What are the essential differences between agent - based export and self - managed export?

The core of agent - based export lies inThe division of trade subjects and responsibilitiesAs the export declaration entity, the agency company is responsible for handling the whole - process services such as customs declaration, foreign exchange receipt and tax refund. The actual ownership of goods still belongs to the principal. For example, a Zhejiang lighting factory exported to the US market through an agent in 2022. The agency company handled the CE certification and ETA customs clearance documents, and the factory focused on production and R & D. The export volume exceeded 3 million US dollars in the first year.

What is the standard operation process of agent - based export?

Professional agent - based export includesSix key links:

• Contract filing: Sign a tripartite agreement to clarify rights and responsibilities
• Document preparation:
  • Check the commercial invoice and packing list
  • Apply for the certificate of origin
• Customs declaration: HS code classification and permit processing
• Logistics supervision: Container sealing and transportation tracking
• Foreign exchange settlement: Foreign exchange receipt declaration and cross - border payment
• Tax refund declaration: Certification of special VAT invoices

What specific items does the agency service fee include?

41. The charging structure of a regular agency company should include:

• Basic service fee (usually 0.8% - 1.5% of the cargo value)
• Bank handling fee (SWIFT/LC fee)
• Document certification fee (Chamber of Commerce certification, embassy certification)
• Special service fee (such as anti - dumping duty calculation)

When a Suzhou machinery parts enterprise exported to the EU through an agent in 2024, due to the agent companys early warning of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) policy, it successfully avoided an additional cost of 230,000 euros.

How to identify compliant onesAgency export serviceThe business?

Enterprises should focus on checking:

• Customs AEO certification qualification
• Register of Foreign Exchange Administration
• Export tax refundType - I enterprise qualifications
• Industry - specific service cases (e.g., medical devices require FDA experience)

The latest regulatory requirements in 2025 show that the agent company needs to have the system processing ability of RCEP origin rules. A Qingdao aquatic product export enterprises frozen products worth $500,000 were detained at the port in Vietnam for two weeks due to the lack of this ability of the agent.

What common legal risks exist in agent - based export?

Typical cases in the past three years reveal three risk points:

• Freight forwarder bill of lading and cargo rights control: In 2023, a Shenzhen electronics companys payment was intercepted by an intermediary because the agent used a house bill of lading.
• Joint liability for intellectual property rights: The principal bears the liability for infringement compensation because the agent company did not verify the trademark authorization.
• Foreign exchange compliance risk: The agents illegal operation led the enterprise to be included in the key monitoring list of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

It is recommended that enterprises clearly stipulate in the agency agreementAdvance payment security mechanismwithResponsibility for document review, and purchase export credit insurance when necessary.

What special advantages do small, medium and micro - sized enterprises have when choosing agent - based export?

For enterprises with an annual export volume of less than $5 million, agent - based export can save:

• Document - related labor costs (about 150,000 yuan/year)
• Foreign exchange account maintenance fee
• Investment in the electronic port system

More importantly, it can be obtainedTrade Financing Support, a Ningbo stationery exporter shortened the payment period from 90 days to 30 days through the supply chain financial services of an agency company, increasing the capital turnover rate by 40%.

What details of agency services should be paid special attention to in exports to emerging markets?

For emerging markets such as Southeast Asia and Africa:

• Require the agent to provide proof of local customs clearance capabilities
• Confirm the ability to handle special documents (such as Nigeria SONCAP certification)
• Agree on the handling process for unexpected situations at the port of destination

In 2025, Indonesia implemented a new HS coding system. An agency company failed to update its system in a timely manner, resulting in the detention of chemical raw materials worth $800,000 at the Port of Jakarta and incurring huge demurrage fees.