How deep is the water in the agency service for import and export rights? The difference between 3,000 and 30,000 lies here

Mr. Zhang has been very troubled recently. His foreign - trade company just received a big order, but due to the lack of import and export rights, the business is on the verge of falling through. A friend told him that it would cost at least 20,000 yuan to get it done through an agent, but the online advertisement says '3,000 yuan all - inclusive'. What kind of tricks are hidden in this price difference?"

Why do enterprises need to handle import and export rights?

In the context of global trade, having import and export rights means that enterprises can directly participate in international market competition. According to the data of the General Administration of Customs, in 2023, there were 597,000 foreign - trade enterprises with import and export performance in China, and nearly 30% of them were small and medium - sized enterprises that obtained qualifications through agency services.

The core value is reflected in:

• Independently arrange the import and export rhythm and avoid price increases in the agency link
• Establish the enterprise's customs credit system and enjoy conveniences such as AEO certification
• Directly apply for export tax rebates, which can save an average of 3 - 5% of costs

The three major components of agency fees

Quotations in the market range from 3,000 yuan to 30,000 yuan, and the main differences come from the following elements:

1. Basic administrative fees

It includes official fees such as business bureau filing, customs registration, and electronic port cards, with a total of about 2,000 - 2,500 yuan. Some agents will charge an additional 500 - 1,000 yuan in service fees for this item.

2. Professional service premium

Typical services of senior agents such as Zhongshitong include:

• Pre - review of materials and compliance optimization
• Agency service for filing with the State Administration of Foreign Exchange
• Follow - up maintenance consultation (annual reports/changes, etc.)

This part is quite flexible and usually accounts for 40% - 60% of the quotation.

3. Hidden costs

Ms. Li's lesson is worth noting: "After choosing a low - price service, due to material problems, I had to make 3 round - trips to supplement the documents, which delayed the shipping schedule, and I had to pay 80,000 yuan in liquidated damages."

Five key factors affecting the price

Enterprises should pay attention to the following when comparing prices:

• The nature of the registered address (free trade zones/special regulatory areas have additional requirements)
• The business scope includes special commodities (such as medical devices require additional permits)
• Whether the legal representative has an entry - exit record (affecting the difficulty of foreign exchange filing)
• Whether the agent provides full - accompany handling (saving time costs)
• Whether the follow - up maintenance includes the first - year annual inspection

Pit - avoidance guide: How to choose a reliable service provider?

It is recommended to screen through "three checks and three questions":

• Check the enterprise's credit report to confirm that there is no administrative penalty record
• Check the service contract terms to clarify the refund conditions and liability division
• Check the previous customer reviews, focusing on problem - handling cases

At the same time, ask:

• "Does the quotation include the opening of a bank foreign exchange account?"
• "Can you provide pre - classification services for customs codes?"
• "How will you handle it if the materials are returned?"

Self - handling VS professional agency

Theoretically, enterprises can apply on their own, but there are two major thresholds in practice:

• Time cost: On average, it is necessary to travel back and forth to 8 - 10 departments, taking 15 - 20 working days
• Professional threshold: The error rate of customs HS code classification is as high as 37% (data from the Ministry of Commerce in 2022)

The founder of a cross - border e - commerce company admitted: "It took us 2 months to handle it ourselves, while our competitors who found an agent had already completed the export tax rebates for two batches of goods during the same period."

Future trend: Digital service upgrade

With the advancement of e - government such as the "single window", agency services are evolving in two directions:

• Standardized packages: "One - click declaration" services for ordinary trading enterprises
• Customized solutions: Providing value - added services such as RCEP origin certification for special industries

What was your enterprise's experience in handling import and export rights? Have you encountered hidden charges or service shrinkage? Welcome to share your experience in the comment section. We will select 3 readers to provide free customs code query services.