I. Is the agency industry truly profitable in 2025?

According to latest data from China General Administration of Customs, foreign trade import/export value reached 21.8 trillion yuan in first half of 2025, up 4.2% year-on-year. Behind this seemingly prosperous market, the agency industry presentspolarizationFeatures:

• Leading enterprises achieve over 30% business growth through digital transformation
• The exit rate of small and medium-sized agency companies increased by 15% year-on-year
• The penetration rate of new service models (such as blockchain customs clearance) reaches 28%

Taking a Yangtze River Delta manufacturing enterprise served by the author as an example, its partnered A-level agency reduced single-ticket customs clearance time to 1.8 hours through intelligent systems, while traditional agencies still require 3-5 working days. This demonstratescustoms clearancetechnology empowermenthas become an industry watershed.The International Trade Single Window 3.0 Standard implemented in 2025 puts forward three core requirements for agency companies:

II. What life-and-death tests do current agency service providers face?

real-time data interface capability

• system response time ≤0.3 seconds
  • Customs declarationautomatic warning accuracy rate for abnormal data ≥95%
  • cross-department collaboration capability
• system integration completeness with banks and logistics companies
  • electronic certificate mutual recognition coverage rate among RCEP member countries
  • HS code intelligent verification accuracy rate
• Risk control ability
  • trade compliance audit traceability system completeness
  • Completeness of Trade Compliance Audit Traceability System

has become the survival baseline.Compliance CapacityThe 2025 market research identified the following three types of high-risk agencies:

III. How can small-medium foreign trade enterprises avoid agency traps?

Shadow agencies: operating with borrowed qualifications, accounting for about 18%

• "Shadow Agents": Conducting business by borrowing others' qualifications, accounting for approximately 18%.
• "Price Butcher": Offering quotes 30% below cost, with subsequent hidden fees reaching three times the quoted price.
• "Technological Nudists": Still using Excel for manual documentation, with a customs declaration error rate five times higher than the industry average.

It is recommended that enterprises adoptThree-dimensional verification method:

1. Request demonstrations of core functions of intelligent customs declaration systems
2. Review service dispute handling records from the past two years
3. According to the World Banks 2025 Trade Facilitation Report, quality agencies should possess:

IV. What are the core criteria for selecting agents in 2025?

dynamic compliance systems

• : monthly updates to global trade regulation databases covering 30+ key markets: integration of at least exchange rate fluctuation alerts, tariff calculation, and embargo list verification functions
• Intelligent risk control systemend-to-end visibility
• : supporting real-time tracking of cargo trajectories, document status, and fund flowsAn auto parts exporter reduced annual tariff expenditures by 17.3% through an agency with AI tariff optimization system, utilizing HS code intelligent classification and FTA combination applications. This proves

technology-driven value-added serviceshave become core competitiveness.(Note: Data sourced from China Customs 2025 semi-annual report, World Bank public materials, and authors team market research. Consult professional advisors for specific business decisions.)

Is import and export agency business easy? In-depth analysis of foreign trade service providers survival status in 2025