
Agency export,What core pain points can the agreement solve?
Through 20 years of experience in agency export operations, we have found that the agreement mainly addresses three major problems:
- Qualification threshold: Solve the access barriers for small, medium - sized and micro - enterprises without import and export rights and without customs filing
- Relief of financial pressure: The agent advances customs duties / VAT, and the payment period can be extended to 30 days after the goods are cleared through customs
- Transfer of trade risks: The foreign exchange collection risk is borne by the agent (payment terms need to be clearly agreed upon)
Which enterprises most needAgency export service?
According to the data of the General Administration of Customs in 2024, the following three types of enterprises account for 73% of the use of agency exports:
- Small and medium - sized manufacturing enterprises: Manufacturing enterprises with an annual export value of less than 20 million yuan
- Start - up cross - border e - commerce enterprises: B2C - to - B2B enterprises with more than 50 SKUs
- Exporters of special categories: Involving special regulatory categories such as 3C certification and commodities in the legal inspection catalog
How does agency export achieve risk isolation?
Three - layer firewalls can be established through the design of agreement clauses:
- Responsibility division mechanism
- The name on the customs declaration form: Displays the agents information and assumes the responsibility for customs declaration
- Foreign exchange collection and settlement: The agents bank account collects foreign exchange and bears the risk of exchange rate fluctuations
- Default relief clause
- Clarify the retention - of - title clause (it is recommended to agree on the FOB term)
- Set up a quality dispute handling process (refer to INCOTERMS 2025)
What are the new changes in agency cooperation in 2025?
Based on the latest foreign trade policies, the following need to be focused on:
- Digital trade vouchers: The agent is required to have the ability to verify the authenticity of electronic customs declaration forms
- Green tariff clauses: Export categories involving carbon footprint certification need to be specially agreed upon
- Anti - money laundering review: The agent must provide a bank anti - money laundering compliance certificate
How to verify the true performance ability of the agency company?
It is recommended to adopt a four - step verification method:
- Qualification verification: Customs AEO certification + query in the list of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange
- Case investigation: Required to provide the same category in the past 3 monthsExport customs clearanceOrder
- Funds test: Simulate a sudden demand for an advance payment of 2 million yuan in taxes and fees
- system connected: Check the direct connection between its customs clearance system and the single window
A notable industry case: In 2021, an LED lighting factory avoided the US anti - dumping duty through agency export. Because the agent had filed a commodity classification objection in advance, it finally saved 28% of the punitive tariff. This verifies the special value of professional agents in dealing with trade remedies.