What's my recourse if a bulk lot of stainless steel turns out to be partly magnetic, lower-grade material?
Short answer: A magnet test showing partial magnetism in a lot sold as genuine stainless steel is a legitimate basis to dispute the grade — some magnetism can be normal for certain stainless grades or from cold working, but a significant proportion of clearly magnetic material mixed in suggests either a different, lower alloy or a mixed load, and you can request a price adjustment or partial rejection based on documented testing.
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Browse Listings →Why “partly magnetic” needs context, not panic
Not all stainless steel is completely non-magnetic — some grades, particularly certain 400-series stainless, are inherently magnetic, and even normally non-magnetic grades like 304 can develop slight magnetism from cold working such as bending or machining. So partial magnetism alone doesn’t automatically mean fraud.
What actually indicates a real problem
If a significant proportion of a lot sold specifically as a non-magnetic grade shows strong, consistent magnetism, not just slight response at worked edges, that’s a meaningful signal the material isn’t what was represented, whether through deliberate substitution or the seller’s own misidentification.
How to get a fair resolution
Test a representative sample across the lot, not just one piece, and ideally get an XRF reading confirming the actual alloy composition on the magnetic pieces specifically. That data supports a request for a price adjustment reflecting the mixed-grade reality of the lot, or rejection of the affected portion.
How ScrapTrade Makes This Easier
Documenting a magnetic test across multiple points in a bulk lot, and raising it through ScrapTrade with photos or video, gives the seller concrete evidence to respond to rather than a general complaint they can dismiss.
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