Is the hidden charge of export agency even higher than the salary?

"Mr. Zhang is very worried recently. The profit of his first batch of foreign trade orders is 15% less than expected, and the reason turns out to be in the agency quotation." If you have also encountered similar problems, this article may help you uncover the "invisible veil" of export agency prices.

Although the export agency service seems to have a clear price, there are hidden tricks:

• Basic Service Fee: Usually charged at 0.5%-3% of the value of goods, but some agents will attract customers by reducing the explicit rate
• Additional Items: More than 20 derivative fees such as inspection fees, document expediting fees, and special packaging fees
• Exchange Rate Difference: Some agents earn hidden income of 0.3%-1% through exchange rate conversion

Ms. Li saved more than 280,000 yuan in agency fees in three years through the following methods:

• Compare and Split the Quotation Sheet: Require to provide a complete cost matrix including different terms such as EXW/FOB/CIF
• Lock the Exchange Rate Clause: Clearly agree in the contract "Settle according to the spot foreign exchange selling rate of Bank of China on the same day"
• Step-by-step Commission Negotiation: When the annual export volume exceeds 5 million US dollars, you can strive for a preferential rate of less than 0.8%

Judge the rationality of the agency quotation through this four-dimensional evaluation system:

• Time Dimension: The increase in the cost of urgent orders should be ≤ 50% of the normal cost
• Volume Dimension: The comprehensive rate for million-level orders should not exceed 1.2%
• Risk Dimension: The comprehensive quotation including 1% unforeseen fees is more reliable
• Service Dimension: The premium of the agency that provides value-added services such as AEO certification can be accepted at 15%-20%

Now you can:

• Retrieve the agency settlement statements of the latest 3 orders and mark all unexpected expenses in yellow
• Contact 2-3 new agents and ask them to issue comparative quotations under the same conditions
• Share the "fancy charging" cases you have encountered in the comment area