Walk-In, Account or Contract: Three Ways a Yard Can Price You

The difference between a walk-in seller and an account holder is not a discount, it is a different pricing method. Walk-ins are paid from a posted board, which is a fixed number the yard sets with a margin buffer built in. Commercial accounts are increasingly paid on formula pricing tied directly to the exchange, so the price moves with the market rather than with the yard's caution. On copper, that difference is worth over $1,100 per thousand pounds.

Scrap Price Today market analysis, written from exchange settlement data, mill and refiner pricing practice and published policy documents. Figures are examples; today's numbers are on the live scrap price board.

The threshold for crossing from one to the other is lower than most people assume, and it is very different for ferrous and non-ferrous.

Three tiers, and what changes at each

Walk-in. Posted board price, cash or card at the counter, no commitment either way. The yard prices for uncertainty: it does not know what is arriving, when, or in what condition, so the board carries a buffer.

Account holder. Your name and vehicle are on file, grades are agreed in advance, and you are paid on terms rather than at the window. Yards will often quote above the posted board for regular sellers because the material is predictable.

Contract or formula pricing. The price is expressed as a relationship to the exchange, for example the settlement less a stated number of cents, and it updates automatically as the market moves. Modern yard systems tie contract pricing directly to live market feeds so the buying price changes without anyone renegotiating.

That third tier is the one worth understanding, because it removes the argument entirely. You stop asking whether the yard's number is fair and start reading a formula.

What the tiers are worth

With copper at $6.64 an ounce on the exchange, here is what different shares of it look like.

Our own indicative copper board sits at 87 percent of the exchange, which is roughly where a well-run contract lands rather than where a walk-in lands. That is worth knowing when you compare our figures with a counter quote.

The gap between a typical walk-in and a formula contract is $1,129 per thousand pounds of copper. On a contractor generating half a tonne of cable a month, that is real money left on a counter.

The volume threshold is not what you think

Yards will not dispatch a truck for a light pickup, and most agreements state a minimum load before a collection is scheduled. But the weight that justifies a trip depends entirely on what is in the container.

A pound of copper is worth about 44 pounds of light iron. So 200 pounds of copper, which fits in the boot of a car, is worth more than a 20-yard roll-off of light steel.

The practical consequence: an electrician or plumber generating a few hundred pounds of non-ferrous a month is already an account-sized customer. A demolition contractor needs tonnes of ferrous to reach the same conversation.

What a container agreement should say

Containers are usually provided free of charge, in sizes from one-yard warehouse boxes and gaylord boxes up to 60-yard roll-offs, lockboxes and trailers. The agreement is where the value sits, and these are the clauses to read.

• How pickups are requested and the expected turnaround time. If an overflowing container stops your work, response time matters more than price.
• Minimum load before dispatch, and whether there is a charge for a trip where the container is not adequately filled.
• Certified scale weights, which are a basic requirement of any legitimate commercial account, and whether you receive the ticket.
• How the price is set: posted board, agreed grades, or a formula against a named exchange settlement.
• Grade definitions in writing, so a dispute is about facts rather than opinions.
• Term and exit. Longer terms are negotiable and usually cheaper, but they are also harder to leave if the service slips.

Why yards want you

Understanding the yard's incentive makes the negotiation easier.

Walk-in traffic gives a yard immediate volume and zero predictability, and it collapses when the market falls. Commercial suppliers produce offcuts and turnings every day regardless of the price, which is exactly what a yard needs to keep its own downstream contracts supplied. Mills reward yards that deliver consistent, well-sorted material with better terms, and some of that flows back.

So a regular, sorted, predictable supply is worth more to a yard than the same tonnage arriving randomly. That is the argument to make, and it is stronger than asking for a better price because you are a nice customer.

When staying a walk-in is right

An account is not automatically better.

If your volume is genuinely occasional, a container sitting empty in a yard is a liability to the buyer and a commitment to you. If you want cash the same day, accounts usually pay on terms. And if you value the freedom to shop two or three yards on price, an exclusive arrangement removes exactly that.

Our note on telling a well-paying yard from a headline rate covers the benchmark test that works at any tier.

What this metal pays around the world

Scrap is a global market priced in US dollars, but what reaches a seller depends on trade position, freight to the nearest consumer and how many buyers compete locally. The table below converts the same grade into each market’s own currency and units at the day’s exchange rate, and shows the factor we apply.

Method

The tier percentages are illustrative shares of the exchange settlement rather than published rates, because contract terms are private and vary enormously. They are anchored on our own board, which sits at 87 percent of the exchange today and is documented on the editorial policy page, with live figures on the board.

Container contents are typical fill weights and vary with material form and how well a box is packed. Agreement clauses are drawn from published commercial bin service guidance from operating yards.

We do not buy scrap, broker contracts or take referral fees.

Questions people ask

What is formula pricing at a scrap yard?

A price expressed as a relationship to an exchange settlement rather than as a fixed number, for example the copper settlement less a stated number of cents. Modern yard systems tie it to live market feeds so it updates automatically, which removes the argument about whether today's posted board is fair.

How much scrap do I need before a yard opens an account?

It depends entirely on the metal. A few hundred pounds of copper or brass a month is already account-sized because 200 pounds of copper outvalues a 20-yard roll-off of light steel. Ferrous sellers generally need several tonnes a month to reach the same conversation.

Do scrap yards charge for containers?

Usually not. Containers from one-yard warehouse boxes and gaylord boxes up to 60-yard roll-offs are commonly provided free of charge. The costs to watch for are minimum load requirements before a pickup is dispatched and charges for collecting an under-filled container.

Is an account price always better than the posted board?

Usually but not always. Accounts typically pay above the board because your material is predictable, but they often pay on terms rather than same-day, and an exclusive arrangement removes your ability to shop two or three yards. Occasional sellers are often better off staying walk-in.

What should I insist on in a container agreement?

Certified scale weights and a copy of every ticket, written grade definitions, the minimum load before dispatch, the charge if any for an under-filled trip, the pickup turnaround time, and exactly how the price is set. Those six answers tell you more than the headline rate.

Why would a yard pay me more than the posted board?

Because predictable supply is worth more to them than random supply. Walk-in traffic collapses when the market falls, while a workshop producing sorted offcuts every week helps the yard meet its own downstream commitments, and mills reward consistent well-sorted material with better terms.

Can I negotiate if I only have ferrous scrap?

You can, but the leverage is weaker. A 20-yard roll-off of light iron is worth around $1,056 at today's board against $5,780 for a gaylord box of copper. Ferrous accounts are won on tonnage and reliability rather than on value per pickup.

Should I sign a long contract to get a better rate?

Longer terms are negotiable and usually priced better, but they are harder to exit if service slips. Check the pickup turnaround commitment and the exit clause before trading flexibility for a few cents, particularly if an overflowing container would stop your work.

Frequently asked questions