap yards can help you determine when the prices are good when to hold onto scrap material, and how to know what to do.
Searching for the best scrap prices to sell your metals can be overwhelming when looking for local prices online. The iScrap App allows users to report scrap prices and get the most from their experience when searching for yards on our website. With the local scrap prices posted online, it helps scrappers get a better idea of what the prices in their area are doing. Report your scrap prices when you go to your local yard.
The Best Resources For Finding Scrap Prices
- Calling your local yard – When in doubt, sometimes the old-school way is the best way to get the information you need. Sometimes, calling can give you the necessary info, whether scrap prices, how to sort or clean material, or even directions; this can still work in today’s internet age.
- Using the iScrap App – Yes, we are a little biased on this, but iScrap is such a powerful tool for scrappers to utilize we can’t stress it enough. Whether looking up national average prices, finding local yard prices, or just general information and learning aids on the scrapping industry, it is a great source of transparency and knowledge in an industry typically run on secrecy.
- Public Online Forums – Most towns have local online groups for various niche interests. Scrapping is no different. You can usually find people in your area (or sometimes farther away) with the same questions you do, maybe holding onto the same materials or looking to offload some junk they’ve been holding on to. Forums like Scrap Metal Talk on Facebook or the Scrap Metal sub-Reddit are great places for scrappers to gain more knowledge in an informal, group-oriented way.
- Scrap Yard Websites – Going straight to the source once you’ve zoned in on a yard that you like going to. This resource can be particularly good for hunting down locations, hours of operation, etc. Not all yards post their prices on their websites, which leads us to the last resource…
- Scrap Yard iScrap Profiles – In response to the above, this is one of the best ways to hunt for a yard near you to get the prices you are looking for. The iScrap App has thousands of yards across North America; you can search through them and see one of two things. Either user-reported prices or, in some cases, yards like having their prices published through iScrap and will report what they’re paying at the yard.
Why It’s Important To Find Scrap Prices…
One of the best things to do is to check online for prices, whether through your local scrap yards website or the prices that other scrappers in your area post online through the Report Your Price feature on the iScrap App’s website.
Suggested Reading: Best Time To Sell Your Scrap Metal
Yes, Prices Can Change THAT Quickly
When shopping around for the best scrap prices in your region, it’s important to stay updated on the current prices that yards offer. Some prices could be up a few cents in the morning but quickly fall in the afternoon or just the opposite.
Like stock brokers, many scrap yard owners and managers watch future casts for scrap metal prices and commodities. It’s important to stay updated with them and their current prices so you can quickly decide to sell off some scrap.
Suggested Reading: 3 Ways Scrap Prices Are Affected
Prices are tough to guess…and even tougher to stomach if you don’t know what is happening before you get to the scrap yard. Especially now, with steel prices at historic lows and copper prices fluctuating a lot recently, it’s important to stay updated with the current market conditions.
Knowing is half of the battle, and you always want to know.
