What Items Does the Export Agency Fee Exactly Include? How to Avoid Hidden Charges?

Export RepresentationWhat are the core projects included in the basic services of the fee?

According to the statistics of the International Trade Service Providers Association in 2023, the basic agency fee usually includes:

• Document processing fee: Preparation of documents such as commercial invoices, packing lists,Certificate of Originetc.
• Customs declaration and inspection service: Including HS code classification, customs declaration system usage fee
• Document review fee:Letter of Credit (L/C): Review, compliance review of trade terms
• Basic operation fee: Basic operations such as booking coordination, transportation document transfer

Are logistics - related fees included in the agency fee?

The following items that may be charged separately need special attention:

• Main freight (basic cost of sea/air/land transportation)
• Surcharges:
  • Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF) (The new BAF calculation standard will be implemented from January 2025)
  • Port Congestion Surcharge (PCS)
  • War Risk Surcharge
• Insurance cost (unless the CIF term is specifically agreed)
• Special warehousing fee (such as when the customs - supervised warehouse exceeds the free - rent period)

Why is the price difference between different agents up to 30%?

The market research in 2025 shows that the price difference mainly comes from:

• Service integration level: Whether it includes destination port customs clearance
• Payment methodThere may be additional charges for letter of credit (L/C) document submission services.
• Industry precisionProfessional service premium for special categories such as hazardous chemicals/food
• Degree of digitizationCost sharing of the use of blockchain documentary system

What hidden fees need special attention?

It is recommended to clearly stipulate the following cost bearers in the contract:

• Document modification fee (such as L/C amendment)
• Expedited service fee (for special needs such as rapid customs clearance)
• Non - working day operation fee (50 - 100% surcharge for night/holidays)
• Returned document handling fee (documents returned due to customer reasons)
• Exchange rate difference compensation (exchange loss when settling in US dollars)

What are the new strategies for bargaining the agency fee in 2025?

Based on the latest industry trends, it is recommended:

• Request itemized quotations (refer to the INCOTERMS®2025 version)
• Negotiate tiered rates (a discount is available when the annual export volume reaches 500 TEU)
• Pay attention to the regional preferences of agents in RCEP member countries
• Bundle digital services (electronic certificates of origin can reduce costs by 30%)

How to verify the reasonableness of the agency fee quotation?

Three verification methods are recommended:

• Compare with the guiding price issued by the China International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFA)
• Request to provide the service details of the same route in the past three months
• Check the customs AEO certification level of the agent (the error rate of advanced certified enterprises is 2.7 times lower)