What happens if the seller's listed alloy grade doesn't match what a metallurgical test later reveals?
Short answer: This is a legitimate basis for a dispute, but the outcome depends heavily on when you discover it and how well you can document the actual composition — testing a sample before the full purchase, or immediately upon delivery before further processing, gives you a much stronger position than discovering a mismatch after the material has already been used or resold.
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Browse Listings →Why timing changes everything
A mismatch caught before payment or immediately on delivery is straightforward: you have clear evidence and haven’t taken any action implying acceptance. A mismatch discovered after you’ve processed, melted, or resold the material is much harder to prove wasn’t somehow related to your own handling.
What counts as solid evidence
A test result from a reputable lab or a properly calibrated XRF reading, ideally with a sample retained in case of dispute, is much stronger than a general claim that “this doesn’t seem right.” Keep the tested sample if practical, in case the seller requests independent verification.
How to approach the seller
Present the specific test data alongside what was originally claimed, rather than a general complaint — a seller acting in good faith should be willing to look at concrete evidence, and a seller who won’t engage with specific data is telling you something important about how the rest of the dispute will go.
How ScrapTrade Makes This Easier
Raising a documented alloy mismatch through ScrapTrade’s dispute process, with test data attached, gives both sides a concrete basis for resolution rather than a dispute based on assertions alone.
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