Export RepresentationWhat necessary expenses are included in the basic service fee?

According to the latest 2025 industry standards, standard export agency service fees typically include the followingBasic items:

• Customs clearance and inspection service fee (including document preparation)
• Logistics coordination fee (excluding actual transportation costs)
• Foreign exchange payment management fee
• Trade compliance review fee
• Basic legal document filing fee

Special attention requiredNon-standard fee itemsMay include: expedited processing fees, special document certification fees, destination port clearance coordination fees, etc. These must be clearly specified in the contract.

From which aspects do agency companies mainly generate profits?

The profit structure of professional export agencies can be divided intoExplicit incomeandHidden benefitstwo categories:

• Explicit income:
  • Service fee margin (difference between agency cost and quoted price)
  • Tax refund allocation (according to service agreement proportion)
• Implicit benefits:
  • Foreign exchange rate difference (selection of cross-border payment timing)
  • Logistics channel rebates (cooperation benefits with contracted carriers)

2025 market supervision regulations require agency companies to discloseMain revenue sources. It is recommended to request a revenue structure explanation before cooperation.

Export DrawbackWhat are the risk points in settlement methods?

Tax refund processing is a key aspect of profit settlement. Currently, the industry has three main models:

• Advance tax refund type: Agency company advances tax refund payment, charging 5-8% service fee
• Post-receipt allocation type: After tax refund is received, allocate according to agreed proportion (typically 30-50%)
• Lump-sum fee type: Charge fixed service fee of 1.5-3% of cargo value, with full tax refund going to the client

Professional agencies can effectively prevent and control three core risks:Time Sensitivity RiskandBill risksSome agents may delay submitting tax refund documents or request control of the original VAT invoices.

How does the settlement cycle length affect capital turnover?

According to a 2025 survey of 200 enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta region,foreign tradeThe research shows significant impacts of different settlement cycles on capital occupation:

• T+15 settlement(15 days after shipment): Capital turnover rate increases by 40%, but agency fees rise by 2-3%
• T+30 settlement: The industry standard model that balances capital pressure and service costs
• Payment upon receipt: Settlement after foreign exchange receipt, extending capital occupation period by 50-70 days

It is recommended that SMEs adoptphased settlementmodel: Pay basic service fees upon shipment and profit-sharing portion after tax refund receipt.

How to identify hidden additional charges?

2025 foreign trade service complaint cases indicate three types of hidden fees requiring special attention:

• Document expediting fees (exceeding 3 times the industry standard)
• Destination port exception handling fees (without prior notice of charges)
• Exchange rate compensation fees (charging over 1% exchange difference for USD settlements)

It is recommended to require the agency to provideand agree on an exchange rate locking mechanism., and include a clause in the contract stating no additional fees beyond agreed items.

What is the profit difference between self-operated exports and agency exports?

Comparative analysis of actual cases in 2025 (taking $1 million export volume as example):

• Self-operated export:
  • Direct costs: $8,000 for customs clearance/logistics + $5,000 personnel costs
  • Capital occupation: 90-day tax refund cycle generates approximately $3,000 financial cost
• Foreign Trade Agency Agreement:
  • Service fee expenditure: $15,000 (including advance tax refund payment)
  • Saving about $4,000 in management costs

Comprehensive calculations show that SMEs using agents can reduce12-15%overall operating costs, but profit margins decrease by 3-5 percentage points.