Export agentWhat are the main charging models?

Current mainstream market charging methods can be divided into three categories:

• Commission percentage systemCharge 1%-5% of cargo value, suitable for high-value goods
• Service item systemDisassemblycustoms clearanceSeparate charges for transportation and documentation
• Hybrid charging systemBasic service fee + riskAdditional fees(For specially controlled commodities)

According to the General Administration of Customs 2025 Cross-Border Trade Facilitation Report, 67% of enterprises have adopted hybrid charging systems, representing a 12 percentage point increase from 2023. When selecting, require agents to provideExact cost checklistto avoid hidden costs in bundled quotes.

Which factors directly affect agency fees?

• Cargo attributes:
  • Hazardous category surcharge (typically 30%-50% additional)
  • Special handling fee for cold chain transportation
• Destination country requirements:
  • CBAM carbon tariff declaration service fee newly implemented by the EU in 2025
  • COC certification agency fee commonly required by African countries
• Transportation timeliness:
  • Air express lane usage fee
  • Port congestion surcharge (15% levy rate still exists at US West Coast ports in 2025)

How to identify hidden fees in quotations?

Special attention should be paid to the following three common surcharges:

• Customs inspection derivative feesincluding demurrage fees, container unstuffing fees, and supervised warehousing fees
• Document expedited processing feeCertificate of Origin RUSH fee, embassy certification expedited fee
• Compensation for exchange rate fluctuationsSome agents charge 1%-2% exchange rate deposit

It is recommended to clearly stipulate in the contractClosure of costsand require written confirmation from the agent before any overage occurs.

How significant are the fee differences between agencies of different sizes?

According to 2025 China International Freight Forwarders Association research data:

• Large comprehensive service providers typically quote 15%-20% higher but include value-added services such as AEO certification
• Small and medium-sized regional agents have 10%-15% lower basic fees but weaker special document processing capabilities
• Emerging digital agent platforms offer transparent pricing but have response delay risks in offline emergency handling

It is recommended to give priority to those withTarget country customs clearance performanceFor example, when exporting medical devices, choose agents with FDA filing experience.

How to optimize agency fees through negotiation?

• Annual framework agreements can reduce comprehensive costs by 8%-12%
• When using FOB terms, agents can be required to return booking commissions
• Combined useThe MaritimeLCL + China-Europe Railway Express multimodal transport solution
• Utilize the RCEP member state origin accumulation rules to reduce tariff costs

The newly launched cross-border trade single window version 3.0 in 2025 has achievedIntelligent price comparison systemIntegration, it is recommended that enterprises fully utilize this official platform for cost verification.