Export agentWhat are the main charging models adopted by companies?

Currently there are three main charging models in the foreign trade agency market:

• Fee calculations mainly follow the following five models:Applicable to standardized service items like document preparation and customs declaration. As of 2025, ChinaExport agentService rates generally remain in the 3%-8% range
• Suitable for small and medium-sized customers, charging a basic service fee of 800-5000 yuan per shipment + actual incurred costsCommon for full-process agency services, charged at 0.5%-2% of actual transaction amount, with some complex businesses possibly involving tiered pricing
• The mixed billing modelCombination of basic service fee + risk deposit + business commission, mostly used for bulk commodities or specially controlled category exports

What factors affect agency service fee standards?

According to the World Customs Organizations 2025 Trade Facilitation Report, core factors affecting fees include:

• Cargo attributes
  • General commodities (3%-5%)
  • Dangerous goods/precision instruments (5%-8%)
  • Controlled commodities (8%-12%)
• Conditions of TradeDifferences
  • Average fees under FOB terms are 1.2 percentage points lower than CIF
• Destination country clearance difficulty
  • EU/North America regions have 30% higher service fees than Southeast Asia

How are new digital services charged?

In 2025, mainstream agency companies generally adopt intelligent quotation systems with new fee characteristics:

• API connection services charged per call (0.5-2 RMB/call)
• Blockchain document storage charged by data package size
• Intelligent customs declaration systems using SaaS annual fee model (8000-30000 RMB/year)

Financial reports from a listed agency company show its digital service revenue proportion has increased from 12% in 2020 to 37% in 2025.

How to identify hidden fee items?

It is recommended to focus on three types of potential fees:

• Emergency handling feeCustoms inspection exception handling (2000-5000 RMB/instance)
• Document surchargesSpecial certificate authentication (e.g. FDA certification additional 1500 RMB)
• Capital occupation feesTax rebate advance payment service (0.05%-0.1%/day)

A cross-border trade dispute case shows hidden fees can account for 23% of total contract value.

How to select cost-effective agency companies?

A three-step screening method is recommended:

• Request to provide the 2025 version standard service price list
• Verify whether AEO Advanced certification qualification is obtained
• Compare service package configurations from more than three companies
  • Basic package: Customs declaration + logistics
  • Advanced package: Includes foreign exchange settlement + tax refund
  • VIP package: Full-process risk control + legal support

How to negotiate prices for special trade scenarios?

Discounts negotiable for specific businesses:

• RCEP regional trade: Some agents offer 5%-15% service fee reduction
• Annual framework agreement: Tiered discounts available for committed annual export volume exceeding $5 million
• Green channel service: High-tech product exports can apply for government subsidy declaration agency service