Eiffel 101: 6 Options for Selling Used Steel Plates

Steel plates are used to cover potholes, excavations, trenches and damaged pedestrian walkways in order to provide a temporary surface for traffic to pass over while the road is under construction. Steel plates are also known as road plates, crossing plates, trench plates, iron mats, metal sheets and steel road plates. Alternatively, steel plates can also be used to secure walls during excavation.

You have six main options for selling used steel plates: on a global trading platform, at auction, through an online materials seller, on a local listing site, through a broker, or on Eiffel Trading’s Online Marketplace. Here, we outline the pros and cons of each of these options to help you determine which choice is right for you.

Option 1: Sell your used steel plates on a global goods trading platform.

Global goods marketplaces serve a large market, which can provide more interested buyers and lead to a faster sale. However, these types of marketplaces often charge sellers a fee to list their products for sale, and most take days to push listings live or withhold benefits unless the seller pays extra for a membership.

Pros: Global goods marketplaces drive high volumes of traffic, which can make it easier to sell your plates.

Cons: Expect to pay a listing fee. Some sites can take days to push listings live unless you pay extra for a membership.

Option 2: Sell your used steel plates to an online materials seller.

Materials sellers cater to local operations and individual contractors. This can be useful when selling steel plates, since many shoppers are looking to purchase plates locally. When you work with a materials seller online, they’ll start by giving you a quote for your plates. However, online sellers often offer below market value for used steel plates since they’ll need to turn around and resell the plates for a profit.

Pros: Often local, caters to individual sellers.

Cons: Typically offers less than market value for used steel plates.

Option 3: List your steel plates on a local listing website like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Offer Up or eBay.

Because of the cost and logistics of transporting steel plates, many buyers and sellers are looking to sell and purchase locally. Websites like Craigslist, eBay, Facebook Marketplace and Offer Up can connect you with contractors or buyers in your area who are looking for used steel plates. However, it’s important to note that when using these types of marketplaces, you’ll be responsible for handling the sale start to finish, and there will be no methods for dispute if the sale falls through or if there is an unexpected disagreement between you and the buyer. In addition, these sites attract less legitimate buyers that are less likely to be contractors from larger companies.

Pros: Local listing sites connect sellers with nearby buyers, which can lead to a faster sale.

Cons: You’ll be responsible for the entire sale start to finish, including the associated risks.

Option 4: Sell your used steel plates at auction.

You can sell your steel plates at auction for an easy way to hand off the materials with minimal work, since auction houses handle all the logistics and manage the interactions between you and potential buyers. The downside of selling your steel plates at auction is that you don’t get to name your price or keep your selling rights, and you’ll have to pay a selling fee. This could leave you with a smaller profit for your plates than if you’d chosen a different avenue.

Pros: Auction houses handle the logistics and manage the interactions between you and potential buyers.

Cons: You lose your selling right when you put your plates up for auction, leaving you with less options to make a profit and less control over the sale.

Option 5: Work with a broker to sell your steel plates.

Like auction houses, brokers handle the sale logistics and provide a curated network of interested buyers for your plates. However, some brokers have smaller selling networks when compared to online platforms.

Pros: You can take advantage of a broker’s curated network.

Cons: Brokers tend to have smaller selling networks compared to online platforms.

Option 6: List your used steel plates on Eiffel Trading’s online marketplace.

Eiffel Trading’s online marketplace combines the best aspects of all selling options for used steel plates. When you list your steel plates on our platform, you can set your price, sell for a profit, and retain your selling rights. All listings are free and require zero obligation.

In addition, we put your listing in front of buyers who are interested in your exact item and will help you attract potential industry buyers who are shopping for other materials and stumble upon yours in the process. This can mean a quicker sale and larger profit.

Listing your used steel plates on our online platform requires minimal effort, and your materials will not leave your possession until the sale is complete. When you sell steel plates on Eiffel Trading, you’ll never pay a listing or commission fee.

Pros: Eiffel Trading never charges listing fees or commission fees. You set your price, sell for a profit, and retain your selling rights. We offer avenues to handle any disputes that may arise. If you have questions or need assistance, we have a team standing by to help you.

Buy and Sell with Eiffel Trading

Our online marketplace is the go-to avenue for buying and selling used structural steel. Our inventory includes used steel plates, used sheet pile, used pipe pile, used h-pile beams, used wide flange beams, and so much more.

All of our listings are constantly being updated, but if you don’t see what you’re looking for, create a wanted listing for free.

Ready to sell your used heavy equipment or construction material? List your products today for free on Eiffel Trading’s online marketplace.

If you have any questions or would like additional information, please call us at 1-800-541-7998 or email sales@eiffeltrading.com.