What is a reasonable fee for acting as an agent in foreign trade exports? Come and chat everyone!
Solved#Export agent#
Our company intends to find an agent to help with the foreign trade export business and wants to know how much is a reasonable fee for acting as an agent in foreign trade exports in the market. We haven't been involved in this area before and don't know what the charging standards are. Is it charged according to the proportion of the order amount or are there other charging methods? I hope experienced friends can share their experiences so that I can have an idea and make budget arrangements in advance.
Professional consultant answers
Amanda YangYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Cost control consultantConsult
There is no fixed standard for the fees of acting as an agent in foreign trade exports. Common charging methods include charging according to the proportion of the order amount, usually ranging from 1% to 5%. If the order amount is large, the proportion may be relatively low; if the amount is small, the proportion may be high. There are also those who charge on a per-transaction basis, with each transaction ranging from several hundred to several thousand yuan, which is suitable for situations where the order amount is small but the quantity is large.
In addition, some agents will charge some additional fees, such as customs declaration fees, document fees, etc.
Taking Zhongshitong as an example, its charging will consider the scale and complexity of the customer's business comprehensively. If the business is simple and the order volume is large, the charging may be 1% - 2%; if the business is complex and the volume is small, it may be 3% - 5%. It is recommended that you consult several agents, compare the service contents and fees, and choose the one with high cost performance according to your own business characteristics.
Emily LiuYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Settlement and payment expertConsult
I previously found an agent who charged 2% of the order amount. I felt it was okay and the service was quite in place without any problems.
Joseph ZhouYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Senior foreign trade managerConsult
Some agents charge on a per-transaction basis. The small orders of the agent I cooperated with were 500 yuan per transaction, and the large orders were 1,000 yuan per transaction, which is suitable for us who have orders that are not large in amount but are frequent.
Jennifer WangYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0
Market development consultantConsult
I heard that some agents can charge as low as 0.5%, but there may be various hidden fees later, so you need to pay more attention.
Andrew HuangYears of service：7Customer Rating：5.0
Supply chain optimization expertConsult
If the goods are special, such as requiring special packaging and transportation conditions, the agent's fee may be higher, possibly up to 5% or even higher.
Michelle ChenYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Business coordination consultantConsult
Generally, when new customers find an agent, the agent may charge a little more in the early stage. After getting familiar with the business, the charging proportion may decrease.
Sarah ZhangYears of service：8Customer Rating：5.0
Document expertConsult
Colleagues said that finding an agent with a professional foreign trade team, although the fee may be a little higher, has high efficiency, few errors, and is cost-effective overall.
Robert ChenYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Customer service consultantConsult
It also has something to do with the location of the agent. The fees in the developed coastal areas may be relatively high, while those in the inland areas may be a little lower.
David LiYears of service：6Customer Rating：5.0
Senior customs declaration consultantConsult
I think the fee also depends on whether the agent provides value-added services. For example, if they help with market research, the fee will definitely be higher than that of a simple export agent.