?Export Agency?What specific services does the company provide?

A professional export agency company should provideEnd-to-end trade services, mainly including:

• Customs clearance operations: Preparation of customs declaration documents, HS code classification, handling of customs clearance anomalies
• Logistics management:
  • ?Ocean shipping?/?Air freight?Booking and optimization of transport solutions
  • Handling of qualifications for dangerous goods/special cargo transport
• Trade compliance:
  • Export control review (new semiconductor?Equipment Export?restrictions in 2025)
  • Application of rules of origin and certificate application

How are agency fees structured? Are there hidden charges?

The fee structure of a formal agency company should include:

• Basic service fee: Customs declaration fee 0.15%-0.3% (of cargo value) + Document fee 300-800 RMB/shipment
• Value - added service fee:
  • ?L/C?Document review: 0.05%-0.1% of cargo value
  • Destination port customs clearance assistance: 500-2000 RMB/time

Hidden fees to watch out for include: fees for handling abnormal situations (such as customs inspections), and exchange rate fluctuation compensation fees (the two-way fluctuation range of the RMB exchange rate will expand to ±5% in 2025)

How to verify the authenticity of an agency company's qualifications?

It is recommended to verify through three official channels:

• General Administration of Customs official website's "Customs Broker Registration Information Inquiry" system
• China Council for the Promotion of International Trade member directory
• State Administration of Foreign Exchange's "Directory of Enterprises for Foreign Exchange Receipts and Payments in Trade"

Case: In 2024, a textile enterprise lost a $200,000 tax rebate due to choosing an unqualified agent

How should small and medium-sized enterprises choose a suitable agency company?

Choose a service provider that matches the enterprise's scale:

• Annual export value < $5 million: Regional professional agent
  • Advantages: Fast response for localized services, customized fee plans
• Annual export value $5-20 million: National comprehensive agent
  • Advantages: Multi-port operation capability, digital management system

What are the important changes in export policies in 2025?

Three new policies to pay special attention to:

• Announcement No. 58 of the General Administration of Customs:?Tax Refund?Full implementation of electronic filing of documents
• The Ministry of Commerce's "Administrative Measures for Cross-border Data Flow" takes effect
• The EU CBAM carbon tariff has entered the substantive collection phase.

Professional agency companies should provide policy interpretation and response plans

How to evaluate an agency's risk management capabilities?

Focus on evaluating five dimensions:

• Customs AEO certification level (advanced certified enterprises are preferred)
• Experience in handling special trade terms (the usage rate of DAP terms will increase to 38% in 2025)
• Number of international trade dispute resolution cases
• Compliance management system certification (e.g., ISO 37301)
• Emergency response time (4-hour response standard for major customs clearance issues)

What are the key clauses to pay attention to in an agency contract?

Five core clauses that must be clarified:

• Liability division clause (especially for determining responsibility for documentary errors)
• Scope of the confidentiality agreement (including customer information and trade data)
• Force majeure handling mechanism (referencing the 2025 version of Incoterms)
• Service termination conditions and transition period arrangements
• Jurisdiction agreement for dispute resolution (it is recommended to choose the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission)

How important is digital service capability for an agency company?

The digital capability standards for a quality agent in 2025:

• Real-time customs clearance status tracking system
• Intelligent customs declaration pre-review system (error rate < 0.5%)
• Trade big data analysis platform (can provide export market insight reports)
• Blockchain document storage system (compliant with the central bank's "Technical Specifications for Blockchain in Trade Finance")

How to establish an effective agency service evaluation system?

It is recommended that enterprises establish a KPI assessment mechanism:

• Customs clearance timeliness indicator: Normal customs declaration release rate within 48 hours ≥ 95%
• Document accuracy rate: Proforma invoice/packing list error rate < 0.3%
• Abnormal handling timeliness: Customs inspection response time < 2 hours
• Customer satisfaction: Quarterly service rating ≥ 4.8 (out of 5)

What risks should be noted when changing agency companies?

Three types of risks must be guarded against:

• Historical data migration risk:
  • Need to ensure a complete handover of a full set of trade records within 3 years
• Customs credit transition risk:
  • AEO certified enterprises need to report changes 6 months in advance
• Foreign exchange verification transition risk:
  • Export?Forex Settlement?Need to sign a tripartite agreement with the new and old agents