What are the basic components of foreign trade agency fees?

Professional foreign trade agency fees usually include the followingBasic Service Modules:

• Agent Service Fee: 0.8%-1.5% of the cargo value (bulk commodities calculated separately)
• customs clearanceInspection Application Fee: Single ticket 500-2000 RMB (increased for special supervision methods)
• Processing fees: Including the preparation of certificates of origin, inspection documents, etc.
• Interest on advance payments: Calculated based on actual advance days (2025 current LPR rate + 3%)

How to calculate agency costs for different trade methods?

According to2025 General Administration of Customs Announcement No. 37, the fee differences for different trade methods are mainly reflected in:

• General trade: Full VAT payment is required, butExport tax refund
  • Example: Cargo value $100,000, tax refund rate 13%, deductible cost approximately ￥84,500
• Processing trade: A deposit is required (2025 deposit rate maintained at 5%)
• Cross-border e-commerce: Applicable to 9810 supervision code, eligible for comprehensive tax reduction

Which hidden costs are easily overlooked?

Based on our experience with327 dispute cases, companies often overlook the following cost items:

• Port demurrage fees: ￥500-2000 per day after exceeding the free storage period
• Amendment fees: Customs fines for customs declaration modifications (1%-5% of cargo value)
• Certification surcharges: Certifications required by specific countries (e.g., Saudi SABER certification)
• Exchange rate hedging costs: Forward settlement generates approximately 0.3%-0.8% spread

How will the 2025 VAT reform affect agency costs?

According toMinistry of Finance Document No. 1, 2025, there are three important changes:

• Export tax refundThe electronic ratio increased to 95% (shortening the tax refund cycle to 20 working days)
• Cross-border e-commerce B2B exports can enjoy the "tax exemption without invoices" policy.
• The calculation formula for deferred tax interest in processing trade domestic sales changed (from 0.05% daily interest to LPR + 1.5%)

How to verify the reasonableness of agency quotes?

Recommended adoptionThree-dimensional price:

• Horizontal comparison: Obtain quotes from at least 3 top agencies
• Vertical decomposition: Request detailed listing of 28 customs fee sub-items
• Dynamic calculation: Simulate fee fluctuations with a 1% cargo value deviation

An auto parts company saved 17.3% in logistics costs in Q1 2025 using this method, while improving customs clearance efficiency by 40%.

What key terms must be confirmed when choosing a foreign trade agent?

Based onIncoterms 2025, special attention should be paid to:

• Fee settlement cycle (recommended to strive for a 45-day payment term)
• Liability division clauses (especially handling of commodity classification disputes)
• Scope of Force Majeure Exemption (including the newly recognized scenario of "customs system paralysis caused by cyber attacks")
• Data Confidentiality Agreement (Must comply with the Data Export Security Assessment Measures)