Is considered regular?Export agentWhat constitutes professional reliability?

According to the General Administration of Customs 2024 announcement on Category A and abovecustoms clearanceenterprise data, professional agents must possess three core qualifications:

• Customs AEO certificationAEO-certified enterprises show 37% higher customs clearance efficiency than regular enterprises
• Business license covering full-chain servicesMust include at least four main business scopes: customs declaration, inspection declaration, transportation, and warehousing
• Industry association certificationsSuch as China Customs Brokers Associations 5-star agent qualification

Is a more comprehensive service scope always better?

The 2025 international trade landscape shows professional segmentation trends; selection should be based on business needs:

• Comprehensive agentSuitable for import/export enterprises with multiple product categories and multiple ports
  • Must verify special commodity operation qualifications (e.g., hazardous chemicals, medical devices)
• Specialized agentsSuch as cross-border e-commerce 9610/9710 dedicated line service providers

What constitutes a reasonable and transparent pricing structure?

Beware of "low-price traps," legitimate agency quotes should include:

• Basic service fee (charged at 0.6%-1.2% of cargo value)
• Government fees (with customs payment certificates provided)
• Third-party fees (e.g., terminal THC, shipping company DOC)

2025 new regulations require agent companies to disclosea list of 9 hidden fees, including storage overdue fees and amendment fees.

How to verify an agents risk control capabilities?

It is recommended to require agents to provide:

• Compliance Review Case Database (minimum 50 successful cases)
• Logistics Insurance Plan (coverage exceeding 150% of cargo value)
• Exchange Rate Fluctuation Management Tools (e.g. forward exchange locking records)

Is digital service capability important?

In 2025, customs will comprehensively advance the construction of "smart ports," and high-quality agents should possess:

• Real-time Online Customs Clearance Status Tracking System
• Automated Generation of Declaration Data Compliant with Single Window Standards
• Electronic Document Cloud Storage Service (minimum 5-year retention)

What aspects of industry experience require special attention?

Recommended verification items for agents:

• Operation records of same category products in past 3 years
• Clearance success rate data in target markets
• Special trade mode handling experience (e.g. bonded zone one-day round trip)

How to handle emergency response speed?

In 2025, affected by geopolitical factors (e.g. Red Sea situation), quality agents should provide:

• 24-hour emergency contact channel
• Alternative Logistics Solution Database (minimum 3 backup routes)
• Professional customs lawyer support

How to choose between self-operated agents and platform-type agents?

Determined by company scale:

• Annual export volume exceeding $20 million: Preferred self-operated agents for customized services
• Small and medium-sized enterprises: Platform-based agents offer better price advantages

How to avoid common service traps?

Particular attention is needed:

• Ambiguous compensation clauses (should specify minimum 80% cargo value coverage)
• Bundling unnecessary value-added services
• Failure to provide actual controllers credit certificate

How to quantitatively evaluate service effectiveness?

Recommended establishment of three core KPIs:

• Average clearance time (benchmarked against industry standards)
• Document error rate (should be less than 0.5%)
• Annual comprehensive cost optimization rate (normal range 8-12%)