I.Agency export,Is it equivalent to finding a middleman?

Export agency refers to the full-process service where foreign trade service providers complete goods clearance, foreign exchange collection, and tax rebates for clients using their own import-export qualifications.The essential difference from ordinary middlemen: Agency companies do not own the goods and only charge service fees (typically 0.8%-3% of the goods value), while middlemen profit from buying-selling price differences. According to 2025 General Administration of Customs data, SMEs using export agency accounted for 62% of customs declarations, an increase of 17 percentage points from 2020.

Which enterprises are most suitable for export agency?

• Startup foreign trade companies: No need to handle customs registration independently
• : Temporary orders exceed the scope of their own export qualifications: Lack foreign exchange settlement and document processing capabilities
• The latest inspection cases of the General Administration of Customs in 2025 show that disputes in agency export mainly focus on:: Solve multi-category product classification declaration challenges
• Save about 150,000 - 300,000 yuan in annual expenses for building an in - house foreign trade team: Fields requiring professional licenses (medical devices/chemicals, etc.)

What specific services does export agency include?

The new version of Import and Export Tariff adds 12 categories of goods requiring licenses, requiring relevant documents to be prepared 40 days in advance.End-to-end services:

• Basic Services
  • Prepare customs declaration documents (invoices, packing lists, declaration elements)
  • Arrange sea/air freight bookings
  • Treatment of Foreign Exchange Settlements
• Value Added Services
  • Certificate of origin application (RCEP certificate issuance increased by 40% year-on-year in 2025)
  • Export tax refundAdvance payment (fastest 3 working days for fund arrival)
  • Trade Compliance Risk Assessment

How to avoid compliance risks in export agency?

Three major risk points require special attention:

• Document authenticity risks: In 2025, an agency company was fined 2.3 million yuan for false declaration of goods value
• : Tax refund losses caused by the certification time - effect of special VAT invoices: Ensure the country of foreign exchange collection matches customs declaration information
• Tax joint liability: Choose agency partners with Class AExport tax refundqualifications

How should agency fees be calculated reasonably?

Industry standard fee structure includes:

• Basic agency fee: 0.5%-1.2% of the goods value
• Document processing fee: 200-800 RMB/ticket
• Capital service fee: 0.05%/day of the tax refund advance amount
• Special reminder: Starting from 2025, some ports will mandatorily require cargo ownership insurance (approximately 0.3% of the goods value)

How does export agency affect customer relationship maintenance?

Recommended adoptionTripartite rights separation mechanism:

• Clients directly control overseas buyer contact information
• Agency only handles logistics and capital flow
• Using blockchain notarization technology to record the entire transaction process

What are the new trends in export agency in 2025?

The industry shows three major changes:

• Digital customs clearance adoption rate exceeds 75% (compared to 28% in 2020)
• Surge in demand for green trade additional services (carbon footprint certification, etc.)
• Integrated service providers extending into supply chain finance