Is Import and Export Agency a Scam?

"Mr. Zhang recently received an overseas order but was deterred by the quotation from the import and export agency - the service fee was even higher than the payment for goods!" Such stories are not uncommon in the foreign trade circle. Is import and export agency really expensive? Today, we'll let the data do the talking, break down the cost composition, and teach you how to avoid price traps.

1. Where Exactly Does the Agency Fee Go?

The charges for import and export agency usually consist of three main parts:

• Basic Service Fee: Fixed processes such as customs declaration and inspection, document processing, etc., accounting for about 40% of the total amount
• Hidden Costs: Flexible expenditures for handling abnormal situations (such as customs inspection), applying for special qualifications, etc.
• Additional Services: Value - added items such as logistics insurance, tax refund advance, etc.

Ms. Li's case is very typical: When she was acting as an agent for a batch of electronic components, due to not declaring the 3C certification in advance, she ultimately paid an additional 120% of the expedited processing fee.

2. 5 Key Factors for Price Differences

• Type of Goods: Chemical products are on average 30% more expensive than clothing
• Mode of Trade: Processing trade saves 15% of the cost compared to general trade
• Port Selection: The agency fee at Shenzhen Port is 20% lower than that at some second - tier ports
• Scale of the Service Provider: Leading enterprises such as Zhongshitong may instead offer tiered discounts
• Payment Cycle: Annual frame agreements are 40% cheaper than single - ticket settlement

3. Professional Bargaining Methods

Master these techniques and easily save 10% - 50% of the cost:

• Request a breakdown of the quotation and focus on bargaining for flexible items such as "document processing fees"
• Sign an annual agreement before the peak season to lock in the discount
• Combine small - volume goods for centralized declaration
• Proactively provide complete customs declaration materials to reduce manual verification time

A cross - border e - commerce customer reduced the single - ticket cost from 800 yuan to 450 yuan by optimizing the declared categories.

4. Value VS Price: Money That Shouldn't Be Saved

Beware of excessive low - price traps:

• Falsifying the qualifications of the customs broker may lead to the seizure of containers
• Gray - area customs clearance may result in subsequent tax supplements and fines
• Enterprises without AEO certification cannot enjoy customs clearance facilitation

Mr. Wang once chose an ultra - low - price agency and ultimately bore 27,000 yuan of customs demurrage fees.

Is Your Agency Fee Worth It?

You might as well do a simple calculation: Divide the agency fee by the value of the goods. For ordinary goods, the reasonable range is 0.8% - 3%. If it exceeds this ratio? It is recommended to re - compare prices immediately. Welcome to share the proportion of your agency fee in the comment section. We will select 3 readers to provide free cost - optimization solutions.