Do export agencies really only charge a service fee?

In the 2025 foreign trade services market survey, we found that the revenue structure of agency companies is showing a trend toward diversification:

• Basic Service Costs: Charged at 0.8%–3% of the cargo value (2025 industry standard)
• Tax refund sharing: A capital occupation fee of 0.5%–1.2% is charged when the tax refund is prepaid in advance.
• Logistics price difference: The average profit margin for container shipping ranges from $200 to $500.
• The exchange rateOperated: Revenue-sharing of bank rebates when locking in the exchange rate
• Value Added Services: Including specialized fees such as origin certification and quality inspection

Why do quotes vary significantly between different agency companies?

Take the quotation in the Yangtze River Delta region in 2025Export tax refundTaking the business as an example, the cost difference between legitimate agents and small-to-medium service providers mainly stems from:

• customs clearanceDocument processing cost (saving ￥80–150 per order)
• Bank settlement exchange channel fee rate (difference of 0.05%-0.15%)
• Container loading optimization capability (reduces 5%–12% of space wastage)
• Crisis Response Team Configuration (Compliance Dispute Resolution Costs Reduced by 30%)

How do agency companies make money through tax rebates?

2025 National IncreaseExport tax refundAgainst the backdrop of efficiency, the new profit model for professional agencies includes:

• Tax-advance financing: Use the credit line to advance the payment of tax refunds and charge a capital usage fee
• Tax rebate time difference: Short-term investment gains generated by an average 15-day payment cycle
• Inter-provincial coordination of tax refunds: Profiting by reconciling the differences in export-tax-rebate rates across regions
• Compliance Optimization: Increase the export tax rebate rate by 0.5%–2% through commodity classification adjustments

What hidden profit points exist in the logistics chain?

In 2025, volatility in the ocean freight market intensifies; the logistics revenue of high-quality agencies mainly comes from:

• LCL Consolidation Optimization (fits an additional 3–5 cubic meters in a 20GP container)
• Special-period cabin booking (peak-season surcharge up to $800 per container)
• Premium for hazardous-chemical transport qualification (15%–25% surcharge)
• Extended services at destination (secondary charges for customs clearance, warehousing, etc.)

How does new-type supply-chain finance create value?

According to the 2025 Foreign Trade Finance White Paper, agencies generate revenue through the following methods:

• L/C discounting spread (annualized 2.5%-4.5%)
• Order Financing Service Fee (1%–2% of goods value)
• FX hedging product commission (USD 300–600 per million USD)
• Credit insurance commission (15%–20% of the premium amount)

How can you identify hidden fees from an agency?

We recommend that the client pay special attention to the following contract clauses:

• Do bank service charges include wire transfer fees? (A common point of dispute in 2025)
• Additional fee for embassy legalization of document certification
• Allocation ratio of demurrage charges arising from spot inspections
• Adjustment mechanism when exchange-rate fluctuations exceed the agreed-upon range