A trader sits between your claim and the market. The right one saves time and cash, and the wrong one costs you in delays, hidden fees and rejected claims.
What a battery trader does
It receives your claim and evidence, checks it, lodges it in the registry, buys the certificates from you at an agreed rate, and pays you. Some also offer portals, API links, white-label forms and account management. The service is the product, since the certificates are all the same.
Questions to ask
- Is the rate locked, and when? Locked on lodgement of a complete claim is better than floating until approval.
- How fast is settlement? Ask for a time, in writing, and what starts the clock.
- Are there fees? Processing, admin, registry or monthly fees all reduce your return.
- Who checks the claim? A compliance check before lodgement catches photo and form errors, which is where battery claims fail.
- Who do I call? A named person is worth more than a ticket system when a job is stuck.
- How stable is the business? A long trading history matters, because you are lending them your cash until they pay. Our affiliate REC Traders has traded since 2004.
Know the market
Greenbot, once a large platform, was permanently suspended as a registered agent in 2024, which is a reminder that counterparty risk is real. Its clients moved mainly to Formbay and One Stop Warehouse. See best STC trader in Australia and the trader checklist.
Signs of a good desk
You can learn a lot from the first phone call. Does a person answer, can they explain how the rate is locked, and will they walk you through a rejected claim and what it costs? Traders who are used to explaining these things are usually the ones who run clean processes.
What this means for installers
Treat the trader as a supplier you pay in rate. Our pricing is published daily, and the partner program adds perks as your volume grows. Read the battery STC pillar for the process.