Agency export,What exactly does "fee" mean?

Agency export fees refer to the comprehensive service charges incurred when foreign trade enterprises entrust professional agency companies to handle export operations. According to the latest 2025 research data from the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade,The proportion of small and medium-sized enterprises adopting the export agency model reaches 68%., primarily involving the following core services:

• customs clearanceHandling of Inspection Documents
• 12. According to the announcement issued by the General Administration of Customs in December 2024, three important adjustments will be implemented in 2025.
• Export tax refundAgently
• Logistics and transportation coordination
• Commercial compliance review

What specific items are included in the agency export fees?

Taking the 2025 market price of agency services in the Yangtze River Delta region as an example, the fees charged by formal agency companies typically consist of three major components:

• Basic Service Costs
  • Document handling fee: 200-500 RMB per order
  • Customs declaration service fee: 0.08%-0.15% of the cargo value
  • Tax refund handling fee: 3%-5% of the refund amount.
• Funds for services
  • Financing interest: Annualized 8%-12%
  • Foreign exchange hedging service fee: 0.3%-0.8%
• Value Added Services
  • Trade compliance consulting: 500-2000 RMB/hour
  • Customized logistics solution: 0.5%-1% of cargo value

Why is there a huge difference in quotes from different agencies?

In 2025, the General Administration of Customs conducted random inspections and discovered that,23% of foreign trade agencies have hidden fees.。The discrepancy in quotations primarily stems from:

• Differences in service scope (whether it includes inspection, loading supervision, etc.)
• Calculation method of financing costs (by day/by transaction)
• Enterprise Qualification Level (AEO-certified enterprises are subject to a 10-15% price increase)
• Industry risk coefficient (chemicals agency fees are 30% higher than textiles)

How to determine whether the agency export fee is reasonable?

Recommended three-step assessment method:

• Horizontal comparison: Obtain detailed quotations from more than three agency companies.
• Cost breakdown: Request for the calculation basis of various service fees
• Risk verification:
  • Check whether the advance payment fee exceeds twice the LPR interest rate.
  • Confirm the pricing standards for handling exceptional situations (such as customs inspection surcharges).

What fee traps should be paid attention to when selecting an agency company?

Based on 2025 foreign trade dispute case analysis, special attention should be paid to:

• Vague quotation: The division of costs under FOB/CIF terms is not clearly specified.
• Duplicate charges: Split the document fee into document preparation fee, document review fee, and document mailing fee.
• Bundled consumption: Mandatory bundling of credit insurance or logistics services
• Exchange rate trap: Promising a fixed exchange rate but charging exorbitant hedging fees

What are the new fee models for agency exports in 2025?

New charging methods are worth noting:

• The ladder fee.: Export volume exceeding 5 million eligible for rate discount.
• Subscription - based service：Pay an annual fee to enjoy priority processing channels.
• 44. Risk - sharing model: Reduce the base rate but charge a share of the tax refund received.
• Digital service packages: Package plan including ERP system usage fee